'84 R100RT Windshield Mounting ?'s

[Geoff]

I'll try to keep this from getting too long winded. The attached image shows the type of mounting hardware that is supposed to go with my fairing. Unfortunately when I purchased the bike, it had an aftermarket shield and base that lay on top of the dashboard support (Parabellum I think) that mounted through just the 2 center holes of the shield and fairing. There were 2 additional side holes on just the base that lined up with the shield. So basically I had a shield and a base attached to the fairing by just the 2 center holes and no side brackets. Not a very satisfactory situation to say the least. I could wiggle the shield forward an inch or more. Blissfully ignorant of the situation I decided to purchase a Clearview shield in the hopes that I would at least have a few more mounting points. WRONG!!! Back to square one. I will of course have to purchase the correct hardware but I really need to know is A) How many of the original dashboard rivet holes were used to mount the shield? and B) How are the side brackets mounted? I may have an issue with that as well, since the upper threaded brass sleeves (facing inward) on each side are missing/broken however the beefier lower ones are still intact. The original hardware is supposed to make the shield adjustable to some degree so I'm guessing that the shield is more or less "hinged" at the front through the 2 center holes and that the side brackets provide the rest of the support. If somebody can confirm this for me it would be really helpful as well.

[Evergreen]

Hi Geoff:

1. There are six of the rivets. 2. The windshield does pivot up and down on the front two studs that are part of the plate at the center. 3. The side plates mount to the shield using short flatheaded screws that are shown on the drawing as #11. Note that there is a rectangular plate to receive the screws and "sandwich" the shield at the corners.

The large gasket (#2) installs between the fairing and the small dashboard that holds the gauges and key behind the shield. Reusing the old one will be an issue if you tear off the little rubber pieces that go through the shield around the bottom edge. That gasket was $42 last I checked.

The Airheads email list archives has numerous posts on this. You may want to check there too.

Careful on drilling out the old rivets! I found that they would turn on the bit and begin to melt the dashboard really fast. A better way is to collapse the edges of the rivets using some kind of punch, and then tap them through the holes in the fairing. Go easy with that hammer though, or you may need to repair the top edge of the fiberglass fairing through which these rivets pass ( DAMHIK).

The nuts on the back of the center plate are not too bad to access if you remove the headlight glass tunnel and the running light fixture. There are also some rubber washers there too that pad the contact area with the fairing.

Best of luck,

Greg DeWit

[Geoff]

Hi Geoff:

1. There are six of the rivets. 2. The windshield does pivot up and down on the front two studs that are part of the plate at the center. 3. The side plates mount to the shield using short flatheaded screws that are shown on the drawing as #11. Note that there is a rectangular plate to receive the screws and "sandwich" the shield at the corners.

The large gasket (#2) installs between the fairing and the small dashboard that holds the gauges and key behind the shield. Reusing the old one will be an issue if you tear off the little rubber pieces that go through the shield around the bottom edge. That gasket was $42 last I checked.

The Airheads email list archives has numerous posts on this. You may want to check there too.

Careful on drilling out the old rivets! I found that they would turn on the bit and begin to melt the dashboard really fast. A better way is to collapse the edges of the rivets using some kind of punch, and then tap them through the holes in the fairing. Go easy with that hammer though, or you may need to repair the top edge of the fiberglass fairing through which these rivets pass ( DAMHIK).

The nuts on the back of the center plate are not too bad to access if you remove the headlight glass tunnel and the running light fixture. There are also some rubber washers there too that pad the contact area with the fairing.

Best of luck,

Greg DeWit

Hey Greg,
Thanks for the info. I'm beginning to get a better picture of what's involved. I count 8 copper rivets on mine, but that is moot. It looks to me as though a PO attempted removal of at least one. There is a gasket of some sort between the fairing and dashboard, but the exposed portion for the shield is gone. Either cut away or replaced with something I'll venture. This presents another issue, since if I understand your post , the spendy gasket is riveted in place and so I must remove the old rivets and find suitable replacements and the correct gun to install a new gasket. Correct so far? Also, I still need to know exactly how those side brackets mount to the fairing because I may have to address that as well. Thanks again,
Geoff

[Evergreen]

Geoff:

The rivets and gasket are still available at your dealer. Rivets are cheap. You can use a drywall screw with the threads smoothed out in your pop rivet gun to attach the new rivets. Sounds bogus, but works fine. My method of rivet removal was to use a sharp edged punch to bend the edges of the rivets inward, thereby collapsing them into themselves. Then, tap them through. Yes, to remove he old gasket, the rivets need to come out.

