Broken grab-bar lock, ideas for fix and a duffel attachment?

RC · 08-08-2018, 07:45 AM

2018 seems to be the year that everything is falling apart. My custom rear box has been rattling a lot recently. I pulled it off today to inspect and found the vertical bolt that secures the grab-bar has broken, or rather came loose. Apparently the long nut is press-fit into a plate, which seems like a very poor way to secure something that could endure a lot of bounce and lifting. Its not the end of the world, nothing is falling off, but it rattles and makes it hard to lift the bike up when it goes down.

So I'm a bit stumped on how to fix it. There is a black metal plate that the long nut was pressed into, below that is possibly another plate (silver) that has a screw-sized hole, but I'm pretty sure its not threaded nor meant to support force. Thus far the only idea I have is to remove the plastic taillight assembly and do a lite weld, but the metal plate appears pretty thin so anything more than a tack would probably weaken the plate itself.

Actually, I want to try to strap a duffel on the back and do away with the box. I'm pretty sure that the next leg of my journey (Central Asia) will rattle the box to death. So if anybody has a good method to strap a big duffel across in the wide direction, let me know. I could easily fit it length-wise, but I prefer wide to accommodate my tent/pad/cover just in front.

Also, apologies for the enormous photos, if anybody knows the code to resize an image in this form, please pass it on. Traditional html resizing doesn't seem to work.

rjmorel · 08-08-2018, 02:05 PM

Does the thread go all the way thru the part that came loose? Can you get another short bolt to come in from the back side to tighten it into the pressed in recess hole and keep it there with the short bolt. Or run another longer bolt clear thru the part and use a nut and washer on the back side to keep it in? rj

sqwert · 08-08-2018, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjmorel

Does the thread go all the way thru the part that came loose? Can you get another short bolt to come in from the back side to tighten it into the pressed in recess hole and keep it there with the short bolt. Or run another longer bolt clear thru the part and use a nut and washer on the back side to keep it in? rj

Might be more secure with a flat steel plate under the nut to spread the load across that thin piece, LocTite instead of a lock washer, or in addition to a lock nut. A few pop rivets will do the job and keep everything lined up. Using the luggage as a hoist tends to break things.

RC · 08-09-2018, 03:33 AM

Something is half covering the bottom of the silver metal plate, possibly something from the taillight housing, but it probably can be moved or drilled.

That's a good idea about putting a nut under the plate, but I would:
1. have to get the proper length of spacer to ensure its all snug together, the current threaded spacer is too long.
2. Loctite it in place because I can't hold onto the nut once the taillight assembly is in place. Or maybe the taillight assembly can be removed with the grabbar in place? I don't recall.

I'll keep seeking ideas, but at the moment I think I prefer the welding option. Maybe see what the local shop recommends.

rjmorel · 08-10-2018, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC

Something is half covering the bottom of the silver metal plate, possibly something from the taillight housing, but it probably can be moved or drilled.

That's a good idea about putting a nut under the plate, but I would:
1. have to get the proper length of spacer to ensure its all snug together, the current threaded spacer is too long.
2. Loctite it in place because I can't hold onto the nut once the taillight assembly is in place. Or maybe the taillight assembly can be removed with the grabbar in place? I don't recall.

I'll keep seeking ideas, but at the moment I think I prefer the welding option. Maybe see what the local shop recommends.

I'm surprised that that part is not welded in already? A press fit will not hold a piece in when screwing something into it because you can generate a lot of pulling power with a thread. I don't have my bike here to look at, so I'm wondering if its one that slipped by in production and was suppose to be welded and wasn't? Can you see the part on CSC web sight and tell if there is weld on it? Probably cheaper to buy a new one then fix old one if your here in states. rj

RC · 08-13-2018, 03:36 AM

That's a legit possibility. Or maybe it had a small tack that didn't hold.

Without a weld I honestly don't know how its held on as long as it has! Perhaps the bouncing forces from riding rough terrain gets distributed to other points (or, perhaps that is why the recommended weight capacity for the luggage is so low). But when lifting the bike from a drop this connections has to take roughly 1/3 of the force, depending on your hand-placement, angle of pull, and a bunch of other physics jargon.

I don't think I will be ordering from CSC, but out of curiosity I looked and I can't seem to find it on CSC when I search through the different OEM Body parts. Perhaps its considered part of the entire frame since it should be fixed to it?

https://store.cscmotorcycles.com/OEM...-BAR-s/174.htm

08-08-2018, 07:45 AM	#1
RC Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: EurAsia Posts: 46	Broken grab-bar lock, ideas for fix and a duffel attachment? 2018 seems to be the year that everything is falling apart. My custom rear box has been rattling a lot recently. I pulled it off today to inspect and found the vertical bolt that secures the grab-bar has broken, or rather came loose. Apparently the long nut is press-fit into a plate, which seems like a very poor way to secure something that could endure a lot of bounce and lifting. Its not the end of the world, nothing is falling off, but it rattles and makes it hard to lift the bike up when it goes down. So I'm a bit stumped on how to fix it. There is a black metal plate that the long nut was pressed into, below that is possibly another plate (silver) that has a screw-sized hole, but I'm pretty sure its not threaded nor meant to support force. Thus far the only idea I have is to remove the plastic taillight assembly and do a lite weld, but the metal plate appears pretty thin so anything more than a tack would probably weaken the plate itself. Actually, I want to try to strap a duffel on the back and do away with the box. I'm pretty sure that the next leg of my journey (Central Asia) will rattle the box to death. So if anybody has a good method to strap a big duffel across in the wide direction, let me know. I could easily fit it length-wise, but I prefer wide to accommodate my tent/pad/cover just in front. Also, apologies for the enormous photos, if anybody knows the code to resize an image in this form, please pass it on. Traditional html resizing doesn't seem to work.
	1

08-08-2018, 02:05 PM	#2
rjmorel Join Date: May 2007 Location: Warshington Posts: 928	Does the thread go all the way thru the part that came loose? Can you get another short bolt to come in from the back side to tighten it into the pressed in recess hole and keep it there with the short bolt. Or run another longer bolt clear thru the part and use a nut and washer on the back side to keep it in? rj __________________ Live Zong, and Prosper
	0

08-09-2018, 03:33 AM	#4
RC Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: EurAsia Posts: 46	Something is half covering the bottom of the silver metal plate, possibly something from the taillight housing, but it probably can be moved or drilled. That's a good idea about putting a nut under the plate, but I would: 1. have to get the proper length of spacer to ensure its all snug together, the current threaded spacer is too long. 2. Loctite it in place because I can't hold onto the nut once the taillight assembly is in place. Or maybe the taillight assembly can be removed with the grabbar in place? I don't recall. I'll keep seeking ideas, but at the moment I think I prefer the welding option. Maybe see what the local shop recommends.
	0

08-13-2018, 03:36 AM	#6
RC Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: EurAsia Posts: 46	That's a legit possibility. Or maybe it had a small tack that didn't hold. Without a weld I honestly don't know how its held on as long as it has! Perhaps the bouncing forces from riding rough terrain gets distributed to other points (or, perhaps that is why the recommended weight capacity for the luggage is so low). But when lifting the bike from a drop this connections has to take roughly 1/3 of the force, depending on your hand-placement, angle of pull, and a bunch of other physics jargon. I don't think I will be ordering from CSC, but out of curiosity I looked and I can't seem to find it on CSC when I search through the different OEM Body parts. Perhaps its considered part of the entire frame since it should be fixed to it? https://store.cscmotorcycles.com/OEM...-BAR-s/174.htm
	0