[jimchristiansen]

imported post

OK, after listening to stories about boosting motorcycles from four-wheeled vehicles (and scoffing at those stories) I can validate that bad things can indeed happen!

Probably one of the ONLY things that DID work on the Wing salvaged from the dump were the gauges. After boosting the bike for a couple of weeks I noticed that my two 7 volt gauges were pegged off the scales. :shock:

So, I looked around only to discover that the little voltage reducer cost a mint- $87.00 Canadian. After looking around on internet I found the follwoing site:

http://members.cox.net/dfarrell4/7vreg.html

I bought the parts and my version looks like the attached image. One thing about the unit though is that it is really finiky to adjust- but it does work fine! Also, the heat sink I scavenged fron a computer power supply is over-kill (I think).

I still must seal the case (hot-glue-gun is all it gets) and mount it under the cluster.

 

[axelwik]

imported post

Great fix. I had the same problem, but the gauges were not moving at all. I built a regulator much the same way that you did, but they still didn't work.

The regulator worked fine... it looked like the gauges were shot. On the '77 only the fuel and temperature gauges ran off 7 volts. I did away with the fuel gauge (I have a trip meter/odometer that works fine - no other bike I've ever had, had a fuel gauge) and replaced the temperature gauge with a mechanical one that fit nicely where the fuel gauge used to reside.

Marco

 

[jimchristiansen]

imported post

What kind of mechanical gauge did you use and did the temp probe fit without a ton of adapters?? I wouldn't mind changing mine out for one that wasn't all aged and faded and Walmart, Napa, and Canadian Tire types of stores sure sell them cheap. Jim

 

[axelwik]

imported post

It's one of those universal gauges that you can buy at most auto parts stores. Mine came with three adapters, and the one with the straight threads and aluminum washer is the one that fit. I had to remove the carbs to install the adapter - took about an hour for the whole job.

I installed the temperature gauge in the fake tank/glovebox lid in place of the old fuel gauge. Not a perfect fit since the new temp gauge is a tiny bit smaller. Since the temperature gauge has a metal gas-tube that goes to the sensor and is prone to breakage from repeadedly opening and closing the lid (through metal fatigue),I used a dowel as a form to coil this tube in the form of a spring (then of course remove the dowel). This ensures that the whole length (or most of it) takes the flexing from repeated opening and closing of the lid, not just one area of the tube. I'm sure it will last longer this way since metal fatigue will no longer be a big problem.

Marco