I bought a used 2011 FLHTK, my first fairing HD. It had the standard tall clear windshield and I bought a shorter Cee Bailey tinted to replace it. So I remove the old windshield and I find no cushion tape as shown in the manual, but I find little pieces of inner tube between the outer fairing and the plexiglass. Plus their are 1/8 inch thick spacer/washers on the three screws that hold the windshield on. They spacers are in addition to the washers under the screw heads, these are sandwiched between the inner and outer fairing.


Is this some well known trick or fix to improve fairing mounting or did the last guy just mickey mouse this?


The spacers seem to be needed, if I leave them out the fairing seems to deform a little around the three mounting screws. Could be my imagination.

 

They probably used the spacer washers in place of the weather strip which to me would just allow water to get in there with no restriction.

 

What shape are the brass inserts in? Are they pulled out any?

 

The spacers you described sound like the ones that come with the 3 pocket windshiel bags. These bags have slots that fit between the inner and outer fairing and require the spacers so as not to overstress the fairings (or pull out the brass inserts) when the 3 screws are tightened.

 

The brass inserts look fine, but I'll take another look. I'll have to get a new weather strip, any rain will go right in there now. That's only a $5 problem.


The bike didn't have the windshield bags when I bought it but the previous owner could have removed it. So I shouldn't need the spacers without the bags?

 

No spacers required.

 

Never thought about water issue and my bought used 09 had no weather strip. I use a couple of shields, depending on trip and weather, and don't ride in rain much. Should I be using weather strip?

 

the spacers are part of a windshield bag kit that has been removed.

 

I never seen a weather strip fairing & windshield.

 

mine has one.