Tour Pack Support : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

mfn · 07-20-2003, 05:44 PM

Came home from the Alberta Hog Rally yesterday to find my tour pack teetering back and forth on the licence plate bracket. The top support bracket had broken in half on both sides where the bolts from inside the tour pack bolt into. The bike has 36,000 miles on it. Looks like water got into the support tube over time and rusted it from the inside out around the collars that the tour pack bolts go into. Might be an idea to put silicone inside and around those collars to prevent this from happening again. Anyways thought you all might like to know so you don't end up with your tour packs crashing to the pavement on a ride. Take care everyone.

flht783 · 07-20-2003, 06:30 PM

What year bike? I ride a '99 Ultra and so does a buddy, we both had the same thing happen a year or so ago.

mfn · 07-20-2003, 07:13 PM

Mine is a 2000 FLHT I bought new with the tour pack installed before I picked it up in June of 2000.

flht783 · 07-20-2003, 08:08 PM

I know that I had loaded it really heavy sometimes but the replacement support seems to be stronger. I'll bet it's a common problem. I just got back from a 3 week - 6000 mile road trip and had it loaded really heavy with no problems.....

Ed Y · 07-20-2003, 10:13 PM

Sometime in 2000 (I think) HD switched from a 3 bolt support rail to a 5 bolt support rail because of problems with it breaking.

Did you guys have 3 or 5 bolts??

Mark1 · 07-20-2003, 10:28 PM

It's a very common problem. The vibration takes its toll and the brackets fail where the mounting holes are. Silicone may delay the inevitable, but it will happen.

I bought a couple of brackets off Police bikes at a cheap price and replace as needed. Find a dealer that deals in Police bikes and they'll probably have a box or bucket full of them.

BOOMER · 07-21-2003, 05:59 AM

HD made a change in the bracket, it's a matter of time if you have the old style. Seems like after a hundred years they'd figger this stuff out.

RBintheUP · 07-22-2003, 07:36 PM

I had my 99 ultra in for the cam crap in Feb. of 00 and my Stealer changed the bracket the same time.

dankwiz · 07-22-2003, 08:50 PM

What year did they change the bracket ?

Ed Y · 07-22-2003, 09:42 PM

I believe the bracket was changed sometime during the 2000 model year but my memory sometimes leaves a little to be desired.