Diagnosing Windshield issue

[Shadowarrior]

Hey, after having a proper look at my windshield malfunction yesterday I wonder if anyone has ever remedied the same issue without buying a new 'adjuster.' Yes, I have just discovered the cost and am probably in denial that I need one.

Basically I have one side moving fully and ever so smoothly, whereas the other side gets stuck three times and lags behind. Surely this means all electrics and relays are good and maybe even the gear. So might be the cable although it looked okay superficially. Anyone experience this and manage a fix? I've read a lot of the posts and write ups but just want to be sure.

I'm close to 50k miles on 2002 pan and have made very good use of it. Guessing now is the time that a few things will start giving out? The adjustable screen was one of the draws for me and love winding it all the way down in the warm city rides and getting full coverage from my bikequip when its all the way up. So cant live without it for long!

 

[Ozzie]

I've heard tell that you can take the whole thing apart and clean all the moving parts, then relube. Maybe a place to start? Upside, while it's apart you should be able to see if anything is actually broken, in that case, ebay may be your friend. Sorry I can't be of much help, mine is still working fine(touch wood) I understand the whole denial thing though.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Have a look through this article and the attached documents. Don't mind the title being about the drive gear- there is a lot of maintenance information in there as well.

 

[MidLife]

Basically I have one side moving fully and ever so smoothly, whereas the other side gets stuck three times and lags behind.

Had very same happening with my 03 after riding in lots of rain and dust. Was very lucky with an easy fix: Sprayed a penetrating lubricant over the rails and let it soak. When I pushed the button a week later, it was working like a charm!

ádh mór

 

[Shadowarrior]

Finally reporting back on this. After a serious dose of various lubricants I went ahead with the purchase with the principle that being without it for an upcoming event is only going to compound the pain of forking out for it eventually. It was a relief that the new assembly came well lubricated and was an easy replacement with the guidelines posted above. Here's hoping something is salvageable/saleable when I get to dismantle it. It seems the early warning for me should have been slowing in up/down time as the new one feels much faster. About 2.5-3 seconds, so will look out for that in future and service every now and then!

 

[ddemair]

Had very same happening with my 03 after riding in lots of rain and dust. Was very lucky with an easy fix: Sprayed a penetrating lubricant over the rails and let it soak. When I pushed the button a week later, it was working like a charm!

ádh mór

How much disassembly did you have to do to lubricate?

 

[MidLife]

How much disassembly did you have to do to lubricate?

Bought the 03 in 05 with few miles on it so the bike had been mostly sitting and the screen started acting up soon after the purchase. But after cycling it up and down on the length of travel where it was working it would free up and work on the full travel again. But when it cocked for good, I was preparing for a trip and was not looking forward to take anything apart, so just attempted spraying blindly through the rubber flaps. No doubt I was very lucky it came loose. I suppose it was crud in the rails impeding the travel.

Sprayed penetrating lube again later after removing the inner screen cowl (the black piece under the screen, easy to remove after removing the screen), and then would do same after riding in rain for extended time or dusty dirt roads and it kept it going. But got complacent these last few years with less (no) spraying and am now paying for it and looking at replacing the gear or spacing the old one out.

 

[Scooter]

How much disassembly did you have to do to lubricate?

Well it depends on how handy you are but I wish I had done this a couple of years ago:



It is amazing how much force was required to move the cables by hand once I had the unit apart. Even the used replacement that I picked up on eBay needed a good cleaning. It doesn't surprise me why these things go belly up.

For anyone that puts on serious miles on their 1300 I'd recommend taking the mechanism apart for cleaning and relube every 3-4 years if they want it to last...

 

[MidLife]

Looks like the windshield relays on my 03 are acting up and may need to be replaced.

Not sure I understand the parts fiche.

Item 5 is for the relays. There are two of them but the fiche says QTY 1.

Does it mean that P/N 38502-MCS-G01 comprises 2 relays? Or just an error on the fiche?

 

[Blrfl]

Item 5 is for the relays. There are two of them but the fiche says QTY 1.

Does it mean that P/N 38502-MCS-G01 comprises 2 relays? Or just an error on the fiche?

That's an error in that version of the fiche. There are two relays, one for the upper limit and one for the lower. The fiche at Ron Ayers has it correct.

--Mark

 

[st1300r]

MidLife, what blrfl said.
Check this thread in particular post 2.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?109334-Windshield-motor-cross-wired

 

[ST Gui]

 

[SupraSabre]

I took the "repaired" one off the 2004#2 because (I also promised that one to Todd and figured might as well remove it when I have the time) I was going to use one I bought off ebay a couple of years ago .

I opened the box and was surprised how dirty it was. When I mounted it, it was real rough. So, instead of trying to clean it right now, I opted to remove the one off the '04#1 that I had replaced a couple of years before I parked it in the shed. I'll get around to cleaning that other one when I'm not so rushed! 4:

 

[MidLife]

That's an error in that version of the fiche. There are two relays, one for the upper limit and one for the lower. The fiche at Ron Ayers has it correct.

--Mark

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[MidLife]

MidLife, what blrfl said.
Check this thread in particular post 2.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?109334-Windshield-motor-cross-wired

Thanks. Anna'sDad's schematic helps a lot. Looks like my "Down" relay is fried.

 

[MidLife]

..... I'll get around to cleaning that other one when I'm not so rushed......

Looks like you have good experience with this mechanism and might be able to advise.

-- Is the gear supposed to just slide off?

Mine seems to be stuck and in need of some convincing for removal. Would like to make sure there is no lock screw or clip that needs to be backed off before pulling/prying harder on it.

Thank you.

 

[Scooter]

The gear should pop out without much trouble once it is exposed. Can't think of what might bind that in there other than dried up grease...

 

[MidLife]

The gear should pop out without much trouble once it is exposed. Can't think of what might bind that in there other than dried up grease...

Dried up grease would make sense. Quite a bit of it on the gear itself. I'll spray penetrating lube in there to see if it loosen up. Thanks.

Talking about grease...

I bought the spare gear a few years ago from a member here, that came with a tube of White Lithium Grease. Should this grease have a homogeneous "pasty" consistency?

Mine has a dark brown liquid that has separated out of the paste.

 

[Rekoob]

Mine got cocked in the slides some years ago. I took it apart and found that the cables were not pressed against the gear very well. I shimmed the U shaped metal part that presses the cables against the gear and I removed the shims on the slides because there was a spot that had some resistance when moving it all by hand, it's right around the bigger bend area. After that I lubed it up and put it back together, haven't touched it in years and it's still working.

 

[MidLife]

The gear should pop out without much trouble once it is exposed. Can't think of what might bind that in there other than dried up grease...

Two days of soaking and the gear came loose. Thanks.