Hard Bag question

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Sep 4, 2010 | 10:47 PM

Nightrider2

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 1,379

Likes: 13

Hard Bag question

It seems like the lid on my hard bag is not locking as solid as it should, in fact, a couple of times while riding, the chrome locking mechanism has lifted up about 1/2 from lock. The other bag latch remains tight on the lid, any ideas, if i bend the tabs on the back of the bag, would this change things at all?? thanks

Sep 4, 2010 | 11:14 PM

Dr. Tiki

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2007

Posts: 2,347

Likes: 602

From: The 9th Island

Make sure the strap isn't getting caught under the lid as you close it. Helps to look for a crease in the fabric when the bag is half open, if you see the crease, it's getting pinched under the lid.

Sep 4, 2010 | 11:33 PM

drukanfu

Supporter

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 5,189

Likes: 16

From: N.E. Wisconsin

Check if all the screws are snug on the latch,......does it feel solid when you first latch it ? and yeah you should check if the tabs are not bent, probably from try'in to squeeze in that extra bottle of shine from the hills.

Sep 5, 2010 | 07:30 AM

Heathen

Tourer

Joined: Feb 2008

Posts: 491

Likes: 1

From: Michigan

There is a spring in the latch that breaks , This will cause the latch to be loose.

Sep 5, 2010 | 07:42 AM

lionsm13

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 56,052

Likes: 87,549

From: Western South Dakota

Always lock your bags too if you can remember to do so, prior to rolling.
It will keep your bag from coming open during a ride which would cause you more grief.

Sep 5, 2010 | 07:50 AM

bldap

Tourer

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 301

Likes: 0

From: North Carolina

Bending the tabs on the lid could have an adverse effect if bent too much. I would ensure they are grasping the bracket by at least half the circumference of the male bracket. I used to have this problem which was due to not engaging these brackets correctly. I also started to lock the latch which has also seemed to help.

Sep 5, 2010 | 08:17 AM

Texas Fat Boy

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 10,045

Likes: 36

From: ST. Louis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Tiki

Make sure the strap isn't getting caught under the lid as you close it. Helps to look for a crease in the fabric when the bag is half open, if you see the crease, it's getting pinched under the lid.

What Tiki said would be your first thing to check.

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Sep 5, 2010 | 08:50 AM

sgnden

Road Master

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 1,099

Likes: 106

From: Colorado Front Range

I had the same issue after about 6 months. For the life of me, couldn't see why one side kept popping semi-open. I just wrote it off to just a "bike hting" and didn't really worry about it. But, like Tiki said, it was the strap getting pinched between the edge of the bad the lid. That gradually causes the hinge to get tweaked and the geometry is changed enough to hinder the positive snap-down...as you now know.

I always thought it was odd that it would occasionally close and snap shut...but that was only when the bags were really heaped/packed for a big trip (which of course made the strap ride-up on top of the crap in the bag and not get pinched).

Yeah, we're supposed to lock 'em but as silly as it sounds, I don't want to take the "time" typically.

Though it's in the "fine print" that you should assure the strap is not pinched upon closing and that we're supposed to lock the bags before riding...I did neither (until now).

Luckily, my dealer replaced the entire hinge assembly...saying they "Know how to get it by warranty claims."