So I have the stock seat on my Lux (pillion removed) and this fall added a Grasshopper backrest (great for those longer rides by the way). I recently bought a Motherwell rack to replace the stock rack.

The front bracket of the Motherwell rack is supposed to just ride in the groove on the seat nuts similar to the way the pillion seat attaches. I'm not wild about the look so I'd like to put the rack under the seat bracket. The problem is the seat bolts are too short to get the rack bracket, the seat bracket and the backrest bracket all under the seat nuts.

Has anyone come up with a way to use longer seat bolts on a Deluxe? That stud plate setup that runs through the fender with those plastic washers is a stupid design. Why they just didn't use retaining nuts attached to the fender and bolts that screw in to hold the seat on is beyond me.

Has anyone tried to convert their Deluxe so they could use a bolt to secure the seat instead of a nut?

Any advice is appreciated. If I can't come up with something I'll just use the grooves in the seat nuts to hold the front of the rack. Not my preference but I know it will work. Thanks in advance.

 

There is a thread on here about someone knocking the bolts through the bracket and placing two longer bolts onto the bracket and then a tack weld. Try a search. My stock bolts holds the seat bracket and a motherwell rack just fine. I think the grasshopper thing is whats got you. I did as you and slid my rack on the seat nuts as its easier to get it off to install the princesses pillion when she participates.

 

I have the Motherwell rack on my Deluxe. I also did not like the look of the rack on top of the seat bracket. I took my time and hammered gently the rack where it fit the curvature of the underneath if my seat mount. My stock seat bolts worked doing this.

 

You can go to a hardware store and get longer chrome bolts,, Phillips head or common 6 point,, it may be less convenient then knurled bolts but in reality how often are you going to swap things out when your not next to your tool box?