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Any luck straightening fairing bracket on RS???

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William Bartlett
(@18631)
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

I bought an RS Motorsport here in Airheads (Thanks, Tom). I took the fairing off for some repairs. Pictures to come. However, I found out that the fairing mounting bracket, pictured below, is bent. Not mangled, but not as it should be.

I am thinking I can bend it back into position using the fairing and mirror mounting holes as my guide, but it's hard to tell exactly what's bent. Anybody done this with some success? 

Thanks,

Bill

 

 

 
Posted : 10/13/2023 17:12
Richard W
(@wobbly)
Posts: 2533
Member
 

I've owned 3 or 4 of these brackets (on and off bikes) and IME, after 50 years they are all sort of tweaked. You cannot lay these on a surface plate and expect them not to rock. But that doesn't mean that your fairing won't sit straight.

As you mount the assembled "upper", simply push the 4 arms of the bracket back and forth until the fairing sits straight. 

I may have a spare if you need one. But like I said, it will be "straight", but not "perfect". 

This post was modified 7 months ago by Richard W

Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.

 
Posted : 10/14/2023 05:20
Steven Rankin
(@14724)
Posts: 175
Estimable Member
 

I would think one could use straight edges, perhaps a carpenter's 90 angle rule, with a bit of messing to get things perfect.

Not knowing how far off yours is, I can't give a definite answer as to bending it back or bending it into shape.  The arms are not terribly hard to bend a little bit.    

My idea for now would be put the bike on the center stand, use the two main bolts and bolt the bracket to the steering head frame, and use a bubble level and tape measure to square things up and level.  The bracket is symmetric so from the center point of it, you can perhaps measure out to the tips.

LOL, have fun, good luck.  St.

Beware! I do not suffer fools gladly! St.

 
Posted : 10/15/2023 06:04
Steven Rankin
(@14724)
Posts: 175
Estimable Member
 

One thing, move the bracket, the fiberglass fairing is less forgiving of misaligned brackets.  I have seen the inserts in the fairing pull out due to bent brackets.  The force of air on the fairing is fairly significant.   Get the bracket as darned close to perfect as you can, I guess I am writing.  Good luck. St.

Beware! I do not suffer fools gladly! St.

 
Posted : 10/15/2023 06:12
William Bartlett
(@18631)
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Hey guys:

I did some fiddling with it and was able to get it even side to side using height from floor and width from centerline as my guide. Not sure yet if that mates up “perfectly” with the fairing. I just had some fairing repairs done and haven’t had the time yet to reinstall it. I’ll report back when I do. 

—bb

 
Posted : 10/16/2023 07:06
Steven Rankin
(@14724)
Posts: 175
Estimable Member
 

As long as you are not real far off of fitting, you should not have a problem.  Good luck and let us know how you make out. St.

Beware! I do not suffer fools gladly! St.

 
Posted : 10/16/2023 15:48

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