I don’t know, this seems like a no brainer, make a decision and live with it.

 

we can have a discussion of plastic deformation and yield points if you'd like

 

Bending metal stretches and weakens it. Bending it twice, well, exponentially more. And if it's not secured properly during the process the welds are at risk of damage you can't always easily see.

Replace it and don't look back.

 

Well if you are going to keep doing stuff like that. Straighten it and keep going . No reason to replace it. you will just bent the new one. Nothing wrong with that if you are having fun

 

In the aviation world we call that the Plastic Stage.

 

fall the other way next time and bend that side to match.

this tie into the clunk you posted about?

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/frame...l#post20308655

 

You can find new take offs and good used oem ones cheap all over the place. I would replace.

 

Might check your local dealer, or other local shop. Our local dealer sells take off, used parts at decent prices. Avoids shipping costs and you can see/examine the part before you buy. I changed the exhaust, floorboards, crash bar and some other stuff on my Road King back to stock after I bought it.

 

It did its job, replace it. Its cheap insurance against a potential flawed weld

 

To the OP
What did you do? I wouldn’t worry about weakening the metal if it is only slightly bent. The factory bent it already a lot from a straight piece of tubing. I doubt you would bend it anywhere near that.