Windscreen change

GreenNinja · September 20th, 2011, 04:48 PM

Today I received my ZG DB windscreen and I was real careful about removing the nuts as per the DIY I have read. Like many others I guess the wellnuts are stripped even though I was really careful. So if I order new ones from zero gravity, how do I replace the two towards the bottom of the windscreen?

dubojr1 · September 21st, 2011, 05:45 AM

Was that the 2 that striped? Are these the ones that screw into the stay bar?

I would suggest grinding the heads off slowly with a dremel sanding drum. Be careful though because you don't want to get the bolt head really hot around your plastics. Grind a little and then cool it with some water. Once you have the windscreen out of the way you may can grab the remaining bolt with a pair of vise grips to remove them. May also be a good idea to use a bit of WD-40 or equivalent to help loosen the bolt before attempting to remove it. GL!

GreenNinja · September 21st, 2011, 06:12 AM

I hope this makes sense since it is hard to describe...
The windscreen is off the bike. When I try to put the new windscreen on the two screws nearest the headlight do nothing but turn and turn and turn. I removed the windscreen and tested just the bolts with no windscreen. I received the same results: just turning and no tightening. From this analysis I am guessing the bottom two wellnuts are stripped?? They are almost hidden behind the front cowling(I guess that is what it is called).

stealth250 · September 21st, 2011, 06:28 AM

Those well nuts get dry rotted and the rubber tears. You probably just need to get new well nuts. If you loosen the headlight fairing and tilt it forward, you can sneak new well nuts in the bottom holes for the windscreen.
I just ordered 20 of them for my fairings and windscreen and I replaced all of them. Got them from here: http://www.desmoparts.com/products/p...tm/m5-wellnuts

dubojr1 · September 21st, 2011, 07:08 AM

Yep... Prolly just need some new well nuts. A quick search will reveal multiple sources for them. GL!

EsrTek · September 21st, 2011, 07:13 AM

1 of my wellnuts came out when taking the stock screen off, sounds like your might have too.

dubojr1 · September 21st, 2011, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EsrTek

1 of my wellnuts came out when taking the stock screen off, sounds like your might have ~~too~~ two.

Fixed

GreenNinja · September 21st, 2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubojr1

Fixed

Stealth250, do you remember which size you used for the windscreen and which was for the fairing? I'm going to order a few for the fairing too while I'm at it and thanks so much for the link! I did a search for it last night but couldn't find the right websites - it probably had to do with my frustration. I just couldn't believe a 10 min job turned into something much longer.

stealth250 · September 21st, 2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenNinja

Stealth250, do you remember which size you used for the windscreen and which was for the fairing? I'm going to order a few for the fairing too while I'm at it and thanks so much for the link! I did a search for it last night but couldn't find the right websites - it probably had to do with my frustration. I just couldn't believe a 10 min job turned into something much longer.

everything that uses well nuts on our bike is 5mm. There's only 8 of them, but I got so pissed at mine the last time I took the fairings off and couldn't get the screws to grab going back together, that I ordered enough for a lifetime...

DaBlue1 · September 21st, 2011, 11:17 AM

The stock wellnuts are crap and are probably rotten and torn off, so go ahead and order and install some new ones(and get some extra).
Before you put the windscreen in, insert a new well nut in the bottom hole where the old one was removed from, screw the bolt into the well nut. This compresses or mushrooms the nut a little. Remove the bolt then put the windscreen or fairings on. Put the bolts w/ washers on and tighten until snug. ( do not over tighten) With this method there is no need to reach up and hold the nut, it basically rivets the nut in place so it is snug enough not to move when you tighten the bolt, the rubber on the well nut is sandwiched between the two pieces therefore not allowing it (the attached nut) to turn.

dubojr1 · September 21st, 2011, 11:33 AM

I find it odd that my 2009 SE well nuts are just fine and still in great shape. I wonder if Kawi switched providers somewhere during production. My bike is generally garaged both at home and at work and that may have something to do with it. However my wife's 08 was treated the same way and the well nuts were trashed in 6 months.

