Topic: Removing reflector from 750 headlight-ear tube ?

[Grinnin]

I ordered replacements for the headlight ears and the cones that cover the fork tubes between the clamps.

I'd like to get the reflectors off the old bent & corroded cones.  About a week of PB penetrant and it's still not budging.  It looks like a square nut welded inside the cone.   The bolt head could be in the aluminum "bezel", in the plastic reflector itself, or  in the saddle under the aluminum.

I figure someone has broken one of these so I don't need to.     Where's the bolt head?  Is there a secret handshake?

I don't absolutely need these.  My goal for this work is to make a clean and sorted MC.  Something that a person would ride by choice instead of the cheapest beater available.  My high-viz Darien or red Roadcrafter both say "safe old fart" more than "hooligan", so there's never anyone looking over my bikes for small infractions.

Still I'll restore to "correct" unless I have a reason to choose modified.

Thanks.

[ekpent]

Yes the bolt head is embedded in the reflector and quite often the bolt rusts in the ears. I have seen 'spinners' before where the reflector rotates in a circle because the bolt head has 'stripped' the area inside the reflector. No secret handshakes, they are just a pain to get off without wrecking.  Good luck-------------

[Schnell]

I have a loose reflector too. Not a spinner yet though. Are reproductions available?

[DennyK]

Well I learned a lesson the other day when I got to the point of removing the reflectors from my 74 CB750.  Even though lots of rust one screwed out just fine the other is a spinner. I tried  to saw the bolt from behind the reflector and ended up ruining the rubber piece.  The reflector its cheap and easy to get, break up the reflector get some vice grips and twist that sucker out.  The rubber is not cheap!

[ekpent]

Well I learned a lesson the other day when I got to the point of removing the reflectors from my 74 CB750.  Even though lots of rust one screwed out just fine the other is a spinner. I tried  to saw the bolt from behind the reflector and ended up ruining the rubber piece.  The reflector its cheap and easy to get, break up the reflector get some vice grips and twist that sucker out.  The rubber is not cheap!

That is the best solution.

[Grinnin]

The reflector its cheap and easy to get, break up the reflector get some vice grips and twist that sucker out.  The rubber is not cheap!

Thanks for the warning to not damage the rubber saddles. 

A quick search didn't turn up any old-style reflectors, though.  They don't look at all like a modern rolled-sheet reflector.  I could easily use a modern reflector, but I'd like to preserve the originals.

[DennyK]

What's the condition of the fork ears?  On my bike the right one is pretty good and could be re chromed but the left one is rusted through and this is where the reflector was spinning.  I have to believe if you are patient you will find an old reflector on eBay or maybe some cafe builder will sell or give you one.  I am trying to figure out how to proceed with my situation.  Good luck

[Grinnin]

What's the condition of the fork ears?

The ears themselves are OK.  One has a slight bend but it's smooth enough that it's hard to see unless you take them both off and compare.

The cones, however, are not what I want on this bike.  They both have a squashed area at the back.  It looks like they were smashed against something soft that pressed them against the fork.  They make it look like a crashed bike.  (There might be a reason it looks that way.)  One has rust bubbling through the chrome.

[ekpent]

The flat area on the back of the ears are stock that way on 750's.

[Grinnin]

The flat area on the back of the ears are stock that way on 750's.

You're right that they're not plain cones.

The ones off the bike are shaped differently on each side.  I just got 2 today from D. Silver Spares and the left and right ones match.  Plus the rings inside are not corroded away.  They do, however, have visible spot welds.