Dzus Fitting Spacer/Grommet? (2019)

Tornado · Jun 2, 2019

Noticed my steel left side cover on my '74 MKII 850 is touching the forward frame rail at its forward edge, The support bracket where the Dzsus fitting attached is also in contact with the frame. Whole panel is free to rattle about along that frame when Dzsus is attached. Should there be some sort of rubber grommet or spacer under the support bracket, or with the Dzsus passing through? Can't see any such thing on the AN schematics for the frame:

https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-drawing/69/frame-swinging-arm-suspension-units

The Side cover schematics only show the rearward frame grommets...which I have already:
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-drawing/113/side-covers-accessory-cover

gortnipper · Jun 2, 2019

You may need to fettle the front bracket a bit to get proper alignment.

Bob Z. · Jun 3, 2019

Perhaps this will help.
The spacer has a groove for a snap ring to secure the assembly to the frame.

Tornado · Jun 3, 2019

Bob Z. said:
Perhaps this will help.
The spacer has a groove for a snap ring to secure the assembly to the frame.

Yup that is all there on my bike. Perhaps the support bracket has an enlarged hole and just too sloppy when Dzsus is fitted. Will revisit and see what I can do.

jbruney · Jun 3, 2019

Looks like mine, although loose it doesn't rattle around once turned and the little hooked area catches.

holtcorseaux · Jun 10, 2019

Hi, i had more or less the same issue. It caused a crack in the tin next to the bracket. I think the way Fast Eddie mounts his with an oil tank Silentblock bobbin is good, i will do that. In the mean time i used a soft rubber Door stop like this. They cost about $1. It works perfectly absorbs all the Vibration.

Have a good day

Martin

Craig · Jun 10, 2019

Same issue here ‘bout 15 years ago , fixed it with a zip tie once dzsus is fastened I add a zip fix , job done invisible , cheap and little brain work , always have spares on bike and jack knife ....

Tornado · Jun 10, 2019

Craig said:
Same issue here ‘bout 15 years ago , fixed it with a zip tie once dzsus is fastened I add a zip fix , job done invisible , cheap and little brain work , always have spares on bike and jack knife ....

But that will mean needing a cutter handy whenever I need to pull cover off. Something I do a couple of times a month and even while out on the road. I'm looking for a rubber spacer that I can fit under the bracket.

Craig · Jun 10, 2019

Tornado said:
But that will mean needing a cutter handy whenever I need to pull cover off. Something I do a couple of times a month and even while out on the road. I'm looking for a rubber spacer that I can fit under the bracket.

I have had sharp Swiss Army knife in pocket at all times for over 45 years .... failing that you have room for nail clippers .... not sure when last time I had that side off .... maybe some right size surgical hose would work for ya ....

Tornado · Jun 10, 2019

Looks like I 've found the issue. Though there was a circlip present it didn't seem to hold the steel spacer at all and the spacer could flop about in the frame hole even when panel was correctly attached. I'd assumed the circlip was fixed in position in a milled slot around the spacer. Nope! Completely able to be pushed up or down the spacer circumference. Mine was a few mm from rear end of spacer which made the panel bracket able to push dzsus and spacer well forwards and rearwards. Sliding circlip full forward along spacer made it hold firmly against frame bulkhead and then panel bracket could better engage on spacer. Now it is well clear of frame and snugly held.
Seems a better solution would be a threaded spacer rod where a lock nut could be to more properly hold things in place.

850commando · Jun 10, 2019

its a bit relative, if you have the interstate tank installed, there is no way to see what your fingers are trying to connect. so in my mind the duz is still a decent solution

Tornado · Jun 10, 2019

850commando said:
its a bit relative, if you have the interstate tank installed, there is no way to see what your fingers are trying to connect. so in my mind the duz is still a decent solution

My point was to keep dzsus. But hold it in place with a locknut instead of a sliding circlip which can break from corrosion etc.
An even better solution would be a pip pin. I use these on many things like high load shackles on sailboats. Quick connect and disconnect. Very reliable. The dzsus is fiddly to engage unless I can see the top side of bracket while seat is off.

dguzzi · Jun 10, 2019

Can you describe a pip pin? The Dzus is way over priced!

Tornado · Jun 10, 2019

dguzzi said:
Can you describe a pip pin? The Dzus is way over priced!

Here is what they generally look like although there are other styles:

Basically a ball bearing on a spring that can be retracted into the pin via the button on the top. Some don't have the button at all and just a good pull causes the BB to retract against it's spring. Would need to figure out proper length/diameters and maybe do a bit of fettling to make it work well on the side panel setup...but should be a nice option.

850commando · Jun 10, 2019

Tornado said:
My point was to keep dzsus. But hold it in place with a locknut instead of a sliding circlip which can break from corrosion etc.
An even better solution would be a pip pin. I use these on many things like high load shackles on sailboats. Quick connect and disconnect. Very reliable. The dzsus is fiddly to engage unless I can see the top side of bracket while seat is off.

okay now i understand the locknut.

your pip pin would also work well...

dguzzi · Jun 11, 2019

Thank you! I wondered what those were called.

Tornado · Jun 12, 2019

Hmmm. About four hrs into a long ride yesterday, detected a vibration sound that had seemed to disappear after fixing the loose dzsus. Noticed the sidepanel was back contact with frame. The snap ring had slide back along the dzsus again. Too weak to hold place I guess. Either will need a notch made in the spacer to trap the ring or a stronger ring fitted.

PeterJoe · Jun 12, 2019

Some years back I made a spacer that slips over the Dzus stud sleeve. The spacer was counterbored so that it would fit over the snap ring and I put set screws in the spacer set at 90 degrees from each other so that it would lock onto the Dzus sleeve. I also made the spacer a little bit longer than the Dzus sleeve to ensure that the spacer rides firmly on the side panel mounting bracket. I figured that even if the snap ring failed, my spacer would still hold everything in position. Another thing I had to do was replace the protruding head rivets on the Dzus spring with flush rivets so that my spacer would seat properly against the side panel bracket. I made the spacer from aluminum alloy and it was pretty easy to make.

Now that I have done all of this, I have yet to use it in practice. Right now I am using my original Mark IIA side panels while my other side panels are waiting to be painted.

Here is a picture with my spacer mounted to the Dzus sleeve and also to the side panel bracket:

Peter Joe

Craig · Jun 12, 2019

Nice work Peter !

Tornado · Jun 12, 2019

PeterJoe said:
Some years back I made a spacer that slips over the Dzus stud sleeve. The spacer was counterbored so that it would fit over the snap ring and I put set screws in the spacer set at 90 degrees from each other so that it would lock onto the Dzus sleeve. I also made the spacer a little bit longer than the Dzus sleeve to ensure that the spacer rides firmly on the side panel mounting bracket. I figured that even if the snap ring failed, my spacer would still hold everything in position. Another thing I had to do was replace the protruding head rivets on the Dzus spring with flush rivets so that my spacer would seat properly against the side panel bracket. I made the spacer from aluminum alloy and it was pretty easy to make.

Now that I have done all of this, I have yet to use it in practice. Right now I am using my original Mark IIA side panels while my other side panels are waiting to be painted.

Here is a picture with my spacer mounted to the Dzus sleeve and also to the side panel bracket:

Peter Joe

Looking closely at the circlip in your photo...I think I see a groove it is sitting in. I could not see that on my fitting and the clip didn't feel like it went into a groove when I pushed it (apparently) fully down the fitting. Will take a much closer look...might be there after all.