2001 windshield

[Dpkal]

I bought a 2001 gl1800 love the bike but hated the windshield... It was an oversized extra wide that I replaced with a V-stream. I pulled the old one off and thought it was going to be an easy exchange. I have learned ther it has a ratcheting thing that locks the windshield at set heights until it reaches the top to release it back down, however it is stuck in the upper position. Can someone help me figure this thing out it won't budge, do I really need to remove the entire front of the bike to make repairs? Has anyone come across this and can you help??

[tfdeputydawg]

Usually, with the clamps loose, some pretty "violent" shaking of the shield, for/aft, will "unlock" the ratchet.

[Dpkal]

Ok I have had no such luck boo

[Big Blue UK]

Did you fix the four foam pads to the backplate?
Did you use the stock screws to attach the screen or the ones that came with it?
Did it adjust ok before?

Anything could have been done to that screen in the past.
You will have to remove the garnish. to check its operation.
Give the rubber seal that fits along the top of the garnish a good clean.

[Dpkal]

Well I took the new screen off and a piece fell out of the adjuster. So it looks like I have to take the surround off. I was trying to avoid doing this...

[Dpkal]

When I bought the bike it had a non adjustable air stream oversized windshield. I bought a vstream to put in it, it worked one time raising it, I think I am using stock hardware but no new hardware came with it. Sorry if this information is vague but it is a first for me.

[Big Blue UK]

Hard to explain but I will try.
When you tighten up the screws on the centre and edge ellipse shaped retaining spacers, the screws do not actually clamp these washers to the screen, they are lets say 'too thick' allowing the spacer and screen to move up and down.

Because the V stream is much thicker than stock screen, the ellipse shaped retaining spacers are no longer too thick, and may actually clamp the screen to the backplate.

your screen has five fixing points, from 2006 I think, screens only have 3 fixing points (more cheapskating)

On the 5 point system, I am quite sure although not certain that the ellipse shaped spacers are different thicknesses and have to go back where they came from, (same as the 1500) if they get mixed up, a thinner spacer will clamp the screen to the backplate

Slacken off the mounting screws and raise/lower the screen, if ok, tighten up the screws one at a time. raising/lowering the screen each time, until the screen sticks, then you have the culptit/s

Do not know how else to explain it
The V stream should come with 4 foam pads and a screw kit. my mates did, unless NCP have been cheapskating.

Maybe everyone should buy one now before they come up with a way to produce them cheaper and thinner

[Big Blue UK]

Well I took the new screen off and a piece fell out of the adjuster. So it looks like I have to take the surround off. I was trying to avoid doing this...

There is no adjuster as such, the adjuster is your hands, the clamp pressure is adjustable, did something fall off from behind the mirror, did you have a rag stuffed in the void to stop anything falling into the fairing.
When you say "Take the surround off" what part do you mean,

Vague is ok, I often wonder if what I type makes sense to someone reading it

[Dpkal]

in this pic I have the garnish and wind shield removed also the locking mechanism also what the windshield bolts/screws to with the slides. This is where the center windshield bolts go, it is a mechanism that has 3 to 5 preset stops in it, it will not go down until it reaches absolute top then it will drop to the bottom and do it all over again. This is stuck at the top and will not release when I took everything off to reveal this, a piece fell out. I guess my question is with out removing the entire front fairing is this removable p, has anyone had trouble with this, is there a replacement part that works better, or should I cut my loosses and just keep the shield at its highest setting? I understand that there is a Goldwing special edition v-stream that is thicker and came with mounting hardware, but for almost $100 less expensive I was able to find the standard thickness. maybe I am cheep...

[Steve F]

in this pic I have the garnish and wind shield removed also the locking mechanism also what the windshield bolts/screws to with the slides. This is where the center windshield bolts go, it is a mechanism that has 3 to 5 preset stops in it, it will not go down until it reaches absolute top then it will drop to the bottom and do it all over again. This is stuck at the top and will not release when I took everything off to reveal this, a piece fell out. I guess my question is with out removing the entire front fairing is this removable p, has anyone had trouble with this, is there a replacement part that works better, or should I cut my loosses and just keep the shield at its highest setting? I understand that there is a Goldwing special edition v-stream that is thicker and came with mounting hardware, but for almost $100 less expensive I was able to find the standard thickness. maybe I am cheep...

