Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I got my Solo Rack mounted today. I have a trunk on order... but it is hard to beat a milk crate for utility (and unique style). I was not keen on mounting the rack directly in contact with the plastic of the handles. It is my opinion that, over time, the metal of the rack would "mush" and deform the plastic and everything could loosen up due to the slack this would create. I also wasn't keen on the idea of swapping bolts every time I wanted to remove the solo rack (longer bolts for shorter and vice versa). So I decided to make a "hard point" for mounting the rack. I did this by turning 4 bushings out of aluminum. They are 21mm in diameter and ~18mm in length. The inside is threaded 8 X 1.25. (I used stainless threaded inserts for long life) (BLUE piece below) I installed 8 X 1.25 X 45mm long setscrews (RED piece below) into the bottom half of the bushing using red Loctite 262 with primer. After this has cured, install them in place of the original bolt used on the grab handles. Use a Allen Key to engage the top of the captured setscrew and tighten it up very firmly. A touch of Loctite 222MS will ensure that this "Hard Point" will not back out as you install and remove the Solo Rack. Now I have a hard, threaded mounting point for Ken's Solo Rack. I can install and remove the rack still with just 4 bolts (PINK and GREEN pieces below) , but I don't have to swap bolts and the grab handles stay put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmer Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Nicely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 And who says VFR owners aren't a little anal?? Kool solution ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KanadianKen Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 That is very slick - well done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 That is very slick - well done!! Great product, Ken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rangemaster Posted March 31, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted March 31, 2009 :blink: Excellent touch to a superb product. I've been accused of being OCD about my '97. I had to correct them; "It's 'CDO'". (alphabetized, of course) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rivcyko Posted March 31, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted March 31, 2009 Anodized? Slicker than cat s@!t, on a linoleum floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 And who says VFR owners aren't a little anal?? I wish. O.K. maybe just a touch. But I have more nail polish on the panels than my wife has on her fingers. Anodized? I don't have access to that kind of equipment, and I am basically a cheap bastard. They would look better in black though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer solohvs Posted March 31, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted March 31, 2009 I'll take four bolt/inserts. Please. Name your price. A very cool solution! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer dutchinterceptor Posted March 31, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted March 31, 2009 Job well done Lee! :blink: I just finished mine but I mounted the rack without the grab handles. Ken certainly did a good job on the rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 I'll take four bolt/inserts. Please. Name your price. Sorry, no can do. All the info you need is here though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer NVR2L8 Posted March 31, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted March 31, 2009 Great idea!!! I'd like to do the same thing as I like to swap between a hard Givi topcase and a Luggage Locker tail bag. Maybe someone else can mass produce some of these, or know where it can be outsourced for a decent price? Just curious though...any thoughts if there is an effect on load capacity using a two piece bolt design over a single bolt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 very well done! Makes me wish I had a lathe for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Hey, Lee - nice, Nice, NICE...!!! Can't wait 'til my Rack comes in to take a closer look. I was planning to try and mount mine without the Grab handles also. Do you know any mod's that would need to be made on your design off-hand? I'm imagining that someone, prob'ly even Ken, will come up with a "kit" for this. For me, I'll have to go to a friend of mine that has a machine shop to get the inserts made. If you guys think it would be worthwhile, let me know. I'll pose the question for more quantity & see what he says... Again, Great Job, Lee One thing, though - seems like that Red on your Honda Top Crate is off. Maybe you should go with the Black Thanks again! :wheel: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Just curious though...any thoughts if there is an effect on load capacity using a two piece bolt design over a single bolt? For the Top-Side (Mounting Ken's Solo Rack): There is a very small tension load on the front bolt and the rear bolt experiences a small shear force and nil tension in static. When accelerating and braking, these forces would be reversed, but still small for the bolt sizes used. Vibration and load cycles would eventually kill the aluminum threads. That is why I went with a stainless insert. But your great grandson would be riding the bike before this becomes a concern. For the Bottom-Side (Mounting the "Hard Points" and grab handlesto the Motorcycle): Still using the same size bolt (set screw) as OEM. Now, instead of a formed head, there is a Loctited aluminum bushing. It is engaged to the set screw by threads. This would undergo forces in tension and shear depending on what