VIN "Safety Certification" Plate Question

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I have finally gotten my '72 down to the bare frame, and could use suggestions on removing the Safety Certification plate from the steering stem. I have a replacement plate and new rivets. Actually, the more important question is how to do a good job of installing the new plate and rivets. Thanks very much for your time!
 
I have finally gotten my '72 down to the bare frame, and could use suggestions on removing the Safety Certification plate from the steering stem.


I have a replacement plate and new rivets. Actually, the more important question is how to do a good job of installing the new plate and rivets.

Just tap them in with a hammer and flat punch or drift.
 
Thank you very much for your responses. It seems obvious but I half expected to need some sort of factory tool for only $80 or so....
 
Others have used a small cut-off wheel in a Dremel to make a slot across the head of the rivets and use a flat blade screwdriver .Turn counter-clockwise.The rivets are slightly coned so if you cut the heads off and knock in they become very tight before they knock through and you may alter the shape of the steering head as it is only mild steel ( ask me how I know ).If you have to knock through it is better to leave the bearing races in place to avoid distortion of steering head of frame.
 
Thanks! I will proceed with caution. I've got the bearings removed. If it comes down to some heavy blacksmith work, I'll install the new bearings first.
 
If you're having the bearings out, just carefully dremel off the heads then punch the nubs the rest of the way thru.

I've NEVER been able to "unscrew" one of those pesky buggers. After about the third bike, I gave up mangling the old plates and cleanly sliced them off.

I do carefully give the new plate a bit of a curve BEFORE installing it, otherwise they "want" to fold which looks less than optimum.
 
Senior moment, I followed your link dynodave, and then responded as if it were this thread. To re-state here, this forum is an excellent resource for our bikes. After taking it all in, I'm going to try the dremel-slot screwdriver approach. I can always nip the heads and drive them through if this fails. I would keep the old plate on the bike, but it's in extremely rough condition and would be the ugliest thing on the whole machine. I'll orient the new plate to match the old one 'as-found'.
Thank You to everyone who put some time into my question.
 
Mine had been ground smooth by a previous owner. I used a fine needle punch and then twisted to screw them out. Some I had to push through. Make sure the pieces don't end up in the bearings if they are still in place.

I would have loved to fit the original plate but it had long gone.

I second Grandpauls advice about curving the plate first to fit properly. I didn't and the plate sits proud which annoys me.

Plus I guess you know there were different styles for different years so get the right one. Andover lists the years I believe.
 
Original Norton steering bearings are sealed, so no big deal...
Except if they are not original or taper bearings.

Note I said if because I think the OP said they are not in place anymore, but I wanted to cover the bases

After 40 years in international oil and gas from Venezuela to Kazakhstan and many places in between i learnt to never assume. Ever. Too many accidents, too many injuries, too many deaths.

In the FSR "should" will be found wrong 90 % of the time and "are" wrong at least 50 % of the time.
 
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Except if they are not original or taper bearings.

Note I said if because I think the OP said they are not in place anymore, but I wanted to cover the bases

After 40 years in international oil and gas from Venezuela to Kazakhstan and many places in between i learnt to never assume. Ever. Too many accidents, too many injuries, too many deaths.

In the FSR "should" will be found wrong 90 % of the time and "are" wrong at least 50 % of the time.
Note that I prefaced my original reply with "If you're having the bearings out"...
 
I got the rivets out easily with the dremel-screwdriver method. My replacement plate is a match for the old one except it doesn't look like a single hunk of corrosion. I will definitely pre-curve it before installing it.
 
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