Fairing screen screws - plastic or metal.

[Guest]

Hey fellow GSR members.

Im ordering a new fairing screen for my GSX 750 ES and looking at either the smoke or black.

If you look at this picture you can see the use of metal screws used in the present




Will the use of metal screws damage the screen?
Isnt there a chance that the screen will crack around the screw holes?

Im thinking that plastic screws will be better for the bikes fairing screen.
Can you get plastic screws in gold? That would be nice for the style of the bike

[tpo1990]

The original fairing screen already have little cracks around the metal screws. Maybe the original owner have tightened it too much ?

Here is another pic of the bikes color.

[GateKeeper]

Mine has metal screws, however they are not philips head, but a allen head or torx, they were black, but I polished them and now they are shiny

and my fairing, I sanded down, and polished up, to get it in better shape than what it was

by the way, this is smoked

many more pictures of the process here

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=191535

.

[Tim Tom]

You'll notice there are little rubber O-rings between the metal screw and the windscreen, and the windscreen and the nut. These isolate the vibrations, and help protect the fairing from cracking around the bolts. If you use one of these on each side of the bolt there should be no issue with using a metal fastener.


Also I think you should go with a smoke screen, rather than black, as it will allow you to see through it in a full, chin on the tank, tuck position.

[tpo1990]

Progress

That looks awesome.

you have made a good progress of the fairing screen.

i might try to get my original fairing screen in a better shape just like yours although im still ordering a new one.

Mine has metal screws, however they are not philips head, but a allen head or torx, they were black, but I polished them and now they are shiny

and my fairing, I sanded down, and polished up, to get it in better shape than what it was

by the way, this is smoked

many more pictures of the process here

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=191535

.

[tpo1990]

Smoke screen and gold colored screws.

you're right after i looked on my bike.

It seems im missing those little rubber O-rings on some of the metal screws.

i might be going after the idea of a smoke screen with gold colored metal screws, if i can get my hands on gold colored screws.

i like the black and gold style.

Anyway the black screen might be a bad idea, so im ordering the smoke screen.

You'll notice there are little rubber O-rings between the metal screw and the windscreen, and the windscreen and the nut. These isolate the vibrations, and help protect the fairing from cracking around the bolts. If you use one of these on each side of the bolt there should be no issue with using a metal fastener.


Also I think you should go with a smoke screen, rather than black, as it will allow you to see through it in a full, chin on the tank, tuck position.

[1980GS1000E]

Plastic windshield screws are used because they allow the windshield to be detached in a single piece rather easily in an accident (typically the rider will fly into it if he hits a car), thus reducing the chance of the rider becoming injured from impacting a more solidly mounted screen.

[tpo1990]

So the plastic screws is better than metal screws i presume?

Does the newer bikes use plastic screws?

Plastic windshield screws are used because they allow the windshield to be detached in a single piece rather easily in an accident (typically the rider will fly into it if he hits a car), thus reducing the chance of the rider becoming injured from impacting a more solidly mounted screen.

[GateKeeper]

Metal or plastic, shouldn't really matter,it's all in how you put them in, how much you torque them, if you overdo it, if metal the shield and bodywork might crack, if it's a plastic screw you can mess up the screw itself.

from what I can tell the ones I have are all metal, screw, one washer and the nut, no issues so far, and it's been on the bike this way from day one...LOL

perhaps it's because my shield is much lower and thus making it more sturdy, yours seem to sit up higher and probably has more flex to it, just a thought.

.

[tpo1990]

washers

You might be right although my shield is like hard plastic maybe polycarbonate i guess.

does the washers need to be of plastic or metal?

im asking these questions as i dont wont to damage the new shield im gonna buy.

i might just reuse the screws i already have. Maybe paint them in gold color.

Metal or plastic, shouldn't really matter,it's all in how you put them in, how much you torque them, if you overdo it, if metal the shield and bodywork might crack, if it's a plastic screw you can mess up the screw itself.

from what I can tell the ones I have are all metal, screw, one washer and the nut, no issues so far, and it's been on the bike this way from day one...LOL

perhaps it's because my shield is much lower and thus making it more sturdy, yours seem to sit up higher and probably has more flex to it, just a thought.

.

[Tim Tom]

You might be right although my shield is like hard plastic maybe polycarbonate i guess.

does the washers need to be of plastic or metal?

im asking these questions as i dont wont to damage the new shield im gonna buy.

i might just reuse the screws i already have. Maybe paint them in gold color.

It shouldn't matter what the washers are made of. On my fairing they are metal, but again there is that rubber O-ring sandwich to keep the metal hardware from ever touching the screen.

I would imagine that re-using your hardware would be the easiest way to do this, but look into replacing the rubber bits. If you do decide to paint them, perhaps some model paint and a little brush would be ideal. Or poke holes in a cardboard sheet and stick the bolts so that only the heads are showing. You don't want to gunk up the threads with paint.

[tpo1990]

Alright thanks i might consider that when im gonna get my new screen.

It shouldn't matter what the washers are made of. On my fairing they are metal, but again there is that rubber O-ring sandwich to keep the metal hardware from ever touching the screen.

I would imagine that re-using your hardware would be the easiest way to do this, but look into replacing the rubber bits. If you do decide to paint them, perhaps some model paint and a little brush would be ideal. Or poke holes in a cardboard sheet and stick the bolts so that only the heads are showing. You don't want to gunk up the threads with paint.