Removing instrument bezels

Hello all.This is my first post on this forum. My mk3 instrument bezels are pitted and need replacing. They are the NVT squiggle one's. They are in good condition apart from the bezels which aren't bad but they are on the way out. What is the best way to remove them? Do they unscrew or prize off ? Someone has repainted the gauges at some stage of the bikes life so i am tipping this will not make the job any easier. If they crimp on i plan to install new ones using the "silicone" method if i can call it that! Thanks everybody.

eurojamb.com has the bezels and other clock parts too. The bezels are crimped on. You can do a good job by pressing the new ones back on with a 1/2" extension, working around the back. Or you can just silicone them on. The gaskets are most likely hard, so best to get a kit. Put the face on a piece of cloth or leather on a hard surface and just start bending the back over the lip. After the first bend, go 180 degrees and do the other side and just work around like you're torquing a tire.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

eurojamb.com has the bezels and other clock parts too. The bezels are crimped on. You can do a good job by pressing the new ones back on with a 1/2" extension, working around the back. Or you can just silicone them on. The gaskets are most likely hard, so best to get a kit. Put the face on a piece of cloth or leather on a hard surface and just start bending the back over the lip. After the first bend, go 180 degrees and do the other side and just work around like you're torquing a tire.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

I had wondered about this myself... any pics while knee deep in the project?

No pics, but the project was simpler than thinking about it. The bezel is real soft on the back, at least the one I got was and it pressed right on with the 1/2" extension, I think it was a short 4" one. If you had any way to roll it on, it would be real easy. I'm sorry at the time, about 5 years ago when I did it, eurotrash was not around so I only got the bezels from the crook in Chicago. I wish I'd taken the thing apart and lubed it and installed new rubbers and stainless screws on the back. I do have a pic of the result. If you look carefully you can see one reveal is smaller than the other because I didn't have the new gaskets for the glass. I'm not sure which one it is myself. I did crimp it on finally with those adjustable pliers. It looks crappy on the rear, but no one can see it.



Here's another I found.



Dave
69S

While you have them open, take the time to glue some LED strips inside for better lighting pictures-inside-speedo-and-tach-t11062.html?hilit=led%20strip

see installing-smith-instrument-bezel-t7487.html?hilit=bezel#p77694 also

Jean

...then I just remembered, I fit a Mark III Veglia speedo so as to have a tripmeter.
My Smith's tacho gasketing must be failed, when I rode 200 miles in the rain, it was thoroughly wet inside.

All that rain moisture enters from the bottom too , instrument bulb holder. The bezel rubber is toast too after 45 or so years.

Thanks for the advice.I got them off ok. The bezels were very brittle and virtually crumbled to bits as i worked my way around and the rubber gasket was not much better. I have ordered 2 kits from Eurotrash and they are in the post today. Not sure about the LED lights. They look a bit too "Starship Enterprise" for me but they are still a neat idea. Cheers.

Love the Ulysses icon for a number of reasons, like you i assume. Anywho this subject is encouraging me to replace broke glass. I'll try the hand rolling method with some hylomar under, which should not set up hardly at all in the hour of some fumbling I expect it'll take me. Its really nice to have lighted clocks at night. The main problem I've had is the lamp holders don't hold in place well. The uneven lighting matches the head light pattern and throws me back into childhood automobile dasks too. Wisest advice is just don't ride these things, especially after dark. I've used magic marker to paint over the bulbs for red tint eye relief but needs redoing every couple years.