Help! Hensim/Baja 250 repeatedly breaking muffler mount

[Guy]

I've got a Hensim/Baja 250 that keeps breaking the left hand muffler mount.

First time: broke the mounting tab on the muffler at the foot peg. I cut fitted and welded a washer onto the muffler mounting tab to repair the mounting tab, bolted everything back together

Second time: snapped the "A" bracket from the frame to the footpeg, left the footpeg mounted to the muffler dangling in space. Rewelded the "A" bracket and put everything back together.

Third time: snapped the "A" bracket again just below my previous weld.

Obviously just re-welding the "A" bracket back together isn't going to work for more than a couple hundred miles. I'm pretty sure the problem is related to the vibration combined with the stress of the muffler hanging on the bracket that's causing the issue. I'm thinking about cutting the muffler side of the bracket and installing some rubber isolation on the muffler bracket, then re-welding the "A" bracket and putting everything back together.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of issue? Any other ideas on how to fix this issue permanently?

Thanks in Advance
Guy

[Weldangrind]

I am struggling a bit to visualize it. Got pics?

[Guy]

Hopefully the link comes through, first break on muffler tab, second break just above the current break...


http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Guy_Peterson/Hensim/MufflerMount.jpg

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Guy_Peterson/Hensim/MufflerMount.jpg (http://s1267.beta.photobucket.com/user/Guy_Peterson/library/Hensim)

[Weldangrind]

The bracket with the holes is not very substantial. It needs to support the muffler and the weight of the rider's foot, and it also must deal with vibraton. I'd be trying to figure out how to reinforce that bracket.

If you can back up the camera a bit, perhaps we can offer some thoughts on how to reinforce the bracket.

[Guy]

I used my stick welder to weld it this time and it seems to be holding without problems.

[Weldangrind]

What did you weld it with the first few times?

[Guy]

I used my wire welder from Harbor Freight. The wire was a pretty small gauge. The stick welder has a bit more heft to it. They're also both set up to work on 110V, so they're not what you'd call heavy duty, but I can definitely put down more metal with the stick welder, and I don't seem to get as much spatter...

[Weldangrind]

Perhaps that's the key. Maybe there wasn't enough penetration with the small wire on a 110 machine. How long has the repair been holding?

[Guy]

It's been about 6 to 8 weeks and a couple tanks of gas.