Headlight bucket/fork tube variations

rick1956

rick1956

Just a regular guy.
Messages
67
Reaction score
107
Points
33
Location
Edgewood, Washington
Hi all,

I've done a little digging but can't really come up with an answer to my pondering. The question is, does my bike have the wrong fork tubes, or the wrong headlight bucket, or ?

The picture doesn't show it well, but the headlight (the nearly 7" size whatever that is) width has the fork tube mounts splayed so far out they won't work the way they should. It almost seems like the tubes are backwards because they're going from the inside of the fork tube to the outside of the headlight bucket. See how far outta whack it is?

Of course, I can and will change it or fix it easily enough... I'm just wondering aloud.

Photo Nov 19, 4 33 47 PM.jpg
 
That's an all to common problem with our older bikes. My SG has the same problem. It comes from the bike being dropped too many times. That bends the ears on the tubes.Here's a bent (left) and an undamaged (right) one...
IMG_20171126_101315.jpg IMG_20171126_101325.jpg

Notice how the tip of the ear points to the right side of the tube on the bent one and points down the middle on the good one.
I got lucky and found an undamaged set... but I've had pretty good luck "coaxing" them back into shape in the past.
 
Last edited:
Heh.... just noticed the "rear" turn signal on the bucket. Looks like whoever owned it before you was a bit of a hack... ;)
 
See, this is what is so cool about these sorts of communities... collaboration!

Yeah, the red lenses were on all four corners... I guess the guy was after the cop look. Probably not legal by any stretch. I'll likely be investigating further today and may get the forks off so I have more info. They do definitely look bent, but even considering the bends and warps they still don't look like the right offsets to wrap around that headlight.
Doncha love analyzing prior owners' dubious achievements?
 
rick1956 said:
See, this is what is so cool about these sorts of communities... collaboration!
Click to expand...
Absolutely! I'm fairly new here myself, but this place is an absolute wealth of knowledge.. full of people who love to share that knowledge. How could ya not like that...
rick1956 said:
...but even considering the bends and warps they still don't look like the right offsets to wrap around that headlight.
Click to expand...
Once you get em tweeked just right, they will fit...
 
Last edited:
rick1956 said:
Hi all,
I've done a little digging but can't really come up with an answer to my pondering. The question is, does my bike have the wrong fork tubes, or the wrong headlight bucket, or ?
The picture doesn't show it well, but the headlight (the nearly 7" size whatever that is) width has the fork tube mounts splayed so far out they won't work the way they should. It almost seems like the tubes are backwards because they're going from the inside of the fork tube to the outside of the headlight bucket. See how far outta whack it is?
Of course, I can and will change it or fix it easily enough... I'm just wondering aloud.
View attachment 109779
Click to expand...

Hi rick,
from the photo the bike looks to be a '77 or newer Special (and if you'd put the bike's model, year & etc. in a signature line we wouldn't have to guess.)
About the ears, Jim's right. Whack 'em back into their proper shape and the bucket will fit just fine.
The rear signal up front is most likely all that the dreaded PO could find to replace the (presumably) collision-damaged stockers.
At least it's big enough, unlike the mini-signals that some folks reckon are an upgrade.
And while the brake hose run don't matter and discussing it's upgrade is for later the clutch cable run is just plain wrong.
The stock clutch cable run sneaking about under the tank the way it does increases the clutch pull and a straighter run is better.
Alas that your cable run ain't gonna do that.
 
Jims left picture also shows how the ears get bent further out by the headlight holes also. I like a 3/8" threaded rod with nuts and heavy washers through the headlight holes, work to straighten and align the ears and the flanges in the headlight bucket which are real beat up also, they should be flat but never are. and suck it together with nuts on the outside. Work carefully in rounds of adjustment to get them back close to where they were from the factory. You also have to work with hardwood drifts cardboard and hammers to straighten, bend the inner bracket back to it's correct shape inside the chrome outer cover. There is usually some twist as well as the sidewards bends. fun, fun, fun!
 
Made me look fred! Yeah that clutch will never work with the cable pretzeled like that. I have thread on rerouting a special clutch cable to work with short bars. It makes a HUGE difference.
 
gggGary said:
I like a 3/8" threaded rod with nuts and heavy washers through the headlight holes,
Click to expand...
That works good... and put lots of tape on the ears first just in case the washer rotates... so it don't chew up the chrome.
 

Similar threads

YamadudeXS650C
Repairing Pitted Fork Tubes
2
Replies
27
Views
3K
JRay77
JRay77
fixthe
FixThe's 1981 XS650SH
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
8K
Team Junk
Team Junk
grizld1
Broview LED headlight--thanks, gggGary!
Replies
0
Views
636
grizld1
grizld1
toglhot
A Falcon's odyssey.
Replies
12
Views
1K
toglhot
toglhot
gggGary
Bent ear, headlight bucket "Meatball mechanic fix"
Replies
8
Views
2K
TwoManyXS1Bs
TwoManyXS1Bs
Back
Top