Instrument Pod M8 Mounting Screws

[Fauster]

I don't know if this is common knowledge or if most folks here have never needed to remove the four M8x20mm screws that attach the instrument / headlamp pod to the bike. Either way, I thought I'd share my experience with removing them to save the next Rockster owner from some frustration.

I picked up a used BMW touring windscreen and was anxious to give it a try. Installation was pretty simple - Replace the stock M8x20mm screws with longer versions to account for the thickness of the mounting brackets. My screen didn't come with the longer screws so I guessed on a size (M8x30mm) and grabbed them from the local hardware store. The forward screw on each side came out with some difficulty - fortunately I was able to get the Size 40 Torx bit securely in place. I attributed the difficulty to 10 years of Louisiana humidity and figured that corrosion was the culprit. The back two screws were another story. Due to the bar placement, I couldn't get the Torx bit straight into the head of the screw. The rear RH screw eventually came out using a swivel attachment on my socket wrench (and penetrating oil with lots of patience) but the LH rear screw was a real bugger. After a few slips of the Torx bit, the head was stripped. Here's where I finally got smart.

I removed the bar clamps and gently laid the bar on a thick towel covering the tank. With the screw head cleanly exposed, I drilled a pilot hole and successfully used an extractor to remove the screw. I then ran an M8 tap through the holes to clean the threads before mounting the screen.





I added four stock replacement screws to my next maintenance parts order from Bob's BMW and found the real reason these screws were so stubborn. Each new screw had a tell-tale crimson band in the middle of the threads - Red Loctite! Wow... that explains it.

So my advice to anyone removing these four screws is to first remove your bar and then make sure your Torx bit is securely in the head of each screw. I'm not sure I'd want to try to heat the bolts as the plastic pod hardware behind the bolt head could get damaged.

And one last thing - I realized that the unplated screws procured from my hardware store would eventually rust. While searching through the F650 parts microfiche, I saw that the stock fork tube clamp screws were M8x30mm - a perfect option for my application since they wouldn't corrode. I'll be swapping them out this weekend and using blue Loctite instead of the red.

Happy wrenching!

[riceburner]

Those two headlight /instrument support brackets are actually aluminium - painted aluminium.

[Rocky rider]

Well Fauster, I had exactly the same experience on Wednesday when I fitted my new Ztechnick screen. All went well on the nearside although the two bolts were very stiff and took a bit of effort to get out but they came eventually so I fitted the mounting brackets and that side was done. Now the offside ( right side here in the UK) the front bolt did not want to come out and I eventually stripped the torx head on the bolt and my wrench (poor quality obviously). Problem!
I covered the bracket with duc tape so as not to mark it and tried to grip it with mole grips but I could not get them to grip the head. I left it for a few hours to ponder my next line of action and went back to it. I realised that the duc tape was stopping the grips locking on to the head so I removed the tape. Eventually I managed to grip it and started to turn it. Very slowly and sadly with a few scratches on the bracket ( luckily now hidden by the screen bracket) it came out.
Within minutes the screen was on the bike and job was done.

Thanks for your explanation, now I know why it was so difficult. Hope you will save someone else some grief.

How strange that we should both have the same experience so many miles apart.

Very pleased with the screen though. Hope you enjoy yours after all that trouble.

Ride safe.