Summary of tail tidy build with pictures - all up about 5hrs plus time for paint to
There are plenty of threads here on how to remove the tail arm so I won’t repeat it here, aside from a couple of learnings. 1. There are 3 connectors at the back of the swing arm under a small cover that allows you to disconnect electrically when you remove the whole tail arm. 2. You can reuse the standard axle pinch bolts if you make up some spacers like I did: 12mm ID, max 18mm OD and 30mm long - just note the correct tightening torque (28-32NM).
Objective was to tidy up the rear of the Dragster and set up for either integrating turn signals into the brake lights (red flashing brake lights like some US cars and bikes, and using a turn / brake / run module from ebay) or attaching small turn signals adjacent to the brake lights (ala New Rage turn signals). In the mean time, I reinstalled the the ugly “Spock Ear” indicators as a temporary solution. It was constructed at home with hand tools, drill and reciprocating jig-saw.
Firstly I removed the pillion pegs, as even our young children couldn’t fit comfortably on the pillion seat, and used the rear two mounts as a fitting point for the licence plate holder (they’re M8 allen heads). The mounts are made out of 3mm aluminium, dimensions 20mm x 50mm, with an M8 and M6 hole in them and a 90 degree bend at 20mm. I rounded each of the ends by using a suitable washer as a guide (20mm OD). When installed as pictured, the distance between each of the mounts is 100mm (inner face to face).
The Licence plate backing is made from the same 3mm alloy, dimensions 100mm x 180mm. The angle brackets attached to this backing are made from same alloy, dimensions 40mm x 40mm, bent at 20mm and cut triangular on one face. This triangular cut face has an M6 hole drilled in it; the other 20mm face has two 5mm holes cut, 24mm between centres. A small triangular cut was also made in each to provide clearance for the licence plate holding bolts.
In the backing plate I countersunk holes for each of the screw heads using an 11mm drill bit and used countersunk M5 allen screws, a total of 8 if you include the 4 required for the Spock ears, approx 20mm long. I drilled 2 further M6 holes in the backing plate for the licence plate mounts, which also serve as licence plate lights. Once all holes were drilled I painted it all black using engine enamel (primer and top coat) and baked it for an hour at 100 deg C to chemically cure it.
Electrically, I relocated the main wiring cable from the swing arm up to under the seat (it’s easiest if you take the whole cable out (disconnect it at the connector between the shock and the engine) and thread it through. I only cut one wire, which was off the license plate light, so that I could splice in the bolt style licence plate lights.
I used M6 screws, with washers and nylok nuts on the hinges and loctite on all other screws. All up it was pretty straight forward to do.
Feel free to ask questions if I’ve missed anything.