Pursuant to my usual MO, HDF was the first place I searched. I always find an answer. Usually I find the question has been asked and answered several times. However, last night I looked until I was cross-eyed to no avail.

I purchased the following items to facilitate the relocation of my tag from above my ’06 Deluxe’s taillight to below it:

1. SoftBrake’s Tombstone Taillight Housing (JP’S part #: 340-755; SB’s part #: SB-TSH-N)
From JP Cycles: “This part number is to be used by a customer who is relocating the license plate under the taillight and uses the Softail relocation bracket.”
From SoftBrake: “This product is designed to be used with SoftBrakes’ License Plate Relocator.”

2. SofBrake’s License Plate Relocator (JP’s part #: 340-750; SB’s part #: SB-SSLPR-DLX)
From JP Cycles: “Designed to be used with SoftBrake’s Tombstone housing 340-755.”
From SoftBrake: “Designed to be used with SoftBrakes Tombstone housing SB-TSH-N.”

3. Custom Dynamics LED Plate Frame (LPF-HRZ-C-LP)

Here’s my heartburn – I put the relocation bracket in position, reinstall the taillights guts, and place the new taillight housing over the guts. This results in a gap between the lower portion of the new housing and the fender. In all the finished-project photos I can find, the taillight appears to be completely flush against the fender all the way around. How in the blue blazes is this accomplished without a significant notch cut along the bottom of the new housing to accommodate the stainless steel relocation bracket?

Even the factory taillight housing has a small notch in the top for that little shoe-horn support bracket to go through. I can’t help but think the housing that was sent to me is the alternative part here:

- Tombstone Taillight Housing (JP’s part #: 340-760; SB’s part #: SB-TSH)
From JP Cycles: ”Not to be used with SoftBrakes' License Plate Relocator. To be used by customer wanting to relocate license plate somewhere other than below the taillight.”
From SoftBrake: “Stock replacement not to be used with SoftBrakes’ License Plate Relocator.”

I guess my question is, for you folks who’ve done this mod, is your new taillight housing flush against your fender? If so, is it due to a notch in the housing or did you manage to tighten the housing to such a degree that its gasket makes contact with the fender all the way around?

 

Update: Called SoftBrake and spoke with Rick. He informed that the new license plate bracket needs to massaged into the proper shape. That being one that eliminates any gap between the bracket and fender.

Secondly, he explained that he mills material off the bottom edge of the new housings to make space for the bracket. I'll attach a photo comparing the bottom of the stock housing to SoftBrake's (stock housing is on the right). Rick pointed out the drain hole notched into the factory housing and said that's how far he grinds down his castings.

Having tweeked, untweeked, and retweeked the bracket, the entire gasket of the new housing was finally pressing on the fender