I'm not getting your question re: the brackets. The piece that fits on the back of the shield (#8)has a stud that protrudes from the bracket (#12) that should be on your fairing. This bracket has an oblong cutout in it that the stud can slide up and down in. The knob and washers snug it all down. Do you have all the parts? I counted the rivets again, and I have six for sure. The two holes in the middle don't use them.

If need be and you get stumped, I can shoot a photo or two. Let me know.

Greg

[Geoff]

Geoff:

The rivets and gasket are still available at your dealer. Rivets are cheap. You can use a drywall screw with the threads smoothed out in your pop rivet gun to attach the new rivets. Sounds bogus, but works fine. My method of rivet removal was to use a sharp edged punch to bend the edges of the rivets inward, thereby collapsing them into themselves. Then, tap them through. Yes, to remove he old gasket, the rivets need to come out.

I'm not getting your question re: the brackets. The piece that fits on the back of the shield (#8)has a stud that protrudes from the bracket (#12) that should be on your fairing. This bracket has an oblong cutout in it that the stud can slide up and down in. The knob and washers snug it all down. Do you have all the parts? I counted the rivets again, and I have six for sure. The two holes in the middle don't use them.

If need be and you get stumped, I can shoot a photo or two. Let me know.

Greg

I would love to see a picture of how that plate(12) mounts to the fairing because in the diagram it shows a standard bolt and washer and not a stud as you indicated. In either case I need to see exactly where it anchors to the fairing since I have 2 possible choices on each side and one of the choices may involve some JB Weld and locating another brass threaded sleeve. Again, your help is much appreciated.

[shire2000]

Another thing to think about is instead of putting in new rivets is to use small black plastic nuts and bolts. I got a set at a local BMW repair shop (non-dealer). You can probably get some at a Home Depot type store. They have all kinds of fasteners. They are short and cheap. Once I drilled out the old rivets, I pulled the old gasket out, inserted the new one and bolted everything back together, using the plastic bolts and nuts. Then mounted my Clearview windshield loosely, gently pulled the little rubber **** thru the windshield holes with a pair of needle nose pliers. Lubed the rubber **** with some dishwashing soap first. Once they were all in place, tightened down the centre bolts and the sandwich brackets on the outer ends. Works like a charm.

The nice thing about using the little plastic bolts is that if you ever need to take the unit apart again, you don't have to fool with the rivets again. Once you have them in place and tightened down, they look like they were meant to be there.

You will love the Clearview windshield. I think the protection is better than the stock one.

:ca

[Evergreen]

OK, I will try and get a photo tonight.

The #12 bracket attaches to the upper corner of the fairing using the small bolt and washer shown (#'s 9 and 10). I haven't had mine off, but assume that there is a threaded sleeve in the fairing where it attaches. The mounting is hidden by the bracket once mounted. The stud I referred to earlier is part of #8, the bracket that attaches to the windshield.

Greg

[Evergreen]

OK Geoff, Look here for the pix:

http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn192/gcorn/?albumview=link

Let me know if you cannot open it.

Greg

[Geoff]

OK Geoff, Look here for the pix:

http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn192/gcorn/?albumview=link

Let me know if you cannot open it.

Greg

Got it Greg,
Thanks very much for your effort. It would appear that both of my upper fairing bracket mounting points are missing the threaded sleeves, but looking at the orientation of everything leads me to believe that the brackets would mount firmly with just the lower points until I'm able to repair the uppers. That is actually what I was hoping for. I can't see that it would create too much undue stress on the lower points as long as the adjustment knobs are cinched up tight. At the very least it would buy me some time to repair the uppers later. I may also go with shire2000's advice about the rivets and simply replace them with plastic screws since it would make everything behind the dash much more accessible. Now I just have to order the parts and git er done. I really appreciate your help. Hope I can be of some assistance to you someday,
Geoff

[shire2000]

Hey, no problem. The nice thing about this group is that there are so many of us that "have been there, done that", that anyone can ask questions and get numerous ways to do something, all of which will most likely be correct. I doubt there is any problem that at least a few of us haven't come across.

I bet if you add up everyones experience and knowledge, we would have a combined knowledge base equal to a few thousand years of riding and repairing our bikes.

Gotta love old farts on old bikes.

:ca