Convert seat installation

[bigbikerrick]

Hello folks, as I am bolting the last few pieces back after re painting my 76 Convert, I come to the long seat.... I was trying to be very careful installing the seat, like everything, when you have freshly painted parts, its nerve wracking trying not to scratch the pretty new paint.  Is there any trick to installing the two 13mm bolts that hold the back of the seat, to the fender bracket? I installed the blingy cover over the tailight, and if I had not covered it with masking tape, I would have scrated it up pretty bad. I thought I had  better ask  , before I screw the pooch, is there any trick to installing the seat, without being a contortionist, and having tiny teeny hands?  Should the tail light cover be installed first ,or after the seat?

Another question is how many rubber  frame bumpers should a convert seat have underneath? It seems mine is missing some.
thanks alot
Rick Duarte

[JayDee24ca]

I feel your pain. Over the years I have struggled with those blasted 13mm bolts as well. I think it is simply a matter of holding your mouth just right, and using lots of shop rags to cover the frame and rear blingy cover. I have to do this on my G5 and on the Vert once in a while, and its no fun. Basically I have the seat only slightly opened, and try to shove both bolts in from the outside, with no nuts on them first. Once both bolts are in, I am then safe to prop the seat up, fully open, to get the bolts on. Be careful opening it too wide, though, as the rear of the seat will bugger up the paint on the blingy cover.
Oh, and the Vert and G5 each have just the two frame rails, one on each rail. At least that is what I have on mine. The parts book should illustrate it.
I don't think you can add the plastic tail light cover after the seat is on. I think I tried that a few times, and no go.

[bigbikerrick]

Thank you Jaydee24ca. Your experience is exacltly what I found. Unfortunately, I opened the seat a bit too far back, with my shoulder, while trying to install those bolts, and I cracked the blingy cover that I had just re painted, right in the center.. AARGG!  Oh well at least I still have paint left to do a repair. I am glad to know I am not the only one having problems with this.
 I think the blingy rear cover needs to mount up a bit lower, away from the seat rear edge, which is what does the damage when the seat is raised a bit too far up.
   I am thinking I can slightly modify the bracket the blingy cover mounts to, in order to allow just a bit more clearance, from the seats rear edge.
 Oh well, just another little detail to sort.  I guess thats what gives these amazing machines their unique "character".
Rick.

[bigbikerrick]

My seat only has a total of 4 rubber "bumpers" , two on each side, near the front of the seat. The rear half seems to just float, above the frame rails, with the only support being the two 13 mm bolts holding the rear of the seat. I thought possibly some bumpers were missing. I cant really tell by looking at the parts diagram.
thanks
Rick.

[Don G]

I just installed a seat on a Vert by myself yesterday, wasn't much of an ordeal, but to be fair mine is missing the seat rail, I installed the bolts from the inside with nylocks on the outside of the bracket. Get someone to help support the front of the seat maybe, I count 4 bumpers on mine, 2 at the front and 2 at the seat strap. DonG

[Bulldog9]

Going off memory as I am running a solo seat, but my bench seat attaches in the rear to a bracket that bolts to the rear *fender mounts. The seat lifts up from this point on a hinge, and has a lock up front

There are 4 rubber bumpers on the seat that rest on the frame when down. Neither the seat or bumpers touch the rear fender. I used a Dremel tool to cut slots in the bracket to make it easy on and off.

[bigbikerrick]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I  found that I can remove,and install the plastic "bling" cove with the seat installed, and possibly that would make seat installation a bit easier, or at least, the cover can be installed afterwards, so you dont damage it, by lifting the seat too far back. What I did was lift the seat, and use the little prop rod, then you can simply reach in with a 10mm gearwrench or box end wrench( box end with slight curve worked best) and remove both mounting bolts, then you simply lift the seat just a bit higher, and the cover can be slid back,and off the bike.

Bulldog9, how did you "slot" the bracket with a dremel?  I am not sure I can visualize the process.
thanks
Rick

[Bulldog9]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I  found that I can remove,and install the plastic "bling" cove with the seat installed, and possibly that would make seat installation a bit easier, or at least, the cover can be installed afterwards, so you dont damage it, by lifting the seat too far back. What I did was lift the seat, and use the little prop rod, then you can simply reach in with a 10mm gearwrench or box end wrench( box end with slight curve worked best) and remove both mounting bolts, then you simply lift the seat just a bit higher, and the cover can be slid back,and off the bike.

Bulldog9, how did you "slot" the bracket with a dremel?  I am not sure I can visualize the process.
thanks
Rick

This is the bracket. It bolts to the rear frame and fender mount. To mount it, you have to remove the rear fender bolts. I cut slots in the mounts so all I have to do is loosen the fender bolts then slide the bracket into place and retighten. Much faster affair.

[bigbikerrick]

Thanks Bulldog9, now I understand, you slotted the lower part of the bracket, not the part where the seat bolts to the bracket, with the two 13mm bolts/nuts.  Thanks for clarifying that.
Your convert looks great. Did you have the crash bars powder coated, or just painted? I need to do something with mine, as the chrome has seen better days.
  I like the look in black!   
Rick

[Bulldog9]

Thanks Bulldog9, now I understand, you slotted the lower part of the bracket, not the part where the seat bolts to the bracket, with the two 13mm bolts/nuts.  Thanks for clarifying that.
Your convert looks great. Did you have the crash bars powder coated, or just painted? I need to do something with mine, as the chrome has seen better days.
  I like the look in black!   
Rick

The black bars came with the bike and look painted. The bike looked great in black, but the bike was a 10'+ beauty. The paint was rough, and as I had 3 black bikes I had the Convert painted red this spring, just got it put together recently.

[bigbikerrick]

Red is hard to beat, on an Italian bike. The DB bags really look nice too. Good choice!
Rick