CarSalesman
02-19-2006, 08:18 PM
For the last few months, I've been pondering a different helmet. The hinge mechanism on my 4 yr old Symax has broken, and sometimes it won't go up or down. Not a good thing in either event.
I read in a couple of forums that HJC doesn't sell parts - have to buy the whole thing. I went to the HJC web site, and filled out the online info request, asking about parts for the Symax hinges. Cost, availablility, etc.
A couple days later, I got an email which basically said "your parts are in the mail". Really? Sure enough, I received a bag with the two entire hinge assemblies. No charge - not even for postage.
I installed the parts today, easy enough. Helmet is like new again, other than a few scratches of course. I don't need a new helmet.
One big thing that every Symax owner should understand is that my hinges failed simply because the bolts came loose. I didn't know that until today. If you own a Symax, you MUST periodically open the hinge covers (pry them off where marked), and tighten the screws. There are two on each side. If I had done that, I'm sure the nylon hinge rachets would never have broken.
Note the nylon part that broke, isn't actually the hinge, so there was never a safety issue. The nylon rachet simply holds the chin bar in the up position.
I read in a couple of forums that HJC doesn't sell parts - have to buy the whole thing. I went to the HJC web site, and filled out the online info request, asking about parts for the Symax hinges. Cost, availablility, etc.
A couple days later, I got an email which basically said "your parts are in the mail". Really? Sure enough, I received a bag with the two entire hinge assemblies. No charge - not even for postage.
I installed the parts today, easy enough. Helmet is like new again, other than a few scratches of course. I don't need a new helmet.
One big thing that every Symax owner should understand is that my hinges failed simply because the bolts came loose. I didn't know that until today. If you own a Symax, you MUST periodically open the hinge covers (pry them off where marked), and tighten the screws. There are two on each side. If I had done that, I'm sure the nylon hinge rachets would never have broken.
Note the nylon part that broke, isn't actually the hinge, so there was never a safety issue. The nylon rachet simply holds the chin bar in the up position.