jdave5917

I need to remove the fender stays but the heads of the bolts that hold the clamp for the stay at the fender are hidden behind the rear reflector. I didn't want to start pulling at the 50+ year old rubber mount for the reflector before asking for advice. Here's what I'm looking at. On the photo of the inside of the fender, those are the threaded ends of the bolts protruding through the clamp and the bolt heads are on the outside of the fender but hidden behind the reflector. What is the correct method for removing the reflector so that I can access the bolt heads?>

repechage

This was difficult even when the parts were new, but way back a new replacement assembly was cheap. Many of the plasticizers that were there are probably gone, there might be some hope of soaking it in hot hot water for a time, say 15 minutes, replenishing as the temp falls off... and hope.

jdave5917

So if I warm up the rubber to make it a little more pliable, do I just peel it back? What is the rubber anchored to undernath?

photogravity

You peel the rubber away from the reflector. Behind that you will have a little metal plate with the two screws holding the mudguard stays. The rubber housing for the reflector is sandwiched between little metal plate and mudguard.

jdave5917

OK - I was just coming back here to say that I got it disassembled and to show the parts. Surprise, my "discovery" was already described in the above post that was sitting here while I was at work. Anyhow - if any one is curious, here is what it looks like after disassembly exactly as explained by photogravity. The round brown item is a piece of "kraft paper" that was behind the reflector so that the metal plate and screws underneath did not show through. Everything is in remarkably great shape. The surface of the reflector is a candidate for the "headlight lens restorer" treatment that I just did to my son's Maxima a couple of weeks ago (Sylvania's product works great for that if your headlight lenses are all clouded), and probably some Armorall for the rubber. Thanks for the replies and I'll probably be back here before long with more questions.

photogravity

Good work. Sorry I forgot about the paper, or is it that the ones I've disassembled didn't have it? I know some of my old bikes the plastic reflector itself is disintegrating, so be cautious, though it sounds like the plastic of your reflector is surprisingly intact.

wahoonc

I wonder if that "paper" was light coloured or possibly silver at some point in it's life, to assist the reflector?

Aaron

repechage

Good work, you were fortunate that is came apart without incident. I would use a foil lined cardboard lid as often provided by restaurants with to go orders behind the red reflector.

puchfinnland

now that you have it apart- make sure you take the effort to either grease the threads or replace the hardware so the next collector has an easy time of it!