Rear Fender Issue

swooshdave · Apr 28, 2010

I've fitted up the rear fender but it doesn't seem to want to go where I think it should.

It hits the oil tank and feed line before it gets to the two lower mounting holes on the battery tray. There's at least a 1in, maybe more, gap.

Thoughts?

-Very possible this is the wrong fender for this year (72) bike.
-Are there spacers on the lower mounts that I don't know about?

79x100 · Apr 28, 2010

I don't think that's Commando at all. It should have a flat on the oil tank side, not a single depression and the rear edge looks wrong too.

Diablouph · Apr 28, 2010

I just put a new fender on my 73...850.

It does not look like yours. It is a tight fit. That whole area, as you well know, is full of "stuff". It should, however, fit right in.

The right side of the fender should be flat the last 8" to the bottom and the left side should be cut out.

I don't think you have a Norton fender.

rx7171 · Apr 28, 2010

My 72 has a fender that looks like this one. With the recess at the level of the big plug on the side of the tank.

As I recall the mounting plate for the horn has two bolts that extend through the fender to help secure it.
I can't see that plate or the horn in your pictures.
Be sure to connect wires to horn before the build gets too far along. Impossible to do later.

Bob

Diablouph · Apr 28, 2010

I went out and looked at mine again. I don't see how you can get the fender on unless the recess on the right side of the fender goes all the way to the bottom. The rear of the oil tank comes down at an angle, and meets at the back of the battery box. So the bottom corner of the oil tank, and the back of the battery box are the same distance back on the bike (or should be). I also measured the fender off the frame as a cross reference. It is 2" above the rear frame loop. Hope this helps.

swooshdave · Apr 28, 2010

rx7171 said:
My 72 has a fender that looks like this one. With the recess at the level of the big plug on the side of the tank.

As I recall the mounting plate for the horn has two bolts that extend through the fender to help secure it.
I can't see that plate or the horn in your pictures.
Be sure to connect wires to horn before the build gets too far along. Impossible to do later.

Bob

There is a rectangular plate at the top of this picture. It has three bolts and should have spacers. (One to the fender and two to the frame).

Below on the battery box are two holes which I assume hold the horn and fender.

As I said, the fender may not be 72 and the battery box may also not be 72.

Horn is not mounted yet, just mocking up. It will go below the battery box.

horny-situation-t6228.html

batrider · Apr 28, 2010

I think there are some metal spacers between the fender and the battery box. Around 3/8" (062170) and flatwashers too so there is quite a bit of distance to be made up.

Russ

Diablouph · Apr 28, 2010

I see the spacers in the catalog. I don't have them on my bike. They were not on the bike and since the fender fit "out of the box", I figured they were for the horn side.

Your problem is tough. Obviously you can get the fender to fit, but, change one thing, change everthing. By the time your on the last of the build, other things may not fit.

I gave you the height of the fender above the frame because if it is shoved up say 1/2" you may not be able to get the seat on.

Got a good pair of tin snips?

Spaulding · Apr 28, 2010

I've recently been tinkering in that same area with my '74 and the original fender - was dealing with the oil tank. I can say that my fender does have a flat part and not the little divot on yours that looks like it is the same size as that oil tank fitting. Odd...

swooshdave · Apr 28, 2010

I'm relatively confident the fender is 72.

I'm getting the feeling that the 850s (73 and later) had a different fender. That seems to be confirmed by the folks here.

Actual fitting is probably going to depend on other 72 owners for photos and reference. As LAB pointed out the parts books is going to be a little fizzy here as the horn and rear fender are noted on separate pages.

If anyone with a 72 can help with photos or descriptions of how their fender mounts it would be greatly appreciated.

Diablouph · Apr 28, 2010

Be sure and find out if you need the spacers. That 3/8" to 1/2" could alter where you fender top will be.

ILLF8ED · Apr 28, 2010

Hi Dave,

I just looked at my '72, will try to help. First the '73 onward 750 and 850 fenders are stainless instead of chromed and are different. You definitley have the same fender as my original '72.

Bottom front mount - I use two 1/4" nuts where the spacers #35 in the parts book are. Bolts go through the horn bracket - battery box and into the fender. Make sure the horn bracket is not between the battery box and fender, only the spacers go in here. Horn bracket is in front of the battery box flange. Top front mount has #35 spacers between the bracket and frame with 1/4" bolts. The bolt from top front bracket to fender is larger 5/16" and no spacer. The rear mount is a U bracket around the rear frame loop - put some rubber between frame and bracket, I use inner tube rubber. You have the right parts, should all go together.

Tried some photos, but it's so close in there they don't show very well.

L.A.B. · Apr 28, 2010

batrider said:
I think there are some metal spacers between the fender and the battery box. Around 3/8" (062170) and flatwashers too so there is quite a bit of distance to be made up.

The sequence should be: Bolt-Horn bracket-battery tray-('73 washer?)-nut-fender-washer-self locking nut.

The only spacers used are the two in between the front upper plate and the frame.

The front upper plate assembly [31]-[35] is shown duplicated in the '72 parts drawing (and triplicated on the '71 drawing) which may give the impression there are more parts used than is actualy the case.

The '73 parts book drawings are much clearer.

http://www.nortonmotors.de/ANIL/Norton% ... &Plate=029
http://www.nortonmotors.de/ANIL/Norton% ... &Plate=027

swooshdave · Apr 29, 2010

Thanks for your replies.

I'l give it another try.

I know where the spacer are suppose to go, I'm just saying that the fender hits the oil line way before it gets there.

One this that was pointed out is that I may have the fender up too high. I'll look at that too.

rx7171 · Apr 29, 2010

swooshdave said:
Thanks for your replies.

I'l give it another try.

I know where the spacer are suppose to go, I'm just saying that the fender hits the oil line way before it gets there.

One this that was pointed out is that I may have the fender up too high. I'll look at that too.

Dave
The key is getting the mounting bracket in place that the horn mounts to. Both the horn and fender attach to it. It holds the fender back away from oil line contact.
I'm not seeing it in your photos.
Bob

swooshdave · Apr 29, 2010

rx7171 said:
swooshdave said:

Thanks for your replies.

I'l give it another try.

I know where the spacer are suppose to go, I'm just saying that the fender hits the oil line way before it gets there.

One this that was pointed out is that I may have the fender up too high. I'll look at that too.

Click to expand...

Dave
The key is getting the mounting bracket in place that the horn mounts to. Both the horn and fender attach to it. It holds the fender back away from oil line contact.
I'm not seeing it in your photos.
Bob

What does it look like. I don't see it in any of the parts pictures.

L.A.B. · Apr 29, 2010

swooshdave said:
What does it look like. I don't see it in any of the parts pictures.

It's a flat triangular shaped plate with three holes.
It is shown in the parts diagrams-attached to the horn, so it isn't a separate part.

Ron L · Apr 29, 2010

It's a flat triangular shaped plate with three holes.

Actually two plates stacked together. I always wondered why they didn't just use one thicker plate.

L.A.B. · Apr 29, 2010

Ron L said:
It's a flat triangular shaped plate with three holes.

Click to expand...

Actually two plates stacked together.

Yes indeed it's double skinned, and I've seen quite a few horn mounting brackets like that, presumably it's done to reduce bracket fatigue failure?

swooshdave · Apr 29, 2010

Ron L said:
It's a flat triangular shaped plate with three holes.

Click to expand...

Actually two plates stacked together. I always wondered why they didn't just use one thicker plate.

Cheaper and easier to punch two thinner plates than have one thick one cut?

Now I know what you guys are talking about. I think I have a better idea of what to look for.

Rear Fender Issue

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