Side-cover tabs

What long-lasting fix can be applied to the side-cover tabs & rubber grommets to make them easier to put on and remove?

Is grease considered long lasting?

You can use silicone spray, but by making them easier to remove, you will end up loosing one or both at high speed
so you should drill a small hole in the 2 top tab's ,of each side cover, that you can insert a small hairpin longer than the size of the grommet to keep them from flying off
Pete

jackleberry wrote: Is grease considered long lasting?

The grease I tried worked for about a week, and either evaporated or absorbed into the rubber grommet after that. Then the side cover was more difficult to remove than before, which put even more stress on the tabs.

What's the condition of the grommets? Perhaps they need to be replaced. ???
Z1Enterprises.com may have them. In the KZR archive someone used windshield wiper grommets from the auto parts store.

martin_csr wrote: What's the condition of the grommets? Perhaps they need to be replaced. ???
Z1Enterprises.com may have them. In the KZR archive someone used windshield wiper grommets from the auto parts store.

Great suggestion!

They are old and likely have lost some elasticity, but are not dried out and cracked. I may look into getting new ones, but thought there may be a method to prolong using these.

daveo wrote:

martin_csr wrote: What's the condition of the grommets? Perhaps they need to be replaced. ???
Z1Enterprises.com may have them. In the KZR archive someone used windshield wiper grommets from the auto parts store.

Great suggestion!

They are old and likely have lost some elasticity, but are not dried out and cracked. I may look into getting new ones, but thought there may be a method to prolong using these.

I suppose you could try soaking them in Marvel Mystery Oil or mineral spirits and wintergreen oil like people try to soften the airbox boots...

How often do you take off your sidepanels anyway?

davido wrote: How often do you take off your sidepanels anyway?

At least once a day... :lol:

Seriously, I bought a NOS left side panel (cheap on ebay) and don't want to stress the tabs on it, since they are made so flimsy. The old right side-panel has two tabs repaired, and I fear pulling on it the wrong way may again leave one stuck in a grommet. :whistle:

I haven't had to remove my side covers for over a year
Pete

pete greek1 wrote: I haven't had to remove my side covers for over a year
Pete

Ok, I admit it...I'm krazy about my KZ. Its the only toy I have that is always ready to play. :woohoo:

To remove sidepanels I press the tab from behind, as the tabs tend to stress crack over time.

When respraying I repair these with plastic body filler - I build a wedge up behind the tab to hold it solid. A couple of mine are a bit loose so I have a small hole drilled in the top and it is cable tied to the frame under the seat, virtually invisible.