Tramp passenger rail/fairing removal

[Mavigogun]

So, I’m removing the passenger seat rails from the Tramp. The rear bolts are secured inside the fairing trunk box by a lock nut capping a large fender washer; while those came off, the nut and fender washer were corroded. The forward bolts are of a fractionally larger size- and are threaded into a tube that spans the inside of the fairing at that point. These bolts won’t budge- an appropriately sized hex wrench only rounded their sockets.

I reckon the tube to be one of the main supports for the fairing (the others being the 2 bolts spoken of previously, and the bolts connecting the fairing to frame at the foot rests), and have supported the fairing with blockage. I’m reticent to drill out the bolts, for fear of damaging the tube. If I could get a ground onto the bolt, I might consider welding a lever onto the bolt.

Any thoughts before I proceed? If you’ve disassembled this kit, please chime in. There may be some aspect of these elements I’m not apprehending properly. For those working on this machine, you may find the service manual here: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/16...ramp-2009.html

[Mavigogun]

I’m just gonna slot the head with a cut off wheel and go to town on it. Wish me luck.

[Sidecarbill]

Well good luck with that. I'm sure I'm missing something here, but why can't you put the ground cable on the lever and proceed. I like the idea of welding it. It's probably in with locktite, heat would help that.

[Mavigogun]

The slot didn’t budge it- stick welded on a nut, spun it right out. If there was any chemical holding it fast, I couldn’t make it out. Now I gotta buy 2 new bolts- the originals seem to be stainless of some sort.

[Mavigogun]

With this specific machine, some corrections to the manual. This body mounting bushing-



-does not exist. Here’s a pic with the (black) grab handle brackets and the (chrome) frame handle grips removed.



Notice the integral bushings factory welded on the Suzuki frame handle grips. Where the fairing is pierced, the forward mount- through which passes a spreader tube -features a rubber bushing; the rear hole is oversized, matching nothing, the rear bolt received on the inside of the fairing by a large, slightly concave fender washer, capped by a lock nut. It seems to me the design likely once included a second spreader tube; whatever the case, the Tramp rear fairing is not directly supported by the back bolts passing through the frame handle grips. I reckon it best to avoid loading the fairing significantly behind the spreader tube- the exhaust already depends directly from the rear fairing. I had planned to locate an auxiliary fuel tank in the trunk, but now question the viability of locating 24 lbs of fuel there.

Contrary to the narrative in the manual, the grab handle brackets are trapped by the frame handle grips, are not independently removable simply by clearing the rear bolts. Without the grab handles, some sort of spacer would needs be contrived to secure the fairing to the frame handle grips; it’s also unclear if the brackets are necessary for augmenting strength of the frame.

Take note that the fairing should be supported by blocking before removing these bolts, else all the weight of fairing and exhaust will be born by the passenger step connections.