Help 47: Damaged or Worn Patent Plate?

Have you been over zealous on your polishing of your side cover? Or has the sun faded the black paint? The Triangular patent badge on a Triumph timing cover is held in place by three spiral rivets. The follow may help you in the replacing of that old patent plate.

The first step is to remove the plate and the rivets. If the rivet and plate is still in tacked, then you’re in luck! Heat the case and gently lever each corner of the plate until enough of the rivet protrudes enough to grip them with pliers. Griping them with pliers twist them anti-clock wise and pull. I have had some luck with ripping the Patent plate into threes and pulling on the torn sections to remove the screws. As long as you have the heads on the screws you have a chance of removing the screws. A little WD40 seems to help!

Clean and polish the side cover around and under the case. Here is your chance to make it all shine without damaging the Patent Plate! Replace the plate and rivets by pushing or taping in new rivets into the original holes. A small amount of anti-seize paste (also known as copper grease) will help facilitate removal in the future!

If the rivets do not come out or the head of the rivets are ground off, this is not so simple! The rivets are too hard and small to drill out. Do not attempt! You will just slide off the side of the rivet and put a big hole next to the rivet! Lower the badge by a couple of millimeters and drill new holes. Use the new Patent Plate as a template to mark the new holes. Then drill them. Then replace the patent plate and screws. As above.

Good Luck!