Similar to the problem I had with mine where something fell out of the ratcheting mechanism and fell into the abyss, never to be found. However, my mechanism is free to slide up and down without any clicking. I just mounted the shield back on and leave it at the lowest position and never had a problem with it sliding around or out of position. I'm not sure of what's in the mechanism, but as far as I can tell, it's not essential. Disable it, and move along.

[Big Blue UK]

A pic speaks a thousand words.
This is how I understand the retainer is supposed to work.
To lower the screen pull it up to the top then push it all the way down, and raise it to the desired height. This helps stop the screen from dropping or vibrating its way down. The damage comes from the screen being forced down without lifting it up to the top first, a bit like the lid on a garden storage box I have, it will hold open at any position I raise it to, but to close it I have to open it all the way before I can close it. I reckon the cam release has probably dropped out and the other half has jammed.
You can buy all the interior parts cheap, they all come separately, it is not as a single unit, but the slider cover plate will cost more than you paid for the screen There is no modified retainer that I have heard of. As Steve said, disable it, you can try screwing 2 long bolts in and forcing it free, or removing the backplate cowl sub frame.

I took one off but I paid not much attention to the slider as it was ok, from what I remember it looked like there is a cover bolted to the back of the cowl subframe, that the slider slides up and down on a cam assembly. If you can get behind it and unbolt the holder, the rest of the bits will drop out then the slider can be replaced free moving. Do not know if it is possible to re attach the assembly with missing bits replaced without removing the backplate cowl subframe, I would imagine one slip and bits would fly everywhere.

A good chance that even if it is forced free, cam assembly bits inside it may jam up again somehow. As you have got this far, try and get the slider cover off

Steve was lucky, the part that dropped out of his cam assembly rendered it useless, the part that has dropped out of yours, or other bits that are loose have jammed the cam assembly

[Dpkal]

Ok i will update sometime this week. I am really wanting this to be working soon because I am I itching for a ride they are calling for warmer weather here in the Ohio vally. As for the locking or ratcheting of this device I really don care I just would like for it to go up and down.

[Big Blue UK]

Well to look on the bright side, you can pop to Cyclemax quicker than I can

[Dpkal]

This is true, I can do that I just need to get rid of the ice here, we picked up about 1/2 inch of icy/slushy/snow today.

[Dpkal]

So I managed to get everything pulled off and have the option to either fix the slide so that it hits the stop points or make it free slide. Thoughts??? Will the locking locking tabs hold the windshield enought not to slide down while riding???

[Big Blue UK]

I never adjust my screen once at the height I want, and my cam slider works ok. Even if mine was free sliding and the screen did not work its way down over time, I could not say yours would not in case it does because of the work involved. Honda would certainly have done away with it if they could. The cam mechanism may be damaged beyond repair, and there is no way you are going to pay $200+ for a new slider that would cost over 200 quid over here..
This is what I would do.
Dismantle and free up the slider.
Try it, if it stays put ok which it may well do.
If it slides down a little through bumps and vibration, buy some waterproof skin friendly anti slip tape.
Stick it to the rubber pad that runs the underside width of the screen clamp, or stick it to the screen back plate.
Should provide a non slip grip on the screen.

[frostypop]

i know this is a few months old, but i just had this happen to me last weekend. working for about 3 or 4 hours i finally figured out how to put it back in. but i had some problems getting it to stay, once i got to stay and the adjuster where i wanted it i put everything back together real quick and wiped the swept from my brow at the curve where you have your finger in the pic there is a little tab inside that you can put a small screw driver in and pry back and let the adjuster slide up and down, if you can push it up a little it might move the tab out to make it easier to pry.

[Dpkal]

I had it back together and the little slide fell back out. Out of frustration I just removed the locking mechanism.. i hate looking through the windshield so it at its lowest position is fine with me.

[Red Ron]

Wondering about the old screen. Specifically what kind and if you had it for sale.

[Dpkal]

Wondering about the old screen. Specifically what kind and if you had it for sale.

I do have it I will get you the info from it.. I do remember it is oversized and tall with a vent

[CruiseControl]

Same problem on my 2007. I finally just took the ratcheting mechanism out. Just did it yesterday and haven't tested whether the ratchet is necessary to keep the windscreen/windshield in place. Sure hope it isn't.

[Dpkal]

Same problem on my 2007. I finally just took the ratcheting mechanism out. Just did it yesterday and haven't tested whether the ratchet is necessary to keep the windscreen/windshield in place. Sure hope it isn't.

I have been good since I have done it, but I don't raise it often. I don't like to look through the windshield