Replace spring nuts for cowls

＜Tapping screw and spring nut＞

The spring nut is made of a thin metal plate and seems to act as a spring when the nut (click) part bends.

Therefore, the tapping screw should be tightened only to the extent that the click part is just slightly flexed.

Previously, without being aware of it, the tapping screws were tightened with the feel of M6 bolts (approx. 7 Nm), which are also used to fix cowls, panels, etc.

＜New and broken spring nuts＞

Perhaps 7 Nm is too tight, and the click is bent.
Furthermore, repeated removal and installation will finally break the click as shown in the picture.

• If the first-place breaks, the click detaches from the screw and spin out when a certain torque is reached.
• If the second-place breaks, it seems to become unusable.

Therefore, I recognized that tapping screws are OK if they are tightened moderately and should not be tightened too hard!

＜Spring nuts＞

Moreover, this spring nut is not the flat plate one used in other parts, but an elaborate, walled-out construction.

Why was a flat plate one not used?

• Due to cowl design constraints?
• The cowl panel side needed to have a wobble structure to avoid bending or breaking?

The price, as of February 2022, was 649 yen per unit, which is probably a detriment of setting up an exclusive product!
This time, due to budget constraints, I could only buy five.
I have to use them carefully.

Before replacing the broken spring nuts, remove each cowl from the moto body.
1st location: Front cowl
2nd location: right upper side cowl
3rd location: Left lower side cowl

See below for instructions on removing each cowl.

1st location: How to remove the front cowl and panels etc.

あわせて読みたい

How to remove front cowl and panels etc. Following the side and rear, this section summaries the maintenance record ‘How to remove and install front cowl and panels etc.’. If the front cowl panel ca…

2nd, 3rd locations: How to remove side cowls and panels etc.

あわせて読みたい

How to remove side cowls and panels etc. The number of cowls and panels on the YZF-R125 (5D7W)- five on each side and ten on the left and right sides – is outstandingly large compared to other motos…

Now let’s start repairing the first location.

＜Tightening section at the bottom right of the front cowl＞

This is the tapping screw that holds the front cowl and upper side cowl together.

I broke it when I replaced the low side headlight with an LED.
I thought it was strange because the screw was tightened in a tilted position, but the spring nut was broken.

＜Repair front cowl 1＞

When the spring nut was removed, the front cowl plastic was also broken.

Luckily, I was able to recover the pieces.

＜Repair front cowl 2＞

I glued the pieces together with glue.

＜After front cowl repair＞

It stuck together like this.

The pieces can be restored to some shape if they are still there.
It doesn’t look great, but it’s not visible, so that’s good enough.

If the spring nut is installed as it is, the repaired part is likely to break immediately.

＜Preparation for installing spring nut＞

So, I widened the area where the plate is sandwiched a little.

With the cowl removed, the spring nut may snap into place, but this will not be a problem once the tapping screw is tightened.

＜After installing spring nut＞

Repaired like this.

The tapping screw can now be tightened.

The second location is then repaired.

＜Tightening section at the top of the right upper side cowl＞

This is the tapping screw that holds the front panel to the upper side cowl.

This area has been broken since I bought moto and when I tightened it for the first time, I noticed that when the screw reached a certain torque, it would spin out.
I left it alone because it was fixed, but I will take this opportunity to repair it.

＜Spring nut condition＞

One click is broken and dented all over.

＜Condition of upper side cowl＞

This one has a lack of pieces and some gaps.

＜Upper side cowl repairs＞

So, I used plastic repair to fill the gap.

To prevent the powder from falling out, I covered the area to be repaired with Scotch tape.

＜After repairing upper side cowl＞

I repaired it like this.

It is a plastic repair, so I can trust the strength.

＜Before repair＞

The click can be seen cracked from the top side.

＜After repair＞

It has been repaired to a reasonable standard.

In addition, a third location is repaired.

＜Tightening section on the side of the left lower side cowl＞

Finally, the side tightening on the lower side cowl.

Fortunately, the spring nut was not broken here, just dented, but it felt uncomfortable to tighten, so it was replaced.