I attempted to remove this side cover and the bolts just turn. It feels like the blind nuts under this cover broke free from their mounts..assuming the nuts are in some sort of plastic housing. How do I access the blind nuts or is it time to break out a drill to drill out the bolts?
Disclosure: This bike was stored for years in an unheated garage with high humidity. Gray fuzz is on some of the bolts so I suspect corrosion seized these bolts to the nuts.

 

Try grabbing then with needle nose vice grips and pull up or out to lock the turning nut or retainer.

Works for removing my leather bags since the pressed in retainers spin in the bag mounting plate.

 

There is no access to the nuts with a needle nose.

 

QUOTE=upflying;21917318]I attempted to remove this side cover and the bolts just turn. It feels like the blind nuts under this cover broke free from their mounts..assuming the nuts are in some sort of plastic housing. How do I access the blind nuts or is it time to break out a drill to drill out the bolts?
Disclosure: This bike was stored for years in an unheated garage with high humidity. Gray fuzz is on some of the bolts so I suspect corrosion seized these bolts to the nuts.
[/QUOTE]

I have a last model year Dyna so I do not have those bolts on the side, but I can tell you that the bolts on top are screwed into metal (brass?) sleeves that are inserted into the plastic housing. If they're just spinning, I would guess that the press fit of the sleeves into the plastic has given up or the plastic is cracked. You could try and pry them upward until you can get a grip on them then just yank them out.

EDIT: The inserts I mentioned above are circled here along with a nut that is holding the side cover on. Not really clear though how that nut would do anything given the diagram. It must be behind the plastic ECM.BCM box?

 

Makes sense, the brass sleeves broke free from the plastic. Electrolysis with steel and brass after 14 years. Not sure I can get a pry tool under the bolt heads, I'll let you know how it works out. I hate to bugger up ****. Looks like the small Allen bolts on the side come off first. Maybe the cover just pulls off from grommets. I feel stupid if that's how it comes off.

 

I would look up your bike here and see how the bolts are attached, and then go from there. This link gets you to a page where you can input your bike and year.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...df149e2d790b/y

 

That'll take you to the same image I just posted.

 

The screws on the fuse box cover are decorative. The cover pulls off. Pins from the cover snap in. Since it’s been sitting a bit of force may be required. See #9 and #35 on image.

 

Nice! Just found that in another forum. Look at the diagram, 35 is the pin and 9 is the rubber grommet.

 

Thanks, I'll take a senior moment and egg on my face for not realizing this fuse box cover just pulls off. My bad, appreciate the self-degradation I did on this thread.