| Author | Message | ||
     Xbimmer |
I posted on the XB forum and it was suggested I try here also. Right side factory sidecase bracket won't line up no matter what I do. Front and top rear can bolt up, but then the top front can't. Bolt up the tops and the front won't go. Others suggested removing the footpeg bracket and loosely attaching everything, then reinstalling everything together. The hardware seems pretty tough but I'm concerned about forced stresses on the aluminum threads at the mounting points over time. Should I be? Having a sidecase bracket break in the middle of nowhere is no fun. For what these things cost this should be a drop-in installation. Since others seem to have the same right-side problem, what the heck is wrong here? Thanks for any suggestions. | ||
| Fastfxrs |
Right side bag bracket was the tough one for my install also. I tried every combination and started all bolts loosely. I finally gave up and used a pry bar to bend the bracket a little while starting the last bolt. 5000 miles on it and it has'nt broken a bolt yet ( I locktighted everything). Good luck. Tim | ||
| Oldnotbold |
Right side was very difficult. I finally installed all of the side/top with bolts loose and was able to get all the bolts in. Then, starting on the right side I removed one bolt at a time, loctited and reinstalled (loose). When everything was back in, I tightened all the fasteners to the specified value. I was worried about it being to tight on the right side, but so far (2700 miles) it seems okay. They do vibrate at low RPM and deceleration through 2500 RPM. | ||
| Ringo |
Bimmer... I had the same problem also. My simple fix was to take a drill bit or a router bit if you have one and auger out the hole a little until the bolt lines up, it shouldn't take much and there is plenty of area on the flange. Problem solved, the brackets now go on and come off easily. 2500 mile trip 2-up bags loaded, no proublems.No vibration either.However, after hearing about all the broken latches I used a short bungee cord from the rack thru the handle and back to the rack.This might have stopped any vibration. | ||
| M2nc |
Bimmer - It is important to follow the instructions. Leave everything loose until you start all bolts. If I remember correctly, I had to take all the bolts out and start with the tough right side case after the top case then move on to the easier left side. Follow the instructions on how to tighten and everything worked as planned from there. Good luck. | ||
| Davo |
Right side was a real pain to line up. I had to put it in a bind. It took a couple of hours. The left side went on perfectly and took about 10 minutes. I did not drill or alter anything. The rear passenger peg is very close to the bag so be careful if you decide alter the holes! | ||
| Xbimmer |
Thanks for all these replies guys! I'm seeing the direction I need to go now. This thing had me so ticked I didn't even want to ride it today... but after washing it this a.m. I went out anyway for a couple hundred and now I feel better, man do I love this motorcycle! Ringo, broken latches? Guess I should search a bit. BMW Motobags (Krausers) were known for sometimes leaping away from your bike so for years I've been using those little Zytel bungee fasteners to tie them to the bike. By the way those were designed by an old friend I used to ride with, he ran a small run to give out to his friends, we tried to get him to patent them but he wasn't interested so now somebody else is making lots of $$ on that idea. Oh well! Back to the bags, what I'm seeing here is that there is a problem with either Hepco/Becker or Buell, that it's got to be known by both, and that's a whole lot of money for us to be spending for a product that doesn't fit. I'll be talking to the tech at my dealer Tues who installed the set on their demo Uly to see what he knows. I followed the instructions to the letter, beginning with the left side. Wouldn't matter which side I started though, the right bracket doesn't line up. I'll try it again after fully removing the r/s footpeg bracket, but I'm not sure I want to start bending or opening up anything. These things cost a lot of money guys, improvising shouldn't be necessary! I'll be digging deeper with this and post what I find, thanks again and man do enthusiast's forums rule. | ||
| Xbimmer |
Well the bags are on and I have you guys to thank for it! Taking the advice of some who responded I completely detached the right footpeg bracket, then Loctited all the fasteners and got them all screwed in pretty much all the way by hand. Then I replaced and partially tightened the footpeg bracket and everything else looked pretty good so I tightened up everything else in rotation and I couldn't believe how easy it was with that procedure! As some mentioned the right case is too close to the rear footpeg, in fact it touches the case when deployed. I figure I'll ride it for a while and let all the metal stress-relieve and then reinstall everything again, I think I'll be able to work the right bracket rearward a bit then. Once again thanks to an enthusiasts board a solution is found, thanks again! Dean | ||
| Biker_bob |
As a very not a wrench guy I am glad to have been able to help. That's what makes this board great. | ||
| Bearly |
Tooling, it's all about the tooling. I had a problem with the distances on the right side as well. I did read the instructions first and tried to bolt everything together loose but I found I had about .125" too great between the aft hole and the middle hole. Trying to align the aft hole with the inboard right foot peg attach hole was difficult as well being a half hole off. I used the the trusty plastic dead blow hammer to close the distance between the rear hole and the middle one (I got lucky) and then by reading above loosened up the right foot peg and then pushing down a little on the forward tube on the right bracket got the bolt to hand thread in. The right side as well as the Top bag bolted up with ease. I'm sure with all these posts, that someone at Buell will say "Gee we have to look at the weld jig for the right saddle bag mount" It's pretty obvious that there is a difference between left and right jigs and these differences are consistent, or the hole distance between the left and right sides of the bike (I hope not!) The bags are pretty good though eh? | ||
| Bearly |
Tooling, it's all about the tooling. I had a problem with the distances on the right side as well. I did read the instructions first and tried to bolt everything together loose but I found I had about .125" too great between the aft hole and the middle hole. Trying to align the aft hole with the inboard right foot peg attach hole was difficult as well being a half hole off. I used the the trusty plastic dead blow hammer to close the distance between the rear hole and the middle one (I got lucky) and then by reading above loosened up the right foot peg and then pushing down a little on the forward tube on the right bracket got the bolt to hand thread in. The right side as well as the Top bag bolted up with ease. I'm sure with all these posts, that someone at Buell will say "Gee we have to look at the weld jig for the right saddle bag mount" It's pretty obvious that there is a difference between left and right jigs and these differences are consistent, or the hole distance between the left and right sides of the bike (I hope not!) The bags are pretty good though eh? | ||
| Brat |
I had a similar problem but used a spanner as a crow bar, pic half way down page http://buell.brat.info/ | ||
| Bearly |
Brat your prybar technique should be in the service manual. Sorry about my previous double post. I hold up in a low rent Days in in Jackson WY and my connection isn't so great. |
