Installing Smith Instrument Bezel

Here's a great couple articles on how to install the bezel.


http://velobanjogent.blogspot.com/2009/ ... meter.html
The first one shows the factory tool that Smiths used.

The second article shows how to do it using a lathe. I suspect you could even use a wood lathe.


http://velobanjogent.blogspot.com/2010/ ... d-rsm.html

I pressed mine on by hand with a 1/2" socket extension and a socket for a handle. Started on one side, went over to the other and kept going a bit at a time, and finally took a pair of channel locks with some wood on the face and pressed it all in place. I don't think it looks too bad, especially since I don't have a lathe. One of these is original and the other is my job.



Dave
69S

DogT said:

I pressed mine on by hand with a 1/2" socket extension and a socket for a handle. Started on one side, went over to the other and kept going a bit at a time, and finally took a pair of channel locks with some wood on the face and pressed it all in place. I don't think it looks too bad, especially since I don't have a lathe. One of these is original and the other is my job.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

The one on the left is your job... wait, right, wait...

Actually its the rev counter on the right. If you look real close, you can see the thickness of the rim around the edge is a bit less, but one would have to look real close. Of course underneath, you can see the marks from the pressing and the channel locks.

Dave
69S

It looks like both those methods work just fine.
My gauges had a real good fogging on the inside of the glass.
So much so I couldn't see faceplate of the instrument.
I could see they worked and but couldn't even tell the appearence/condition of the dials.
I found the replacement bezels on Ebay and carefully pryed the old pitted bezels off as to not break the glass.
The glue and/or gaskets had dried out completely. And just crumbled upon removing the bezels.
Not having any ideas on how to crimp the new bezels back on I came up with this simple solution.
Silicone caulking. Carefully and sparingly applying a really thin bead in just the right location around the inside of the bezel.
I clean the glass lenses real good and reinstalled.
Now, if I need to replace the glass or anything, I should be able to remove them easily.
And hopefully without damaging the new bezels.
They are probably not completely weatherproof, but I try not to get caught on a rainy outing.
They look great and the faceplates look almost new!
Whatdya think?

Actually there is an old thread on this issue.

smith-kit-help-please-t4037.html?hilit=smiths%20bezel

http://www.eurojamb.com/smiths-repair-k ... 97ddabe39e
and
http://www.burtonbikebits.net/Speedos.htm

has the complete lens, bezel, gaskets to do this job. I have heard that some people don't crimp them, but I, personally, would not do that.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

Actually there is an old thread on this issue.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Except it doesn't mention the lathe method.

swooshdave said:

http://velobanjogent.blogspot.com/2010/05/continuation-with-smiths-ssm-and-rsm.html

Click to expand...

Good find, thanks for sharing.

Jean

I have used the lathe method, dreamed up the idea myself, never saw it anywhere. Might have been pre computers Etc. I made a wooden die, shapped to aceept the glass & bezel, a sa sort of register, then I made a end cap to protect the drive end and put a live end in the tail stock. Then by hand with a roller on a knurling attachment I carefully rolled the edge down. Works really nicely, no riples and safe on the glass.
Cheers Rich

I went with the DogT method.


I clamped the tach down and used the tank pad to protect.



I then used the socket extension to mash down the bezel lip. I worked my way around slowly using a variety of angles, ends and profanity.


It wasn't pretty but...


I continued working the lip until it was more or less even.




It's not perfect but once it's on the holder you can barely notice.

When I did mine I think I only used the end of the socket end of the 1/2" drive which is sort of rounded. I just worked one side a bit and then 180°, then 90°, etc. until it was mostly done. Then I compressed it flatter on the back with a set of channel locks and a block of wood on the face to make the back as flat as possible. I can't tell any difference from the side with a manufactured one, but it does look rough from the back. Oh, and because I didn't have the new gaskets for the glass for mine, it ended up a bit thinner looking at the edge. The bezel I had was pretty easily formed, easier than I though it might be for a piece of chromed steel of that thickness.

Good info on installing the bezels but how do you get the old bezels OFF without rendering them unusable?

mike996 said:

Good info on installing the bezels but how do you get the old bezels OFF without rendering them unusable?

Click to expand...

Mine had a huge scuff where it rode down the road so I wasn't worried about getting it off. So I just pried until I could cut it off with some side cutters.

I don't think they are expensive enough to worry about saving.

http://www.eurojamb.com/smiths-chrome-b ... 7h1os10637

http://www.eurojamb.com/smiths-repair-k ... -1296.html

It's my understanding that the eurojamb bezels have a different size reveal on the face, so probably best to do in pairs. I was lucky and got mine from a crook and it was just like the original. Yes, there is no future in trying to save the old one.

+1 For Surfdog method. I did the same because it does not rain in California. Also, when you have to go back in there for something else, you can get the thing apart without all the grief. At least I hope so.

DogT said:

I pressed mine on by hand with a 1/2" socket extension and a socket for a handle. Started on one side, went over to the other and kept going a bit at a time, and finally took a pair of channel locks with some wood on the face and pressed it all in place. I don't think it looks too bad, especially since I don't have a lathe. One of these is original and the other is my job.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

I did mine with a plastic handled screw driver. Took awhile and couple of blisters but it looks fine, even from the backside.

aceaceca said:

+1 For Surfdog method. I did the same because it does not rain in California. Also, when you have to go back in there for something else, you can get the thing apart without all the grief. At least I hope so.

Click to expand...

If you don't crimp it on I don't see how it will fit in the holders. Pics please?

What about taking the bezel off without damaging it, my needle has fallen off my taco and need to pull the glass of to fix it back on???

Ashley

Sorry Swoosh, I did it on my Triumph.

I haven't done a Smiths, but I did replace the bezel on a couple VDO speedo's a few years ago using a simple wooden fixture to compress the new bezel tight to the housing. A trip to Ace Hardware yielded some threaded rod, T nuts, square aluminum tubing, and wing nuts. Some scrap wood and I was in business.

There was a rubber gasket behind the bezel that needed to be compressed to be water tight. This also prevents the bezel from spinning loosely on the housing. I used a piece of thick hardwood dowel with a notch in the end as a tool to ease over the lip of the new bezel. I pressed the hardwood tool around the lip to mimic the action of the lathe crimper and slowly ease the lip over. It took some time but the results were very good.

I found that you need to resist the urge of simply "peening" it over little by little. This technique usually creates little bulges and/or cracks in the bezel which look bad (don't ask how I know this). The bezel needs to be eased over along it's perimeter in a fluid motion in sections. You're really trying to "shrink" the edge of the bezel around the housing.

I also noticed that some bezels bend-over more easily that others. I think there are chromed steel and polished stainless steel variants out there and the stainless versions seem more springy, and harder to bend. I replaced a Vespa bezel once and the cheap pattern painted bezel fought me every inch of the way and turned-out less than perfect. Ugh...


Just my $.02.