your passenger is doing in the back. But, again, this is the same sized bolt as OEM. I was lifting the back end of the motorcycle both via the grab handles and via Ken's Solo Rack... It is plenty stout enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Nice job Lee! :wheel: I would prefer to make it one piece myself, but I'm sure that what you've done will work fine for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 I would prefer to make it one piece myself, but I'm sure that what you've done will work fine for a long time. That would have been the best way. I would have liked to have done it out of stainless in one piece. But that is a lot of single-pointing threads... I don't have that kind of time on my hands. This is the best combination of economy/strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Agreed. If only I could sell this darn F4i... I could get myself a Smithy 3-in-1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 I could get myself a Smithy 3-in-1... Now THAT would take a long time... but it would be cool to have in the garage. The "World Turns on Colchester Lathes" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIMford Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Looks like a great setup. :wheel: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Lee, did you think about a small spring pin/dowel or set screw to hold the set screw in place, as opposed to just the Loctite? You could still accomplish using one with a v block and a drill press, and would positively lock the setscrew in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Lee, did you think about a small spring pin/dowel or set screw to hold the set screw in place, as opposed to just the Loctite? You could still accomplish using one with a v block and a drill press, and would positively lock the setscrew in place. No, honestly I did not. I can understand your thought process. In my experience, as long as there is no heat involved, that set screw isn't going anywhere.... ever. Seriously, ever. I spend a lot of time cussing Loctite just because of that fact. The damned Swiss (and sometimes the Germans) who build the stuff I work on use the crap like it is going out of style sometimes. Henkel is a German company, after all. A pin through a bolt, even up inside it's fitting is a weak point for stresses to congregate and it will crack there given enough time and torque. Then the set screw would be able to back out. That just doesn't happen with Loctite. That is my experience anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee 2002 Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Do you know any mod's that would need to be made on your design off-hand? You would need to cut some holes through your pop-in grab handle covers. You would need to use a shorter set screw (15mm or so) and a longer bushing. (Just a guess ~54mm. Measure for yourself to be sure) EDIT: That measurement is wrong... I forgot to take into account the thickness of the Grab Handles. Subtract the thickness from ~54. Better measure yourself. One thing, though - seems like that Red on your Honda Top Crate is off. Maybe you should go with the Black I will never fall to the dark side. That is the side of miscreants, hoodlums and photographers. I had to dig around in my garage for quite a while to find the red crate... for some reason, I had a lot of blue. You should hear the crap I am catching at work with that thing mounted..... I'm lovin' it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pronomad Posted May 6, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted May 6, 2009 Lee's method is pretty good but not wanting to go through all the work he did I am going to try the following: McMaster Carr: Spacers & Standoffs Select Male-Female Threaded Hex. Then select M8 for the male and female threads and you get the two part numbers below. How are the pitch counts different on each end for both? How do I figure out what I need? Pardon my ignorance I just don't understand how they are different pitches on the male and female ends (and then the other part is the opposite). 92499A622 18-8 Stainless Steel Male-Female Thrd Adapter M8 X 1.0 Male End, M8 X 1.25 Female End In stock at $11.59 Each 92499A640 18-8 Stainless Steel Male-Female Thrd Adapter M8 X 1.25 Male End, M8 X 1.0 Female End In stock at $11.38 Each Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cdn Arctic Posted May 6, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted May 6, 2009 I installed the original version of the Kanadian Ken mount. Lower profile, but I had to fabricate them myself (local machine shop did the work) Like everyone else, I didn't want to mark up my grab handles. Here is my solution they are already mass produced and easier than building them yourself. Go to your local Harley Dealer and buy yourself four of the following spacers. A bit expensive, but they are readily available, chromed and work well, I have been using these since day1 and there has been zero marks on my grab handles. The original install was March, 2006. I took a spacer and one of the original mounting bolts to my local "nut and bolt" store (not a hardware store, rather a business catering to industrial fasteners) and bought 4 bolts that accommodated the extra length required to clear the spacers. Spacers Spacers - Side View Box Mounted There are few extra shots in my albums, including Ken's original drawings and installation process I used, for anyone interested. The only downside of the original design is that the box and mounting hardware has to be removed to take off the seat. I don't mind because I prefer the lower profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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