saddlebag rail installation

[phenrichs]

I seem to remember seeing somewhere someone had posted with pictures their installation of the saddlebag top rails. Does anyone remember that?

I will be doing this soon and would love some pointers other than measure twice drill once.

[dogdoc]

Measure twice drill once. Good luck!

[ringadingh]

I would put some masking tape on the top of the bags where the holes are to be drilled approx, Lay the rack where you want it and carefully mark around the three posts then drill in the centre.
Just double and triple check before you drill.

[chuckster131]

Here ya go...... gadgets page.

When you lay them on the top look them over from different angles to make sure you like the placement.

http://www.gadgetjq.com/bag_rails.htm

[chainsaw]

I found some star washers on line and used those under the rubber washers. Evens out weight and well help to keep the saddlebags from cracking. I used the chrome washers for a nicer look and they were not very expensive at all. Don't remember where I got them though.

[Cajunrider]

OP, get some faucet washers about the same OD as the posts. The little gaskets that come with the Ebay rails don't last a year. Take both bags off of the bike and bolt them together side by side. I didn't do this but it makes lining them up and centering them much easier. As Ring said, put your masking tape where the rails will sit. Cover a big enough area so you can move the rails around. After you get them where you want them, carefully slide the faucet washers under the posts trying not to move the location of the rails. Be certain that the washers are centered beneath the posts. Draw a circle around the washers with a pencil, lift the rails and draw the center hole on the tape by holding the washer inside of the circle you previously traced around them. Drill your holes and then remove the tape and mount your rails. It is very important that you mark the holes with the washers under the posts. If you don't, the thickness of the washers will throw the holes way off giving you fits having to ream the holes bigger and still fighting it to line everything up.

[hammer]

I am with Chainsaw on the Star Washers. You can find them at Cruiser Customizing and are widely used by Goldwing Riders.

Yes use masking tape and you may want to drill the holes for the pair and then dry mount it with bolts before you drill the hole for the single post. I bet you will see what I mean. Then you can run a pencil around the last post and get the drill angle right.

[hammer]

Oops I forgot I also bolted the hardbages together so both sets were mounted in the same spot on each bag.

[macmac]

Another option is to use roofing screw rubber washers under the rail feet. The are made to last in excess of 10 years and more on a hot tin roof. They are just the right size too, and cheaper than dirt.

The thing is they are a little taller than the stock rubber seals, which makes a dramatic change as to where the scew holes are drilled. Another small problem is the robot doesn't weld things the same piece for piece, so select which rail will be right/left and stick to that plan. I reccomend making a lable with masking tape for right / left, so you don't get a rail swaped over mid way in the drilling.

The taller the rubbers are, the farther out the drilled holes will be. This is critical to get right the first time. The stock rubbers are just trash.

The method I use IS roofing washers. I glue them to the rail first and with the screws in place, so the rubbers are centered.

The glue I use is rubber cement made for glueing papers. This stuff dries fast, and you can rub off any excess easy after it is dry.

Then with 2 inch wide masking tape I can run a light pencil line around each washer in place.

With that done, I use a small stright edge made from a sliver of bacon plastic backing that comes in bacon, but any bendable plastic with a stright edge will do. I make several crossings to find the center, maybe 6, and where all the crossing meet is center enough.

I use a drill bit 1/64th over the screw diameter, so the screw threads won't saw and chaff the saddle bags, which reduces the chances of chipping paint, and gives the rack a bit of room to expand in heat or under any load.

[ballast]

I did mine with the bags on the bike so I got a better idea on placement and look. If you do that it helps to have the bike level. I had mine on a jack. Were I to do it again I would do initial placement on the bike and mark it. Then I would remove them and bolt them together. I marked around the posts, then placed a washer in that mark and marked the center. This reduced the area for error.

I measured and fussed for 2 hours before drilling, but the holes were spot on and I am really happy with the result.

P.S. I also spent alot of time looking at bikes on the forum to get ideas on placement.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Lots of good advice here. I have been wanting to mount rails on mine but was hesitant because I didn't want to screw anything up. With all the good advice and the link to Gadget's article I think I might just be able to do it without screwing up.

[ballast]

Originally Posted by AlabamaNomadRider

Lots of good advice here. I have been wanting to mount rails on mine but was hesitant because I didn't want to screw anything up. With all the good advice and the link to Gadget's article I think I might just be able to do it without screwing up.

Do it BEFORE you get a $2,000 paint job!