Broken tour pack latches
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 4
From: Fennario
Wanted to give people a heads up when changing the "latches"out. Helping a buddy of mine change his from chrome to black to match his toupak. Hinge side goes great..drill out rivets and new screws. Get ready install the latch side and it's not screws to attach...it's the same tiny rivets. He called a few local dealers and they wanted to charge the guy stupid money for 4 little rivets that wild literally take 2 minutes to install. Simple task would have gotten the shop some nice talk around town but not now...anyway....these rivets require a special tool to install....so they gotcha. Nice to have friends who have this same rivet tool and loaned it to us....guess who's shop is getting all the good talk when people ask where I get my work done. Sorry about the ramble...dealers **** me off sometimes. Long story short...make sure you can install these rivets on the latches when changing or replacing.
Leave the upper (riveted) part of the latches alone or drill out the rivets and replace with nuts and bolts.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 0
From: Nashua,NH
I had the dealership put on those premium hinges
awhile ago. Well I am not sure if they installed them right but her's developed a small
crack at the front hinge. So I told her to take it easy when opening it and closing it.
Well the 1st ride we did after I found it (only a short 20 miles) it got worse. It now
is about 4" long vertical. When I took off the lid I noticed they did not enlarge the
holes for the screws. The holes have screw threads in them and I wonder if that
helped start the crack in the first place. I wonder if the threads caused undue stress
on the lower tour pack from vibration to cause the crack. I am taking the whole
tour pak off today and have an idea to repair it. Going to put a big plate on inside
with two bolts drilled thru lower tour pak on either side of crack to hold it in place.
Then drill new holes thru plate for hinge. It will greatly enhance the lower hinge
support. Does anyone have their original instructions from putting on the Premium
Hinges ? I would like to know "IF" they were suppose to enlarge those holes on the
lower tour pak.
Rob .....
awhile ago. Well I am not sure if they installed them right but her's developed a small
crack at the front hinge. So I told her to take it easy when opening it and closing it.
Well the 1st ride we did after I found it (only a short 20 miles) it got worse. It now
is about 4" long vertical. When I took off the lid I noticed they did not enlarge the
holes for the screws. The holes have screw threads in them and I wonder if that
helped start the crack in the first place. I wonder if the threads caused undue stress
on the lower tour pack from vibration to cause the crack. I am taking the whole
tour pak off today and have an idea to repair it. Going to put a big plate on inside
with two bolts drilled thru lower tour pak on either side of crack to hold it in place.
Then drill new holes thru plate for hinge. It will greatly enhance the lower hinge
support. Does anyone have their original instructions from putting on the Premium
Hinges ? I would like to know "IF" they were suppose to enlarge those holes on the
lower tour pak.
Rob .....
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 0
From: Nashua,NH
UPDATE - I checked the PDF online on the installation and it said to drill a
3/16" hole which they did not. So having that info I called the owner of the
dealership and told him what I found. He said no problem and to bring
it in when I have a chance and they will replace it NO CHARGE.
They have always been great to us so I was not surprised by his answer.
BTW ... Dealership is American HD in Leominster, MA
Rob ......
3/16" hole which they did not. So having that info I called the owner of the
dealership and told him what I found. He said no problem and to bring
it in when I have a chance and they will replace it NO CHARGE.
They have always been great to us so I was not surprised by his answer.
BTW ... Dealership is American HD in Leominster, MA
Rob ......
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 580
Likes: 2
From: EL Paso,TX
I know this is an old thread but I needed to vent.This past weekend I was out riding in this beautiful weather and stopped for lunch and was putting stuff into my tour pak and the latch breaks, I had installed the premium hinges when they came out because the stock ones where just cheap and ugly and I figured I'd change the latches some day with the premium latches,but what I couldn't believe was that they were made of pot metal wtf.Makes me wonder if both the premium hinges and latches are made of the same junk.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,044
Likes: 145
From: Lawrenceville,GA/Rome,Italy
I've replaced the stock latches with the Premiums,but I suspect that the material they're made out of is the same as the standard ones,just hope they'll last longer!
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 4
From: The Great River Road, Wisconsin
I bent the cheapies that come on the bike when the tether broke (that ones on me), so upgraded the tether to the retractable and the heavier hinges. All money well spent.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 4
From: The Great River Road, Wisconsin
Thanks for the heads up msocko, but, so far so good. I am gentle with the cover on the tour pak, and ****ed up the old tether by trying to re route it out of the way of closing on itself. I always walk it back by hand and don't allow gravity to do it all by itself.
Time will tell.....I do know the hinges were an upgrade, and pretty simple to drill and instal.
Time will tell.....I do know the hinges were an upgrade, and pretty simple to drill and instal.