Fitting the DS front mudguards to my 500 ?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The DS 500 front mudguards need the top hat spacers & washers fitting to six of the holes due to the different hole sizes in the stays from the original stay. The stays were attached to the mudguard in the box from new.

No problem with the fork bridge end but the fit of the stays to the bottom of the fork legs is such that the stay ends do not fit neatly into the fork legs as they are a bit too wide to fit into the recess place at the bottom.

Firstly I assume the top hat spacer fits from the outside into the stay rubbers - either way the thickness of the top hat would give enough clearance if fitted against the fork legs. Obviously I do not want to file new chrome.

Best way forward that  I can see would be to fit some thick washers against the fork legs - if needed fit slightly longer bolts. Has anyone else encountered this problem - suggestions please?

PS I have loosened the stay to mudguard bolts the issue is to align the bottom centrally in the stay they are just too wide at the bottom  end to fit snuggly.

[Oddjob]

Trying to visualise the problem Ted.

The rubbers go onto the stays, the tophats go into rubbers, they go in from the outside in, so long as the rubbers fit inside the small recesses in the fork slider there should be no problem, the stays should be spaced well away from the recesses. If the stay is too wide just gently bent it inwards until it's a close fit but not an exact fit, you want a little spring in the metal to keep the bolts under some tension.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I have the rubbers and top hats fitted as you describe Ken.
If I tighten them up as they are the end of the stays are against  the  fork end  and it sits at an angle not flat.
I haven't tried this but bending the end flat section inwards would probably make them fit okay.

[neat street]

did you go for the OEM or the copy?? I will need to get one as well soon.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

OEM listed at DS as genuine part - I believe they are 750 ones - price extra was not big.

[Oddjob]

Put a pic up Ted so we an see what you see.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Had my eye operation yesterday afternoon (Entropion) so will have to leave the bike alone for 10-14 days.

When able I will take a photo & post it Ken - my current thinking is if I loosen the stay to mudguard bolts the stays might fit - then tighten the stay to mudguard screws up.

My vision is not great atm plus I feel like someone has punched me hard in my right eye & socket - currently being pampered by SWMBO.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

This photo shows the stays as they are when in place - if I just tighten them up as they then the rubbers distort out of shape - the stays push against the fork legs making the stay holes just out of centre with the bolt if you get my drift.


.500 stays by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[Johnny4428]

Just a thought Ted, regarding where the stays are mounted on the guard. The black plastic spacers. Otherwise there’s not much else you can do. By slightly reshaping or reducing the diameter of the guard that would sort.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

As you can see the stays are effectively a double section - the rear section is wider than the front part.
On my original stays they are both the same size so there is no overlay at the rear of the tip of the stays.
When I am able might be worth undoing the stay to mudguard bolts to see if that helps. The size on the outside layer looks spot on - it's the overlay of the rear section that spoils a simple fit.

Might be worth getting in touch with DS if I can't come up with a solution.

[K2-K6]

If you put the tophat in from rear of stay (the wrong way round) will the stay then clear the fork casting recess  ?

If so, you could then use a simple stainless washer outside to clamp the rubber. May need slightly longer bolt to achieve.

Would keep the stay from binding on aluminium casting and look near enough standard.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Tried that K2-,K6 the top hat would need to be a lot thicker to give enough clearance.

I've sent a message with photo to DS I hope they are just a poor batch of stays - I will update with the response.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It's not perfect but loosening the screws on the stay to mudguard fastenings  has enabled the bottom end to fit quite satisfactorily on three of the four stay ends with just one that needs a bit more fettling I think loosening the screws where the plastic spacers fit has helped no end.

I snook into the garage as SWMBO has nipped into town - I have broken my bail conditions (no work on the bike for at least a week) pretty sure the last stay can be sorted when I am officially allowed outside .lol

[Oddjob]

Ted there is a small piece of metal sticking out past the stay, is that also the stay? or is it the tophat?

To me it looks like the stay is not one piece of metal but 2 stuck together? with the back piece not being ground down before chroming so it matches the front piece.

As for the rubber crushing, how can it do that, the tophat is there to stop that happening, before the rubber distorts the central tube of the tophat is supposed to ground against the fork slider and stop the bolt from tightening anymore. Does the central tube not fully reach the other side of the rubber?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

That is the issue Ken  the stay end section is made up of two parts - the outer part is fashioned from the stay itself with a plate  at the back  effectively  a re-enforcement plate.

The original stays are the same except both parts are the same width - if the rear re-enforcement was the same size as the front it would be all good.

In the photo you can see my bolts, a washer, top hat  - the next bit is the front part of the stay end the wider section at the back is the re-enforcement plate.

"To me it looks like the stay is not one piece of metal but 2 stuck together? with the back piece not being ground down before chroming so it matches the front piece." CORRECT KEN

This is original stay below,
.
PXL_20230427_143930802 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr