Rear guard fender mounting

[Gerry]

Hi again all, OK got another question. I have a chrome rear guard with the arrow head stays and the bolts that hold the top of the tool box and the oil tank align with the holes in the guard when the arrow head stays are attached to the rear of the guard, yet yesterday I was at my friends and checking out the rear guard on his Rocket and the bolts that hold the guard are the top bolts for the rear shocks. Also the front of his guard stops short of the swinging arm pivot but mine has to be forced down between the swinging arm gussets at the pivot. It would be much easier for me to use the top shocker bolts as compressing the rubbers at the tool box and oil tank to get the spacers in is a real bitch! BUT....that would mean drilling two more holes in the guard and leaving two holes with nothing to do, suppose I could rubber plug them. Should the guard be shortened?
Cheers and ride safe.
Gerry

[trevinoz]

Gerry,
            The shockie bolts are the ones that should line up with the "triangle" on the arrow head stay.
It is a long bolt which goes through the shocks, through the "cotton reel", through the stay, through the small spacer and finally through the guard.
It seems as though your guard would be high at the rear with the stays pointing to the sky with lining the holes up to the oil tank/toolbox. Also the front of the guard would be as you described, down into the swinging arm.
Will the holes align if you pull the rear of the guard down?

Trev.

[Gerry]

Hi Trev, Thanks for your reply mate. When the holes in the guard align with the tool box and oil tank holes the arrow head stays are perfectly horizonal and there is no way in the world that the holes in the guard can come back far enough to align with the top shocker mounts. The front of the arrow head stays do align with the shock bolts ok. Also why is my guard so tight between the swinging arm gussets at the pivot? Its not the best of guards with dents in a few places which have had an amateur panel beaters attempt at removing....without success!! I know these guards were fitted to an A10 previously but not this frame, which puzzles me as all A10 frames are the same I thought. I think I'm going to redrill the holes to align with the top shock bolts as you have stated and as per my friends Rocket, it will make fitting the toolbox and oil tank bolts and rubbers much easier. Not sure what to do about the tight fit at the swinging arm end! Also where the bracket with the thick rubber at the front of the guard goes above the swinging arm there should be two holes in the guard where this one only has one and much too close to fit any rubber cushion there. Will post here with some pics later.
Cheers and ride safe
Gerry

[trevinoz]

Gerry,
                Are you sure that it is an A10 guard?

Trev.

[Gerry]

Hi Trev, No not sure but I have drilled the two holes in the guard to allow the top shock bolts to secure it, made a bridge bracket with the rubber cushion and fitted it after drilling and elongating a second hole and fitting a plate inside to strengthen the attachment inside the guard and the bottom of the guard now is clear of the swinging arm pivot, have made two spacers for the inside of the front of the arrow headed stays and all looks good and solid!! The guard was fitted to an A10 frame before I got it but not the frame I have. The two holes that align with the top oil tank and tool box holes are exactly in line as before. Thats why originally I thought that's where the mudguard was secured. I shall fit a couple of rubber plugs into those holes and it shouldn't look too much out of place. I have left the top of the shocks off at the moment so as to adjust the final drive chain with the tightest position in line with the gearbox main shaft. I'm not sure as to whether I shall leave it like this or rework it as a standard UK Gold Flash with black guards and the headlight shraud, but that will be a later change. At the present it has a chrome headlight (no speedo recess) and gaiters on the forks. Was this a USA export model? Cheers and ride safe. Gerry

[trevinoz]

G'day Gerry,
                            A few pictures would help to get the opinions flowing on what you have.

Trev.

[Gerry]

Hi Trev, OK I will try and download the pics I have just taken...wish me luck.
Cheers. Gerry

[Gerry]

Here's a few more. Getting better all the time...had to put the camera on basic pics'

[Gerry]

Might have to increase the size of the spacer on the near side as I noticed the toolbox is just touching the rolled edge of the guard. Once I have the oil tank on I might have to do the same on that side too, not sure till I fit the tank. Let me know what you think.
Cheers and thanks for all the help. Ride safe. Gerry

[RichardL]

OK, time to stick my neck out. That looks to me like a front mudguard adapted to "fit" at the rear. I looked at mine and it is definately not like that, but my front one is. I've looked in my books and I don't think I'm seeing any rear mudgurad that looks like that.

Prepared to be corrected, but think I actually might get some agreement.

Richard L.

[trevinoz]

I might chop your neck off, Richard.
Looking at the shape from the rear, it looks like an A65 guard.
They have only one hole at the forward end, about 35-40mm from the rear edge.

Trev.

[Gerry]

Hi Trev and Richard, Thanks fellas for your input, I have no idea, but I don't think its a front guard adapted to fit the rear as the part that is formed to miss the chain is a bloody good mod' if it is. I tend with my limited experience to go along with Trev having had to drill a second hole at the front above the swinging arm pivot to allow the fitting of the attachment with the rubber cushion. It will do for now as it has gone on better than I thought and until I can get the correct one for both back and front, it will keep my idiot dry in the wet eh? I am going to make a set of start rollers next so I can turn it over without the plugs in to ensure the oil is circulating before actually firing it up. Will also save my poor old back not having to kick it over when everything is tight!! Today is Sunday and the Gawler swap meet is on so see if I can pick up any bits such as a chronometric speedo (I'll be lucky), chain guard, Lucas stop light switch, etc. etc.  I see that twin carb head on Fleebay in the US is upto $630!! Cheers fellas and ride safe. Gerry

[RichardL]

Sooo, was I AT LEAST right that it's not the rear mudguard of an A10? Being steered to A65 led me to this photo of an A50, which appears to have the same guard. I suppose that means it was also used on A65's also. Anyway, this explains why it is so much trouble to fit on Gerry's bike.

Richard L.

[trevinoz]

Weren't you mentioning front guards, Richard?
I'll give you 50% for your idea! 
Once I was going to modify one of these for my Big Valve but I ended up with the correct short one.
The guard is still lying in the shed, half modified.

Trev.

[RichardL]

In the spirit of my cup being half empty, yes, I was half wrong. See my edit in the last post.