00NissanNinja · September 21st, 2011, 09:01 PM

Just to be sure you did use the longer bolts for the bottom right? If you use the shorter ones from the top of the windscreen they won't grab the wellnuts at the bottom of the windscreen. Just making sure cause that happened to me a long time ago(I just assumed they were the same size then looked at them and found out they were not)...

dubojr1 · September 22nd, 2011, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 00NissanNinja

Just to be sure you did use the longer bolts for the bottom right? If you use the shorter ones from the top of the windscreen they won't grab the wellnuts at the bottom of the windscreen. Just making sure cause that happened to me a long time ago(I just assumed they were the same size then looked at them and found out they were not)...

He mentioned earlier that he removed the windscreen and retried the bolts. I would think that would have been enough even with the shorter bolts.

GreenNinja · September 22nd, 2011, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 00NissanNinja

Just to be sure you did use the longer bolts for the bottom right? If you use the shorter ones from the top of the windscreen they won't grab the wellnuts at the bottom of the windscreen. Just making sure cause that happened to me a long time ago(I just assumed they were the same size then looked at them and found out they were not)...

Hmmm...I made 100% sure I did not confuse the top and bottom. The bottom bolts were shorter than the top ones and I was wondering about that since the DIY mentioned otherwise. I did buy the bike used so it is possible the previous owner screwed it up. Thanks for the reminder, I'll be sure to correct that problem when I get the wellnuts in.

CZroe · September 22nd, 2011, 06:27 AM

Two things:
Assuming that this is a 2008+ (you didn't say), the two bolts at the bottom are longer and reach farther to mate with the wellnuts. Don't mix them up.
The non-factory well nuts are often a bit longer and the bolts may not reach without squeezing them with your hands from underneath (VERY hard to do even with everything apart).

CZroe · September 22nd, 2011, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth250

everything that uses well nuts on our bike is 5mm. There's only 8 of them, but I got so pissed at mine the last time I took the fairings off and couldn't get the screws to grab going back together, that I ordered enough for a lifetime...

No. There are four on the windscreen, two on the headlight, two on the undertail, two on the tail, and two on each lower fairing.

That's 14 total. The ONLY ones that don't rot immediately are the two exposed on the windscreen. If you look at the parts list, they are a different part number. This means that Kawasaki knew that the rubber was no good and thought they could get away with using the crappier ones everywhere that you could not see.

GreenNinja · September 22nd, 2011, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CZroe

Two things:
Assuming that this is a 2008+ (you didn't say), the two bolts at the bottom are longer and reach farther to mate with the wellnuts. Don't mix them up.
The non-factory well nuts are often a bit longer and the bolts may not reach without squeezing them with your hands from underneath (VERY hard to do even with everything apart).

Oh sorry yes I have a 2009. I'm not sure I like the part that says "very hard to do..."

CZroe · September 22nd, 2011, 04:18 PM

I only had to do that because I replaced mine with shorter colored windscreen bolts.

00NissanNinja · September 22nd, 2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenNinja

Hmmm...I made 100% sure I did not confuse the top and bottom. The bottom bolts were shorter than the top ones and I was wondering about that since the DIY mentioned otherwise. I did buy the bike used so it is possible the previous owner screwed it up. Thanks for the reminder, I'll be sure to correct that problem when I get the wellnuts in.

Cool just checking, The short bolts on mine wouldn't grab the wellnuts at the bottom of the screen.

September 20th, 2011, 04:48 PM	#1
GreenNinja ninjette.org guru Name: I'm a ninja! Location: Stone Mtn Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 Posts: 453	Windscreen change Today I received my ZG DB windscreen and I was real careful about removing the nuts as per the DIY I have read. Like many others I guess the wellnuts are stripped even though I was really careful. So if I order new ones from zero gravity, how do I replace the two towards the bottom of the windscreen?

