Help! Loose Screw Making Planecrazy Plain Crazy!!

[Guest]

Hi All,

Here's one that's probably driven a few of you bonkers ... I know it's irritating the hell out of me...

I recently replaced a defective speedometer on my '83 1100G with one off an '82. Simple, straightforward, works fine...

BUT

One of the two small screws that holds the dial faceplate in place vibrated out and is bouncing and vibrating around as I ride. Has this happened to anyone else and is there an easy way to get the lens off and put the screw back?

If not, my plan is to drill a small access hole in the lens (over the screw hole) and then fish the screw out with a magnet and then screw it back in place. I'll then seal the hole with a dab of silicone and maybe use a small flat black disk to cover the intrusion and clean up the "look." If I do that, I'll put an identical disk over the center of the tachometer as well for the sake of consistency.

If anyone has a better idea I welcome it.

Thanks in advance,
Steve 8)

[Hoomgar]

Both my dials on my KZ are like that right now as we speak. You just take them off the bike and take them apart and then put the screws back in with some light loc-tight. Problem solved. I just don't see it happening until winter though

[Planecrazy]

...and how, pray tell, do you do that? When I put the new speedo on, I looked for an easy way to get it apart so I could investigate changing the odometer to reflect the mileage the old one showed ... I couldn't see any easy way to even get it out of the housing.

Your wisdom in this matter would be both enlightening and appreciated!

Steve 8)

[Hoomgar]

...and how, pray tell, do you do that? When I put the new speedo on, I looked for an easy way to get it apart so I could investigate changing the odometer to reflect the mileage the old one showed ... I couldn't see any easy way to even get it out of the housing.

Your wisdom in this matter would be both enlightening and appreciated!

Steve 8)

hmmm, Steve, I hate to tell you buddy but I have never done it. I am mechanically inclined and am one of these people that say if it was put together it can come apart too. I would have to take it off and look at it and figure it out from there. It is also very possible that my KZ clocks are different than that of a GS. MY GS1000 dials come apart from the two screws in the back of each dial and you go from there. I am sure you'll be able to do it. Wish I could offer more help.

[shaftzuki]

There's simply no way to take the GS gauges apart without some "destruction" occuring ... the 2 screws on the bottom will not allow the lense cover to come free or the housing to be removed from the bezel. I've seen folks try to pry the bezel off and fix what evers wrong - but I have yet to see one go back on that looked acceptable. Might be easier to find another one on Ebay. 8O 8)

[Planecrazy]

There's simply no way to take the GS gauges apart without some "destruction" occuring ... the 2 screws on the bottom will not allow the lense cover to come free or the housing to be removed from the bezel. I've seen folks try to pry the bezel off and fix what evers wrong - but I have yet to see one go back on that looked acceptable. Might be easier to find another one on Ebay. 8O 8)

That was my conclusion too, when I first looked for an obvious way in, but I'm very confident I can do a clean job of drilling the lens and then covering the center so that it looks like it was always that way ... heck, even using epoxy to fill the hole, sanding it flush, and painting a black circle around the center ought to come out looking decent.

I appreciate the advice, nevertheless.

Steve 8)

[first timer]

i don't want to hear it, i have a dead spider living just below my odometer under the glass, i guess i will alway have a riding buddy.

-ryan

[Planecrazy]

When I've successfully conquered this problem, we'll lay your spider to rest, Ryan!

Steve 8)

[SqDancerLynn1]

the only way I know is to cut the plastic housing Then glue it back together

[Hoomgar]

There's simply no way to take the GS gauges apart without some "destruction" occuring ... the 2 screws on the bottom will not allow the lense cover to come free or the housing to be removed from the bezel. I've seen folks try to pry the bezel off and fix what evers wrong - but I have yet to see one go back on that looked acceptable. Might be easier to find another one on Ebay. 8O 8)

That was my conclusion too, when I first looked for an obvious way in, but I'm very confident I can do a clean job of drilling the lens and then covering the center so that it looks like it was always that way ... heck, even using epoxy to fill the hole, sanding it flush, and painting a black circle around the center ought to come out looking decent.

I appreciate the advice, nevertheless.

Steve 8)

I think that sounds like a winner Steve. You could always get some clear plastic plugs for the holes then so you could reopen if ever needed. The bad part to that is your going to need to be Houdini to be able to get the screw back in through that hole 8O

Let us know how that pans out.

[Anonymous]

Gee, sure is nice to have an E model, just a few screws and the housing splits in half and all is there for the tinkering. :P

[Planecrazy]

I hate you Jon!

Steve 8)

[Planecrazy]

I think that sounds like a winner Steve. You could always get some clear plastic plugs for the holes then so you could reopen if ever needed. The bad part to that is your going to need to be Houdini to be able to get the screw back in through that hole 8O

Let us know how that pans out.

I like the clear plug idea, Mark -- thanks! Actually getting the screw back in will be easy, because I intend to drill the access hole directly over the screw hole ... then use a magnet to grab the screw and get it out. Once out, I simply use a magnetic screwdriver to position the screw back in place and viola!

If your gauges are similar to mine, you'll see that the position of the hole won't affect viewing of the gauge, and will require only a moderately sized "circle" to cover the work...

Regards,
Steve 8)

[shaftzuki]

Gee, sure is nice to have an E model, just a few screws and the housing splits in half and all is there for the tinkering. :P

yeah, but you still have to mess those darn chains ... 8)

[Anonymous]

Gee, sure is nice to have an E model, just a few screws and the housing splits in half and all is there for the tinkering. :P

yeah, but you still have to mess those darn chains ... 8)

Yeah, I guess