Pretty slim subject matter for a post I know but hey, it is Sunday afternoon and I'm waiting for parts to arrive for the bike and don't have anything better to do!
I'm just working my way through the bike inspecting and replacing things as I go and this now means removing the fairing to get access underneath to see what needs doing. The lower fairing sections on both sides had to come of so I duly ordered 6 new shiny screws that hold the forward left and right hand sections of the RS fairing to forward centre panel. I'd sprayed the fixings with penetrating oil in the hope this might make them easy to come out but to no avail! They were all badly rusted and crubling to nothing at the sight fo s crewdriver. In teh end of the 6 I got 5 out, 2 of which were a real pig and needed every tool in the garage - number 6 of course was totally solid and quite quickly got to the point where it was a real, rounded mess. Eventually after much spitting and cursing, several cups of tea and a couple of hours of effort using everything except the kitchen sink, it sheared leaving most of thescrein the brass thread that's an integral part of the fairing.

So how to get the screw stub out of the brass thread? Those with superior mechanical skills will doubtloess be able to drill it out and rethread but as I'm a bit lacking in this department my solution I'm afraid (after a lot of thought and more cursing) was to cut off the lug with a hacksaw below the bottom of screw and then glue a nut to the new, flat surface. I've ordered some fibreglass so I can put some resin and mattting around the nut as well. Fingers crossed it will be solid enough to take the new screw (duly copper greased...). One of thoise half hour jobs taht takes a wee while longer than anticipated!

Next job is to fix the crack in the panel -caused by it being dropped I'd guess. Should be quite straightforward but then who knows...!

In the next thrilling installation I'll post up my mashed drive shaft that came as a free gift with the bike!

All the Best
Dave

What's left of the original screw

The 'fix' above and an original threaded hold below

The crack I'll be fixing next week

Nice post Dave, thanks for taking the time. I look forward to ghe next post, especially the crack repair.
88KE

Don't forget to drill a small hole at the end of the crack, to prevent the crack running once repaired.

Thanks 88KE, depending on the outcome I reserve the right not to post the results of my fibreglasss repair!

Ungaas, good tip, thanks.

Best regards
Dave

Post edited -

This weekend I had a go at fibreglassing the panel and also glassing the shared fairing fixing nut in place.



I roughened the panel surface with a dremmel to fix the main crack and then to hold the join in place used insulating tape under tension. I then used very samall bits of fibreglass tissue (not the open matting the tissue os much finer weeave and seems good for this sort of small repair). Once the fibreglass had set I dremmeled out the loose paint in to a 'V' shaped trough on the other side, filled with body filler and then when dry used wet and dry to sand it back.

For the nut I agsain roughened the surca eand then used tiny strips of tissue and resin to build up some structure around the nut to hold it in place - without gumming up the threads!

Panel is refitted and is strong as an ox! Painting is beyond me so I'll take it to a body shop for spraying soon

All the best
Dave

Good job Dave. Thanks for posting. It looks like you used fine surface tissue. Did you use coarser matt under it and did you do more than one layer or was one layer enough?
88KE

Hi 88

If I post the answer twice it's because I thought I'd replied but can't see it.

Yes, it's all tissue, no matting. To get a bit of strength I used multiple strips and rectangles. For small, fine repairs like this it would be my preference but I'm no fibreglass guru I just picked what looked workable off the shelf. At the end of the day there's very little tension in the join or stress and it's very solid; I would think the adhesion would go before the repair but would be surprised if either gave me any trouble.

All the best
Dave

FYI 88 this is the crack from the outside before repair. If you're thinking of having ago at damage on a similar scale it wasn't difficult. Wearing gloves essential - I can remember an old mate of mine when we were teenagers fibreglassing his hands solid working on an old Renault 12 and ending up in hospital to get it off!
Dave

http://www.motorcyclepartsx.com/cheap-motorcycle-painting.htm

MT have a look at this, seems like a decent home job using aerosol cans

MT350Explorer wrote:FYI 88 this is the crack from the outside before repair. If you're thinking of having ago at damage on a similar scale it wasn't difficult. Wearing gloves essential - I can remember an old mate of mine when we were teenagers fibreglassing his hands solid working on an old Renault 12 and ending up in hospital to get it off!
Dave

I have some experience of bonding skin with epoxy resins!

Thanks for posting the pics Dave...let us know how it holds up?


OG

Nice link Ungaas.

Thanks Guys.

Info on the link looks good Ungaas. I've tried painting before though with bad results and I reckon by the time I'd bought all the bits and pieces it wouldn't be much cheaper than using a paint shop. I'll be testing this theory tomorrow when I take it in for a quote!

OG - will do. A mate of mine also reccomends the glass fibre paste for small jobs - bonds and sets well apparently and very easy to manipulate. If the nut comes off I might give it a go if I can find some.

How did you get it off 88?!

All the Best
Dave

The crack in the fairing is very similar to mine. What is the fibre glass paste ? The pictures are great and has helped me get my head around the job ahead. Thanks.

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/3M-Fibreglass-Filler-3kg.aspx?pid=220289#Description

There you go Steve

Steve

For the inside surface of a crack you might need some resin and tissue/matting as it will be really strong and hold the crack in position. You could use the fibre paste on the outside instead of ordinary filler (but why would you?) or perhaps for things like sticking a nut on.
I should add if you use resin you need to stop it running through the crack and sticking to the outside of the panel. I used more insulating tape pressed hard over the crack.
All just my opinion mate
Give it a go - it's pretty satisfying.
Best
Dave

MT350Explorer wrote:Thanks Guys.

How did you get it off 88?!

All the Best
Dave

Acetone, Dave.....before it sets.

Well Guys I'm reviving this ancient post as I had a surprising development. After spending many hours fixing my busted RHS lower fairing panel old and eventually fixing the fixing by tapping a new hole, glassing the crack and spraying it I found a bit of an Ebay bargain. Would you believe it - a brand new RHS lower panel for an RS in pearl mettalic with Dunken blue pinstripe still in its BMW packaging for £15. Here it is with the old one underneath. Not often I luck out like this! Better make sure if I drop it I drop it on the left!



Cheers
Dave