Difficulty with fixed push pins on bottom of top side panel of 2014 RTL - any ideas?

[teninospyder]

I have been told that my problem of not being able to get one of these 2 pins (chrome false push pins) on the bottom of this panel to go into the grommet is not new. The one I can't get to go in is not straight like other pins on the spyder panels, but the shaft part on this one is bent to about 45 degree angle half way out from the base point. Is this normal for just this one and it needs to be put in to the grommet at an angle somehow, or was mine bent somehow from dealer service in the past and I now have a problem trying to do some work on my own? I did have trouble getting it off too, but didn't think much of it until trying to put it back.
I also understand there may be pics by someone of DIY fixes.
Any input and help appreciated.

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Yep. One of them is at an angle and you need to flex that panel a bit to get it in. Put them in first with the top of the panel tilted back towards you some. Also, lube up the pin and grommet with Windex. In addition, somewhere along the line, someone may have put a torx on the chrome head not realizing they were “false”. It takes a security torx - one with a hole in the middle. Those things WILL unscrew if you do that, and that can rotate the pin and cause it to be at an odd angle. You can correct that, too, if you need to now that the panel is removed. Loosen it, re-align it, and re-tighten.

[2dogs]

Exactly what Doug said. I spit on mine rather than using lube or grease. Spit will work well at first and then evaporate away making them more secure than using a permanent lube. That's so they won't fly loose on the freeway.

[bigbadbrucie]

Exactly what Doug said. I spit on mine rather than using lube or grease. Spit will work well at first and then evaporate away making them more secure than using a permanent lube. That's so they won't fly loose on the freeway.

I’ve never had mine come loose/fly off and I lube them the same as I did my Goldwing.....vaseline!

[JayBros]

I too agree with what Doug said about flexing the panel to get the angled pin in. I do not grease any grommets but, courtesy of Ann Meyer of Squared Away, give them a spritz of Windex and the pins virtually jump into the grommets. When the Windex dries the pins have a good, tight grip on the rubber.

[teninospyder]

Yep. One of them is at an angle and you need to flex that panel a bit to get it in. Put them in first with the top of the panel tilted back towards you some. Also, lube up the pin and grommet with Windex. In addition, somewhere along the line, someone may have put a torx on the chrome head not realizing they were “false”. It takes a security torx - one with a hole in the middle. Those things WILL unscrew if you do that, and that can rotate the pin and cause it to be at an odd angle. You can correct that, too, if you need to now that the panel is removed. Loosen it, re-align it, and re-tighten.

I'll try turning the "bent pin part down to 180 degrees and hopefuly it works and that is what you meant.

[PMK]

I'll try turning the "bent pin part down to 180 degrees and hopefuly it works and that is what you meant.

You can try that, however, by design and how it is molded, the body panel and the pin, are “keyed” to align in one position only.

These two pins mentioned, there is no ill effects to lubricate them with silicone grease or similar no evaporating products. That body panel is retained by threaded fasteners and does not fall off.

The body panel, forward of the mentioned panel, can come off while in motion. Those grommets and posts should be lubricated with an evaporative product such as Windex. Another alternative would be to add a “chicken fastener” that prevents loss of the panel, and allows that panel to be installed with lubricated pins.

As a tip to the original person posting. With the pins correctly fastened to the panel, upon installation, install the rear first, then with the rear fully inserted, flex the panel slightly, loading the rear pin aft while inserting the forward pin. Sounds harsh, but work well and no damage when done correctly.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Does anyone who responded to this question know how the problem pin needs to positioned on the Panel so you can mount it ?????? ..... Mike

[Snowbelt Spyder]

I'll try turning the "bent pin part down to 180 degrees and hopefuly it works and that is what you meant.

