tail light cover

[richie]

Well looks like tail light cover snapped off again. I think with riding two up,and hit a crack or bump
the seat bottoms out and snaps the light off. Does spyder have a stronger seat spring available? This will
be my third replacement in two months, after five years of no problem. Scotty I did put RTV around it too,
maybe not enough huh!
Any Help Folks

[NancysToy]

Well looks like tail light cover snapped off again. I think with riding two up,and hit a crack or bump
the seat bottoms out and snaps the light off. Does spyder have a stronger seat spring available? This will
be my third replacement in two months, after five years of no problem. Scotty I did put RTV around it too,
maybe not enough huh!
Any Help Folks

I think I'd be slapping a Walmart light on it, like BRPJunkie did. If your rear suspension is bottoming out, and you have the spring preload set to maximum, it may be time to consider an elka shock back there. I don't know how it could hit the license light even then...unless you have made some modications to the back of the Spyder. Most failures are due to the flimsy nature of the lens and to the poor manner in which it is screwed to the housing. Either the lens breaks or the screw backs out. The Custom Dynamics lens is sturdier, but it doesn't solve the screw that can't be adequately tightened.

[richie]

I think I'd be slapping a Walmart light on it, like BRPJunkie did. If your rear suspension is bottoming out, and you have the spring preload set to maximum, it may be time to consider an elka shock back there. I don't know how it could hit the license light even then...unless you have made some modications to the back of the Spyder. Most failures are due to the flimsy nature of the lens and to the poor manner in which it is screwed to the housing. Either the lens breaks or the screw backs out. The Custom Dynamics lens is sturdier, but it doesn't solve the screw that can't be adequately tightened.

What I think it is, when we hit a bump the seat bottoms out, and sends a shock wave
to the rigid mounting and snaps off at the screw, the screw is still there with the broken
plastic piece still under it. I put RTV around the screw tightened it then backed off a turn.
Think I'll check out another light, thanks

[NancysToy]

What I think it is, when we hit a bump the seat bottoms out, and sends a shock wave
to the rigid mounting and snaps off at the screw, the screw is still there with the broken
plastic piece still under it. I put RTV around the screw tightened it then backed off a turn.
Think I'll check out another light, thanks

The seat isn't sprung, so it cannot bottom out. The rear of the Spyder would be what bottoms out. If your suspension is bottoming out, you need to increase the shock preload or buy an Elka. The most common cause of the breakage here is the flimsy plastic, and trying too hard to tighten the screw. There is nothing under the lens for it to bottom out on, so the thinnest part of the lens takes the most pressure. The rear fender is unsprung, and road jarring alone will break the lens. I recommed either reinforcing the lens there with some additional styrene plastic glued with model cement for plastics inside and out, as well as a small washer under the screw. Washers inside and out could be glued with Gorilla glue as an alternative. The Custom Dynamics cover is much stronger in this area, but additional reinforcement and a washer wouldn't hurt there, either.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

A few years ago mine broke off also.....I paid $3 at the auto parts store for a generic chrome lic.plate light ( to be legal ) and added some Red plastic stick-on reflectors and have had no more problems........This can be considered a MOD also.......Mike

[daltmeyer]

Not sure what lens you are talking about in the first post.

But last week I noticed my license plate light was not working. I ordered 2 bulbs from my local dealer and a few days later while replacing the bulb I noticed it was shattered. Yup that mounting point takes a beating. Theres some corrosion in there as well so the gasket is obviously not working very well.

Ive got one spare bulb in case this happens again but Ive got other plans for this rear fender. Perhaps it will come off but that would be a shame as I have the sweet chrome fender supports on there.

I bought a Kaw zx14 fender off ebay yesterday for a dollar just in case this one needs to come off. Not really looking forward to it.

[richie]

A few years ago mine broke off also.....I paid $3 at the auto parts store for a generic chrome lic.plate light ( to be legal ) and added some Red plastic stick-on reflectors and have had no more problems........This can be considered a MOD also.......Mike

Sounds like another option,Thanks
Like to see pic if possible.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Sounds like another option,Thanks
Like to see pic if possible.

And I'd like to do pics............But that's not happening anytime soon .............if ever .... I'm computer challenged......among some other things Mike .............Just go to any decent size Auto Parts store and look over their supply of generic Lic. plate lights .......Just get a small one and go from there.

[richie]

And I'd like to do pics............But that's not happening anytime soon .............if ever .... I'm computer challenged......among some other things Mike .............Just go to any decent size Auto Parts store and look over their supply of generic Lic. plate lights .......Just get a small one and go from there.

Yeah I know what you mean. I think I posted a pic once, can't remember how. Thanks again.

[richie]

Well I bought another cover from Custom Dynamics (3rd one). I made a s/s step washer,taped the hole 8-32 and screwed it on with 3/4" long flat head, using loctite.
Gotterdunn, looks good too.

[richie]

Well thank you all, I went with the Walmart replacement tail light (Pilot NV-5008R) about $7 lot cheeper then Custom Dynamic $25 just for lens. Looks like it should
have been there all the time.