Made home from Thunder Beach (Panama City) all safe, but no so sound.... 1200 miles in 5 days, pretty weather, nice temps...Great time.

Broke the other side (upper fairing mounts) sometime this weekend. Now for the fix.....Mine broke right at the bend on both sides, making it hard to scab something in. My thought was to get some'strapping' like plumbers use (has the holes pre-drilled, comes in a roll) and make an L shaped piece, then double it and screw it to the fairing , and then put a couple of screws, further back, attaching it to the other end....I dont think welding will help, because its so thin of a metal, and I cant come up with any better ideas (except taking it to the dealer).
What have some of you other guys done???

 

I haven't looked that closely at mine, but I'll tell you that the plumbers' tape won't be a good "fix" - it's not going to handle that stress/flex at all. Personally, I'd take it back to the dealer, but failing that I'd likely fab my own out of some decent metal and reinstall.

 

mw.... I went with a Road King..... (just kidding)

Hogback

 

Tell ya'll what...

If someone can send me a set of these brackets, preferably cracked (so I can see the angle they need to be at), I'll see what I can come up with in terms of a replacement piece. IF I'm able to do so successfully, I'll do the sample set replacement at no cost, and any subsequent ones at whatever my cost is of raw materials. I ain't gonna promise purty, but I like to tinker with stuff like this....

 

Surely somebody has a set laying around.......Im in for a set TR


I cant see what Im doing would be any less as strong as factory TR seeing as how Im going to double what is factory........for now anyway

 

I have replaced 2 sets of these cheap A** fairing braces on my 200 ultra, I finally brought them into work and Tig welded them back together with a little added fill rod put in the very corner where they break. I still have to install them on the bike yet but I cant break them with a vise and a channelLoc pliers. I will try to get them on this weekend, the last braces only lasted about a month. I have had to replace both the main vertical braces and the ones that go to the speaker screw. we shall see what happens......

 

Thing is, plumbers' tape doesn't have much strength - it's a VERY malleble material. Which means it's gonna flex to the point of failing purty quickly, ah'm thinkin'. My thought is ta make it outta some flat plate that's relatively thin (but thicker than what's apparently there), then if possible add some gussets to help the overall strength, then lightly temper it.

 

I see TR.....
This is probably a dumb question, but why doesnt Harley D. acknowledge the problem, make a better one and then send out a notice to have them replaced??? Just because soemthing says "Harley" doesnt make it the best or sellable.....in other words, Im not gonna buy more of the same crap.

 

I can't speak to why they've not done anything - and for all I/we know, they are already working on something. Stuff like this can't be done overnight, especially in the Corporate world, where anything that goes out with their name on it HAS to be engineered, reviewed, and tested - and then approved by their legal department. Yeah - legal department. It's an unfortunate fact of life nowadays that you gotta CYA in the legal arena before ANYthing else.

 

If you have a tractor supply, lowes, or home depot close to you you can get some good metal or go to a salavge yard and get some stainless. The brackes are rather small so it will not take much and that would keep down the cost. I have not checked mine as of yet but will in a couple of months, still got fairly good riding weather here and have not noticed any vibs any where. I have seen them in photos so it would be a easy job. I may use spring metal or stainless so it would take the viberations better. Any one with a mech. mind can do almost anything if they put their minds to it. The plumbers' tape is too soft and will not hold it's bends even if you double things up. Since it is broke in the bend then there is nothing to hold it in place.
jim