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Fulmer Helmet repair

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DaveInTexas

DaveInTexas

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I have a Fulmer helmet AF-M, probably 8 yrs old.
It has the full face that flips up.
One of the hinges broke spontaneously.
I called Fulmer and they do not sell parts nor repair helmets.
They say it is toast and I should toss it. In fact they say all helmets should be trashed after 5 years. This seems overkill to me, mine has never sat out in the sun and has less than 2000miles on it. It has never so much as fallen off the bench.
In any case, does anyone have any ideas other than tossing a hardly-used helmet?

Thanks.
move post to correct forum as needed.
 
DaveInTexas said:
I have a Fulmer helmet AF-M, probably 8 yrs old.
It has the full face that flips up.
One of the hinges broke spontaneously.
I called Fulmer and they do not sell parts nor repair helmets.
They say it is toast and I should toss it. In fact they say all helmets should be trashed after 5 years. This seems overkill to me, mine has never sat out in the sun and has less than 2000miles on it. It has never so much as fallen off the bench.
In any case, does anyone have any ideas other than tossing a hardly-used helmet?

Thanks.
move post to correct forum as needed.
Click to expand...

Have you checked Ebay? Maybe buy a cheap one on craigslist and use it for parts.
 
I would not expect anyone to offer helmet repairs based on liability.




From mobile
 
You can most likely pick up a used helmet for the price of the parts you need,if you can even find them.
 
Cycle gear has reasonable new helmets but I do not have one. Somebody else might chime in. They are around 50-80ish new in the ad I looked at the other day.
 
oh, I can buy a new helmet and it won't kill me. I was just taking the opportunity to have a rant about our discard vs repair society.
I was raised to conserve by fixing everything.
This helmet actually had a hinge break right after I broke it, and I will swear on a stack of bibles that the harshest thing I have ever done to it was to flip the faceshield up, set it on my bench after each ride. Anyway back then I got parts and fixed it.
I now find by googling that this helmet had a recall because of a defective hinge and mine was affected but I was not notified, now the recall is over.
Time to buy a new helmet. Sadly I will be Fulmer-shy when it comes to shopping.
 
Dave I was raised by a father that fixed everything. So I know where you are coming from. You can even find helmets at yard sales. My sons Fulmer is from a yard sale and it is just right for him. Have you tried writing directly to the company? I just threw out a Bell Star not long ago that I couldn't find face shields anymore. Yes the orange one,that is the only color I think they made them in.
 
I agree with the fix everything philosophy - except helmets. I put a lot of value in this thing I have on my shoulders. Now, the broken hinge with a not fixed recall is different, but other than that....I always take a hammer to them and then toss them if I have ANY doubt as to the condition of the bucket. The 5 year rule applies to helmets in use. Properly stored helmets (with dessicant, bagging and the rest of it) isn't that important, and can extend way past 5 years.
 
I'm not opposed to repairing a helmet that has a broken non-structural part. I regularly replace the shield base plates on Arai helmets with parts they sell online. The problem will be finding the parts.
 
I hate to say it, but all plastics (Poly carb or fiberglass) are affected by sunlight and time and helmets made from these materials need to be replaced after a few years, it has long been the guideline to replace helmets after 5 years, this is more crucial for poly carbonate helmets than fiberglass helmets, but it remains a good guideline. How much is your head worth. The polystyrene liners inside the helmet are affected by vapors and if the helmet has been unused but kept in a garage, it has probably had exposure to fumes from acetone, petrol, and other chemicals stored in the garage, etc and will be past it's best. The plastic (If it's a plastic/polycarb helmet) will have become more rigid/brittle than when new, so it could fail in a catastrophic way when subjected to a shock, whilst it is wasteful to throw things away, security equipment (like helmets) should not be risked. Use it for a display or something, but I would strongly advise against using it on the road as it may fail when you need it most.

Gary
 
I second the idea of writing directly to Fulmer. Could be they will goodwill the parts needed to fix it especially re the past recall. My mother-in-law emails/writes companies all the time and I'm amazed at what they will do if they know about an issue! Anyway, good luck with it!
 
Buy a new helmet and call it good.

The few dollars saved from "fixing" your Fulmar won't go very far if your in a serious crash.

If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet.

After being in a serious crash with a high end helmet, I'm a firm believer in a good quality helmet that has not expired.
 
Wow if the hinge can spontaneously break after opening and closing a few times, I wouldn't trust that helmet at all.

Think what would happen if your head hit the ground. Those hinges will break for sure. And you'll not have any chin protection.
 
kurt said:
I'm not opposed to repairing a helmet that has a broken non-structural part. I regularly replace the shield base plates on Arai helmets with parts they sell online. The problem will be finding the parts.
Click to expand...

Although it IS structural. This is the hinge on a modular.

I'm sort of opposed to modulars. And this grounds my reasoning. Seems if the hinge could break NOT in a wreck, imagine what it would do IN a wreck. :eek2:

Like others have said, I would get a new helmet. It's 8 years old... time to retire it.

I always recommend a solid full face.
 
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