This is what I deserve for letting somebody else "help" me.

2012 Street Glide

My buddy grabbed my cordless 1/4 in impact to screw my windshield back on and managed to strip the metal insert that is pressed into the inner fairing. The inner fairing is what is stripped, so it will not hold the brass insert any longer. I tried glueing it back in place, but that only lasted until 90 mph then the wind resistance against the windshield popped it out again.

I thought about filling the inner fairing hole with JB weld, and just tapping it out but really don't want to go that route, because if that fails I will be really screwed then.

I am up for suggestions here. Has anybody else had this issue and found a solution?

Thanks, in advance

 

HD sells a little brass insert especially for this. So does Lowes.

 

HD part number 16585-96 is the repair part for your problem. The repair is better than new.

Just don't listen if they tell you to use a screwdriver to screw it in... The slotted end goes in first.

Here's a link to a thread discussing your issue... https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...s-pics-10.html

And a copy and paste of my contribution to that thread...

"I just did this repair to my bike yesterday.

First, let me say that the windshield screws have never been overtorqued. Routinely, I never use a torque wrench on the windshield screws but decided to use one the last time the windshield was removed just for a sanity check after I had hand tightened them as I normally do. What I found was that the screws were well below the recommended 25-30 in. lbs. so I tightened them to 25 in. lbs. using the torque wrench. The torque wrench is a fairly new, never mis-used, Craftsman with a range of 25-250 in. lbs. (+/- 4% stated accuracy). I realize that this is not the "optimal" wrench to use at the 25 in. lb. setting as that value is below 20% of the full scale of the wrench, but even if it's accuracy was compromised by as much as 20% at that setting I would not be exceeded the 30 in. lb. specification when I torqued the screws to 25 in. lbs.

At any rate, wouldn't you know it, the first time I remove the windshield after using the torque wrench for the first time one of the inserts is pulling out and will not tighten.

So off to the dealer I go to buy the repair inserts. I bought three, but only replaced the two outer ones, the one that was pulling out and the opposite outer one that would still tighten up but looked a little marginal, like it was starting to pull out. The center insert was firmly intact so I just left it alone.

At the dealership I asked the service manager which way the inserts were meant to go in. I already new in my mind which way I thought they should go in but asked anyways, just for confirmation. We went over and talked to a tech who said he used the slots to drive the inserts in, full threads first. I questioned that, stating that I thought the slots were there to help cut the threads. He disagreed. We continued to discuss my thinking that the slots were there to help cut the threads and provide a place for the displaced material to go when screwing the insert in, and also, by installing slotted end first, you'd end up with a full circumference thread for the fastener to screw into, but he just didn't get it and was adamant that the inserts go in his way. I just thought to myself, "whatever", and left knowing full well that I'd be installing them slotted end first.

Got home, disassembled the fairing, and proceeded to install the inserts, slotted end first, using a double-nutted 1/4-20 screw to drive the inserts in. They went in without incident. I considered using heat and/or tapping the fairing prior to installing the inserts, as previously mentioned in this thread, but found that to be unnecessary. Plus I felt that screwing them in without heat, or without pre-tapping the hole, would provide for a tighter fit. If I had to do it again I'd do the exact same process.

If any of you guys do this repair and use heat, or pre-tapping, I don't see that as a real problem, but from my experience I don't think it's necessary and you might end up with an insert that doesn't fit quite as tightly.

These threaded inserts are much better than the originals and I consider this repair to be an improvement over the factory original design. Not too many repairs are "better than new", but this one is."

 

Thank you gentlemen for the help. Exactly what I was looking for...something that threads in. Don't they call these things "time nuts"? or something like that?

If the slotted end goes in first, just get a shorter screw or bolt to install it?

 

Or a longer screw with a nut to lock against the insert.

 

Double nut. Read the aforementioned thread carefully.

 

Any tips for removing a broken brass insert?