Well, that's not really what I meant. Just meant similar to what PMK is saying - in that has it been mis-aligned and not in its "keyed" location. Take a look at this video and stop it at the 1:28 time stamp, and step forward from there. It gives you a fairly good indication of how they should be pointed. That inner one is pointed up. I think you just need to lube it up and give it a good flex in order to get the inner pin in the grommet first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKujdUHh4iM

[teninospyder]

Yep. One of them is at an angle and you need to flex that panel a bit to get it in. Put them in first with the top of the panel tilted back towards you some. Also, lube up the pin and grommet with Windex. In addition, somewhere along the line, someone may have put a torx on the chrome head not realizing they were “false”. It takes a security torx - one with a hole in the middle. Those things WILL unscrew if you do that, and that can rotate the pin and cause it to be at an odd angle. You can correct that, too, if you need to now that the panel is removed. Loosen it, re-align it, and re-tighten.

OK, spent an hour carefully turning, removing, looking, and checking, and finally it is working !! I slowly rotated the entire pin and checked for insertion. It finally went in as needed when I rotated the 45 degree bent pin to be in line with the bottom edge of the panel. I took the panel off and held the assy while I tightened it in place by turning the "funny little chrome piece" on the outside of the panel. Hope this makes sense ! Anyway.....the big thing I saw was that "this pin" needs to be parallel to the bottom of the panel and facing the other push pin. Hope this is clear.

[PMK]

Does anyone who responded to this question know how the problem pin needs to positioned on the Panel so you can mount it ?????? ..... Mike

Unless damaged, the pin is aligned via molded steps to ensure correct positioning. Pretty much, if not damaged, it only fits one way correctly.

[Mikey]

You should not have had to turn anything just put a little lube on the pin of rubber grommet and slipped it on!!

[svspyder]

You can try that, however, by design and how it is molded, the body panel and the pin, are “keyed” to align in one position only.

These two pins mentioned, there is no ill effects to lubricate them with silicone grease or similar no evaporating products. That body panel is retained by threaded fasteners and does not fall off.

The body panel, forward of the mentioned panel, can come off while in motion. Those grommets and posts should be lubricated with an evaporative product such as Windex. Another alternative would be to add a “chicken fastener” that prevents loss of the panel, and allows that panel to be installed with lubricated pins.

As a tip to the original person posting. With the pins correctly fastened to the panel, upon installation, install the rear first, then with the rear fully inserted, flex the panel slightly, loading the rear pin aft while inserting the forward pin. Sounds harsh, but work well and no damage when done correctly.

OK I'll bite. What is a chicken fastener and how do you attach it to the panel forward of the one in the OP?

[PMK]

OK I'll bite. What is a chicken fastener and how do you attach it to the panel forward of the one in the OP?

Chicken fasteners are a description of a fastener, added to a bond line or quick removed panel. It is a supposedly never needed fastener, utilized because the designer was a “chicken” that the design would securely stay together.

As for on the Spyder, there have been folks that posted a multitude of various methods to securely retain the small body panel retained by rubber grommets. The body panel is around $300. Some have not utilized a chicken fastener and fabricated a lanyard so when the body panel blows off, the lanyard prevents losing it.

On ours, I utilized a 1/4 turn Camloc fastener on the two small grommet retained body panels. Not easily noticed, and if good enough for a few hundred mph on aircraft, the Spyder will be just fine.

[teninospyder]

Thanks to all who tried, and have helped, with my "Pin" issue.
There does however seem to be a misconception about the pins, at least on this (my 2014) body panel.
The rearward pin is OK, straight, and tight on the panel, thanks to the Torx security screw assy from the outside, which I have not touched.
Looking at both, it appears Neither one is "molded" with the panel as I think some may be thinking. The forward pin is held on by a Torx Security Screw assy. also. it is not molded with the panel either, but does have a "nut head" portion behind the bent pin stub that allows use of a wrench to hold it while the Torx Security head is tighten after it is aligned properly for insertion.
I'm sure at some point it was aligned properly. how/why it got out of shape I have a few ideas but so be it. In assembling to the Spyder I found the front (bent one) goes on first easily, if the pin is aligned properly as I now have managed to do. The rear pin then easily popped in.