September 21st, 2011, 05:45 AM	#2
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	Was that the 2 that striped? Are these the ones that screw into the stay bar? I would suggest grinding the heads off slowly with a dremel sanding drum. Be careful though because you don't want to get the bolt head really hot around your plastics. Grind a little and then cool it with some water. Once you have the windscreen out of the way you may can grab the remaining bolt with a pair of vise grips to remove them. May also be a good idea to use a bit of WD-40 or equivalent to help loosen the bolt before attempting to remove it. GL! __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

September 21st, 2011, 06:28 AM	#4
stealth250 Gearhead Name: Mike Location: IND Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: 242	Those well nuts get dry rotted and the rubber tears. You probably just need to get new well nuts. If you loosen the headlight fairing and tilt it forward, you can sneak new well nuts in the bottom holes for the windscreen. I just ordered 20 of them for my fairings and windscreen and I replaced all of them. Got them from here: http://www.desmoparts.com/products/p...tm/m5-wellnuts __________________________________________________

September 21st, 2011, 07:08 AM	#5
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	Yep... Prolly just need some new well nuts. A quick search will reveal multiple sources for them. GL! __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

September 21st, 2011, 11:33 AM	#11
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	I find it odd that my 2009 SE well nuts are just fine and still in great shape. I wonder if Kawi switched providers somewhere during production. My bike is generally garaged both at home and at work and that may have something to do with it. However my wife's 08 was treated the same way and the well nuts were trashed in 6 months. __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

September 21st, 2011, 06:12 AM	#3
GreenNinja ninjette.org guru Name: I'm a ninja! Location: Stone Mtn Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 Posts: 453	I hope this makes sense since it is hard to describe... The windscreen is off the bike. When I try to put the new windscreen on the two screws nearest the headlight do nothing but turn and turn and turn. I removed the windscreen and tested just the bolts with no windscreen. I received the same results: just turning and no tightening. From this analysis I am guessing the bottom two wellnuts are stripped?? They are almost hidden behind the front cowling(I guess that is what it is called).

September 21st, 2011, 07:13 AM	#6
EsrTek ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Eric Location: Murfreesboro, TN Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): '13 300 Posts: A lot.	1 of my wellnuts came out when taking the stock screen off, sounds like your might have too.

September 21st, 2011, 11:17 AM	#10
DaBlue1 Long Time Rider Name: Blue Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	The stock wellnuts are crap and are probably rotten and torn off, so go ahead and order and install some new ones(and get some extra). Before you put the windscreen in, insert a new well nut in the bottom hole where the old one was removed from, screw the bolt into the well nut. This compresses or mushrooms the nut a little. Remove the bolt then put the windscreen or fairings on. Put the bolts w/ washers on and tighten until snug. ( do not over tighten) With this method there is no need to reach up and hold the nut, it basically rivets the nut in place so it is snug enough not to move when you tighten the bolt, the rubber on the well nut is sandwiched between the two pieces therefore not allowing it (the attached nut) to turn.

September 21st, 2011, 09:01 PM	#12
00NissanNinja I hate driving... Name: S Location: SW Ohio Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 13 Triumph Street Triple R, 09 Ninja 250r (Sold 4/20/12) Posts: A lot.	Just to be sure you did use the longer bolts for the bottom right? If you use the shorter ones from the top of the windscreen they won't grab the wellnuts at the bottom of the windscreen. Just making sure cause that happened to me a long time ago(I just assumed they were the same size then looked at them and found out they were not)... __________________________________________________ 09 ninja 2fiddy SE Driving slow things fast

September 22nd, 2011, 06:27 AM	#15
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	Two things: Assuming that this is a 2008+ (you didn't say), the two bolts at the bottom are longer and reach farther to mate with the wellnuts. Don't mix them up. The non-factory well nuts are often a bit longer and the bolts may not reach without squeezing them with your hands from underneath (VERY hard to do even with everything apart).

September 22nd, 2011, 04:18 PM	#18
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	I only had to do that because I replaced mine with shorter colored windscreen bolts.

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