Gauge Tuneup List/Tips

[posplayr]

With the cost of some of these unreplaceable gauge sets, I've disassembled my gs1100 gauges and have done some minor repair and cleaning. I'm looking to get them in as good a shape as I can and have assembled a little list of things to do while I'm in there.

I'm contemplating improving the slightly sun damaged gauge faces. I'm leary of using a flat clear for fear it will yellow. This list applies to wether you pry or cut your gauges open. Fortunately my Tach was the only one requiring aggressive disassembly.

1.) Clean and color Black outside shell with black liquid shoe Polish (just for this under tips and tricks)
2.) Anti fog on inside of glass (???? anybody tried this, the glass lenses clean up very nice but would like to keep it that way)
3.) Oil Tach (read about this here at GS resources)
4.) Oil Speedo (same at tach)
5.) Clean face with Qtip (used just water so far)
6.) Repaint underside of needle (I have some transparent paint to do some sprucing up of the needles)
7.) Flat Clear paint face (any ideas here, I dont a clear coat to yellow)
8.) Paint rim with Por-15 Flat Black
9.) Tighten faceplate screws (dont want to forget this while it is out)
10.) Dab of flat paint on face plate screws
11.) Replace bulbs as required
12.) Replace Shift indicator LED lighting (more on this later once it is done)

This is my working list. I might try a tune up on a spare set of gauges for any paint/coatings. Any other ideas?

My outer housing has plastic covers over the idiot light clusters. I'm wondering if this can be polished or if again some clear coat might do well to clear up the optics of the plastic.

Posplayr

 

[kichigai]

Thanks for the tips! I am planning on cleaning up the gauges on my 83 Gs1100esd and installing a new gear shift indicator. I dont have a clue yet on how to acomplish this but this is good start.

 

[posplayr]

Gear Shift Indicator

Gear Shift Indicator

Fortunately mine works (at least it did before disassembly). The problem is the light. There is an LED for lighting mounted directly in front of the LCD display. I have to see if it has a resistor already in series and I can just solder a new one in. Got cams on the brain right now so don't want to start that delicate operation just now.

I did pull another set of gauges of my 1981 GS750 parts bike and I may start "practicing" on them???

Posplayr

P.S. Nice work on your bike.

 

[79-GS550-L]

My outer housing has plastic covers over the idiot light clusters. I'm wondering if this can be polished or if again some clear coat might do well to clear up the optics of the plastic.

Posplayr

My friend had a video ipod that got completely hazed/fogged with little scratches. He used my dremel along with the felt buffing wheels and some polishing compound, and surprisingly it cleared it right up. I've since used the same technique on some custom acrylic pieces for a different project, I sanded them to shape and then polished with the dremel - they look like glass now. Try it on something else first, like the plastic covering over the screen of an old cordless or cell phone. Don't use much pressure.

 

[Matchless]

My friend had a video ipod that got completely hazed/fogged with little scratches. He used my dremel along with the felt buffing wheels and some polishing compound, and surprisingly it cleared it right up. I've since used the same technique on some custom acrylic pieces for a different project, I sanded them to shape and then polished with the dremel - they look like glass now. Try it on something else first, like the plastic covering over the screen of an old cordless or cell phone. Don't use much pressure.

Usually this works well as stated, but just make sure that no or very little friction heat is generated and you can get it like new. Even hand buffing with a special polishing cream for car clear coat scratches works wonders.