Finally, Please accept this discription as "best I can do" to relay MY experience. Everything I have read and see, makes me believe all of the Spyder components for a given model and year are NOT necessarily the same.

[Mikey]

I will pop my panel and get back to you on this one!!!

[JayBros]

"I'm sure at some point it was aligned properly. how/why it got out of shape I have a few ideas but so be it. In assembling to the Spyder I found the front (bent one) goes on first easily, if the pin is aligned properly as I now have managed to do. The rear pin then easily popped in."

We, myself included, got somewhat wrapped around the axle trying to offer help and did not suggest the point that you discovered yourself. From the first time I pulled off an upper panel, it appeared to me that inserting the front pin, the bent one, first was the way to do it when reinstalling the panel. Once you had that bent pin in place the other, straight one would be a cinch to just push into its grommet.

[cptjam]

Thanks, Jay. We did 5 or 6 today. Windex, insert the front (bent) pin, bow (bend) the panel, and insert the rear (straight)pin.
The screws holding those pins are “tamper resistant”, which never stopped any of us, but should have. ��

[PMK]

Thanks to all who tried, and have helped, with my "Pin" issue.
There does however seem to be a misconception about the pins, at least on this (my 2014) body panel.
The rearward pin is OK, straight, and tight on the panel, thanks to the Torx security screw assy from the outside, which I have not touched.
Looking at both, it appears Neither one is "molded" with the panel as I think some may be thinking. The forward pin is held on by a Torx Security Screw assy. also. it is not molded with the panel either, but does have a "nut head" portion behind the bent pin stub that allows use of a wrench to hold it while the Torx Security head is tighten after it is aligned properly for insertion.
I'm sure at some point it was aligned properly. how/why it got out of shape I have a few ideas but so be it. In assembling to the Spyder I found the front (bent one) goes on first easily, if the pin is aligned properly as I now have managed to do. The rear pin then easily popped in.

Finally, Please accept this discription as "best I can do" to relay MY experience. Everything I have read and see, makes me believe all of the Spyder components for a given model and year are NOT necessarily the same.

To clarify my earlier post, the pin is not molded as part of the body panel. Rather, the curved pin does not have a perfect shaped hex, and the oddball side of the hex engages to a molded raised nub on the body panels. These two parts are aligned by this method and then fastened. This method of aligning offers up the pin to the mating rubber grommet at the correct angle of alignment. Regardless, the installer must still finagle the panel and pins a bit to correctly engage the pins and not accidentally push out the rubber grommet.

[pegasus1300]

In order to keep my rubber grommets in place I have also put small zip ties around them. If they do push out at least I don't lose them and can try again.

[Lew L]

.

Having lost one of these grommets to the great unknown spaces, Where can they be sourced???

Thanks in advance.

[bigbadbrucie]

.

Having lost one of these grommets to the great unknown spaces, Where can they be sourced???

Thanks in advance.

Amazon for one.....pretty well any autoparts store for another.

[Lew L]

.

I purchased the last 2 that my local dealer at half the price of an online source.

[Peacekeeper6]

I have been told that my problem of not being able to get one of these 2 pins (chrome false push pins) on the bottom of this panel to go into the grommet is not new. The one I can't get to go in is not straight like other pins on the spyder panels, but the shaft part on this one is bent to about 45 degree angle half way out from the base point. Is this normal for just this one and it needs to be put in to the grommet at an angle somehow, or was mine bent somehow from dealer service in the past and I now have a problem trying to do some work on my own? I did have trouble getting it off too, but didn't think much of it until trying to put it back.
I also understand there may be pics by someone of DIY fixes.
Any input and help appreciated.

Like most body panels, it's easier to take them off than it is to put them back in.

My trick to reinstall that particular panel is to (1) lube the pin first, and then (2) slightly flex the panel inward while you push the bottom of the panel in first.

Good luck !!

[StevyG]

Yes Both of mine came out bent. I used a drywall plastic anchor on that chrome tork screw