HD Tour Pack questions

[Monkeyman]

I'll be picking up my beerbox on Saturday and plan to order a rack in the morning. The box will still need to be stripped down (of accessories, lights, etc) and painted to match my bike (black). I haven't looked for a painter yet (just worked out the deal yesterday) but I'm guessing it'll be ready to bolt on in a couple weeks. Here are my questions:

1) The hinges/latches are riveted on. Should I drill out the rivets before I send it off to paint or have the painter paint around them? I'd probably use small bolts with Nylock nuts to put it back together as I'm not very good at tight rivets.

2) It's my understanding that the rear lights are running/brake. I'd like to keep that but also use them as turn signals. Custom Dynamics sells something for Harleys that does this but I don't know if is independant of the HD wiring. Meaning, there may be something in the HD wiring (on the bike itself) that would make this work. What else is out there that would convert running/brake lights to include turn signals?

3) This box has a rear winglet/light thing. I'm thinking brake light only. I'm not sure if I can do both running and brake as I think it's LED so probably either on or off. More brake lights are GOOD but I'd hate to waste a perfectly good light. :) Opinions?

4) This looks to be old enough to still be fiberglass. I'm thinking about ditching the chrome trim around the rear lights. Not sure if I should bother filling in the holes it leaves or try to add something else in those spots. (All I can think of would be another light of some sort to fill the hole but I don't want it to look "added on".) Any suggestions?

5) I don't know that I'd ever use the top rack but it would be handy if I chose to. I think the top looks too busy with the spoiler/wing and the rack. Are there other, lower profile racks out there that would bolt to the same locations?

Sorry for all the questions but I want to do this mod right this time. BTW, here's what I got:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221085946946...84.m1497.l2649

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

1) The hinges/latches are riveted on. Should I drill out the rivets before I send it off to paint or have the painter paint around them? I'd probably use small bolts with Nylock nuts to put it back together as I'm not very good at tight rivets.

I'd drill and remove. Go to a HD dealer and buy a set of these. Much nicer looking than the OEM. I've been meaning to do this.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US

[Monkeyman]

Those DO look nice. Seems like a good deal for 50 bucks.

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

I'll be picking up my beerbox on Saturday and plan to order a rack in the morning. The box will still need to be stripped down (of accessories, lights, etc) and painted to match my bike (black). I haven't looked for a painter yet (just worked out the deal yesterday) but I'm guessing it'll be ready to bolt on in a couple weeks. Here are my questions:

1) The hinges/latches are riveted on. Should I drill out the rivets before I send it off to paint or have the painter paint around them? I'd probably use small bolts with Nylock nuts to put it back together as I'm not very good at tight rivets.

2) It's my understanding that the rear lights are running/brake. I'd like to keep that but also use them as turn signals. Custom Dynamics sells something for Harleys that does this but I don't know if is independant of the HD wiring. Meaning, there may be something in the HD wiring (on the bike itself) that would make this work. What else is out there that would convert running/brake lights to include turn signals?

3) This box has a rear winglet/light thing. I'm thinking brake light only. I'm not sure if I can do both running and brake as I think it's LED so probably either on or off. More brake lights are GOOD but I'd hate to waste a perfectly good light. :) Opinions?

4) This looks to be old enough to still be fiberglass. I'm thinking about ditching the chrome trim around the rear lights. Not sure if I should bother filling in the holes it leaves or try to add something else in those spots. (All I can think of would be another light of some sort to fill the hole but I don't want it to look "added on".) Any suggestions?

5) I don't know that I'd ever use the top rack but it would be handy if I chose to. I think the top looks too busy with the spoiler/wing and the rack. Are there other, lower profile racks out there that would bolt to the same locations?

Sorry for all the questions but I want to do this mod right this time. BTW, here's what I got:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221085946946...84.m1497.l2649

I'd remove the latches, but leave the hasp on the lid, for the painter, also seperat the hinges so the top and bottom are separate.
I had to replace a hasp after my lid was repaired, and the HD rivets were too short, I used a couple pop rivets instead.
Dont use nuts and bolts on the top hasps as they will get in the way of the rubber gasket and not seal properly.
The lights are running lights and brake only, unless you add a tailight converter.

[Jared]

There is a retailer from Florida who sell on ebay a special hardware kits to put everything on with. That's what I use and it work great. The rivits are not your standard rivit and if you don't know what you're doing you risk damaging the trunk.

[cactusjack]

I agree with Dave. I would drill out the hinge rivets and replace the hinges with the premium ones. I will eventually do this on my tourpak.

[nomadtom69]

Like Jarred said there is a guy in Fla that offers a great set of new latches and I can not remember If I got my large hinges from him or not I removed all hardware off my tourpak before taking it to painter. Did you get the key for the trunk if not you will either have to take it to a locksmith to get one made or buy new lock assembley from HD(some will sell you one with a key and some will not). In some ways I like the chrome around the lights and some ways I do not all personal perference . Notice had Ultra chrome on sides not sure myself makes it too busy again personal preference.

[nomadtom69]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...e2d309&vxp=mtr the guy that I got my new latches from http://www.surdyke.com/AdvPartInfo.a...mber=79211-08A Maybe you can take this price to local HD and they will match

[Jared]

I had the premium hinges on my tour pak. They look great!

[Monkeyman]

Originally Posted by ringadingh

Dont use nuts and bolts on the top hasps as they will get in the way of the rubber gasket and not seal properly.
The lights are running lights and brake only, unless you add a tailight converter.

Please be more specific on the tail light converter. Which one and from where?

Originally Posted by nomadtom69

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...e2d309&vxp=mtr the guy that I got my new latches from http://www.surdyke.com/AdvPartInfo.a...mber=79211-08A Maybe you can take this price to local HD and they will match

Right on. This guy supplies nuts/bolts but others have said not to use them. Which is it? I'm good NOT riveting my own but I'd hate to pay the dealer a ton of money just to pop some HD rivets in.

[cactusjack]

They actually have a Harley Davidson rivet tool to use with their rivets. I know on the HD forums, the guys who have changed out their hinges have used screws/nuts instead of rivets.

[Monkeyman]

I can only remember one good write up on refurbishing an Tour Pak. He used nuts/bolts but it was an older box. I didn't know if it would matter. I'm NOT buying a special rivet tool for a single project unless it's dirt cheap (and I highly doubt it is).

[nomadtom69]

I used this kit Chris and mine is holding fine just remember the loctite I also put a new gasket on mine If you do not have the Key for it he has this kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...item3f1a63cdfb

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Monkeyman

Please be more specific on the tail light converter. Which one and from where?



Right on. This guy supplies nuts/bolts but others have said not to use them. Which is it? I'm good NOT riveting my own but I'd hate to pay the dealer a ton of money just to pop some HD rivets in.

This is the one I had sold here. http://www.soundoffrec.com/Default.aspx

Just make sure the nuts dont interfere with the gasket or else the lid won't shut right.

[Monkeyman]

Originally Posted by nomadtom69

I used this kit Chris and mine is holding fine just remember the loctite I also put a new gasket on mine If you do not have the Key for it he has this kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...item3f1a63cdfb

I don't think there's a key but I can get another lock, keyed the same as a Harley key I already have for around $30. I'm good with that.

Originally Posted by ringadingh

This is the one I had sold here. http://www.soundoffrec.com/Default.aspx

It looks like that adds running lights to turn signals. I need just the opposite. I need to add turn signals to running lights.