Driver backrest advice...

[Kopperhed]

Originally Posted by twowheeladdict

Typical Kawasaki when it comes to accessories. It is like they do one production run and when they are gone, they are gone. If you buy an early model like my 2010 Voyager you can purchase all the factory accessories.

You should see the Harley Catalog. I call it the Sears wish book for men.

Nomad, Mean Streak & a Voyager?? Bro, if you don't like what Kawi is doing by now, I don't think Kawi is the one with the problem......

[Lumberjack]

An acorn nut will add much more than 1/8" - google a picture. Problem is you can't get a nut on as they have purposely hammered the end of bolt so you can't lose it. I suspect THAT is why you cross threaded it. Change the bolt not the backrest IMO

Originally Posted by Kopperhed

the "official" word from Mustang engineer via e-mail was "stick an acorn nut on the end of the screw to push the backrest farther forward". I figured this would add about 1/8", maybe. Told Mustang I deemed this ineffective since the backrest did nothing so far, adding 1/8", if it did anything at all, left me no range of adjustment. I am requesting they recover the backrest with same thickness padding as the sissy bar pad, while they are replacing the crossthreaded nut in seat pan.

[Sabre-t]

Originally Posted by Lumberjack

An acorn nut will add much more than 1/8" - google a picture. Problem is you can't get a nut on as they have purposely hammered the end of bolt so you can't lose it. I suspect THAT is why you cross threaded it. Change the bolt not the backrest IMO

The bolt is hollow, if I remember correctly (really a threaded pipe with a hex nut welded to the end?). Find a rubber stopper at Ace Hardware that will fit in the hole with enough sticking out to give you the extension you need.

[Kopperhed]

Originally Posted by Lumberjack

An acorn nut will add much more than 1/8" - google a picture. Problem is you can't get a nut on as they have purposely hammered the end of bolt so you can't lose it. I suspect THAT is why you cross threaded it. Change the bolt not the backrest IMO

I didn't crossthread anything, the Mustang seat came with one of the bolts crossthreaded in the nut in the pan. As for the driver's backrest, yes, they have smurfed-up th end of the threads to keep the bolt from coming out..... so if I lopped off the goobered threads, then stick an acorn nut on the end, I gain next to nothing.

[Lumberjack]

You lost bolt length then - should have used a die to clean up threads and add acorn nut. If you have the bolt thread dimensions let me know as I will be putting a longer one in instead of adding another quarter to bracket ( I currently have about 3/8 added)

Originally Posted by Kopperhed

I didn't crossthread anything, the Mustang seat came with one of the bolts crossthreaded in the nut in the pan. As for the driver's backrest, yes, they have smurfed-up th end of the threads to keep the bolt from coming out..... so if I lopped off the goobered threads, then stick an acorn nut on the end, I gain next to nothing.

[Sabre-t]

Originally Posted by Sabre-t

The bolt is hollow, if I remember correctly (really a threaded pipe with a hex nut welded to the end?). Find a rubber stopper at Ace Hardware that will fit in the hole with enough sticking out to give you the extension you need.

I looked at some pics of the current Mustang backrest and see that they are using a smaller, probably solid bolt now. The rubber stopper will still work.

Drill out a hole halfway to 3/4 thru the stopper that is about the same size or maybe a tad smaller than the bolt, then screw the stopper onto the bolt. Use a very slow drill speed, like near the lowest you can get from a variable speed hand drill. Should screw on even if the threads have been mangled since it is rubber.

Whatever length you gain from an acorn nut, longer bolt, rubber stopper, or whatever is multiplied due to the angle created between the swivels on the backrest.

[Kopperhed]

Originally Posted by Lumberjack

You lost bolt length then - should have used a die to clean up threads and add acorn nut. If you have the bolt thread dimensions let me know as I will be putting a longer one in instead of adding another quarter to bracket ( I currently have about 3/8 added)

You don't like reading my posts, but you like commenting on them. I don't know where you are coming up with this crap.

[PhDr]

Originally Posted by 14vaquero

Hey guys, i have a 2014 vaquero with the factory seat and i see that there's a opening in it to put a driver backrest. The problem is Kawasaki doesn't offer one on the site. Does Kawasaki make a driver backrest for this bike or do i have to purchase an aftermarket one? Is there an aftermarket that makes one specifically for this bike?

I have the Grasshopper.....6' 290 Works great for me.

HOWEVER !!!
I saved my (RARE) adjustable Backrest from my '97 1500.
Its a big hoop around the 1500's Pillion. Directly bolts to those passenger bolts.
Acts like a handle or for ty-downs

I did have to drill the Vaquero fender, but the bolts are hidden.
Once set...you never really adjust it....BUT !!! it flips down!
Easy to throw a leg over....otherwise I hate backrests sticking up.

I have only seen these for sale twice. $50 an d $125
there's other $$$$$ solutions...but I'm kinda cheap :)

[Kopperhed]

Originally Posted by Kopperhed

You don't like reading my posts, but you like commenting on them. I don't know where you are coming up with this crap.

And I think I figured out part of it....... do ANY of you Voyager owners realize that the Vaquero's seat is a 1 piece, NOT a 2 piece ?? That the driver's backrest mounts differently, and is a complete different part than what you guys use, and are recommending??

[Peg]

Originally Posted by Kopperhed

And I think I figured out part of it....... do ANY of you Voyager owners realize that the Vaquero's seat is a 1 piece, NOT a 2 piece ?? That the driver's backrest mounts differently, and is a complete different part than what you guys use, and are recommending??

The Mustang seat for the Voyager is also a 1 piece... And I think you'll find that the driver's backrest mounts exactly the same way.

[Kopperhed]

Originally Posted by Peg

The Mustang seat for the Voyager is also a 1 piece... And I think you'll find that the driver's backrest mounts exactly the same way.

Ok, I messed that up. Grasshopper would be a different deal, but Mustang is same same. Part of my frustration was someone inferring things I had not said I had done, I was looking for an explanation, filled in too many blanks with more assumptions.

[Kopperhed]

....along with my experience dealing with Mustang directly. I had to pay shipping for a warranty repair on the seat itself, and the driver's backrest was replaced with one that had the correct amount of padding in it, almost twice as much as in the one I originally received, but still severely lacking. I had inquired about them building the pad up to the thickness of the sissy bar pad, and expressed willingness to pay for any custom work, but I received no replies at all while they had my seat, nor any correspondence indicating it was finished, just an e-mail from UPS indicating I had a package coming from Massachusetts.