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I thought about another stock tether, but I wanted one that was just a tad bit longer so it never supported any of the weight until the first one broke. I'm sure 2 identical tethers would be just as good...I just opted to go a different route. Plus I live in the boondocks and didn't want to drive/ride clear into the city to pick up another one. The local hardware store was much more convenient. <grin>
As far as the chain jamming up, I played with it a lot before final installation. Mine doesn't even come close to getting caught up in the lid. The weight of the chain makes it drop directly down into the tour-pak.
I like the chain, looks commercial, I was concerned about it binding up and scratching something. Glad you checked that out. Did you have to drill holes in anything? I got a lot of that chain laying around. I have a tourpack lid organizer packed to the max; probably 3-5 lbs of stuff. My lid needs all the help it can get. Do the hinges come apart? They probably need grease. Thanks
I posted earlier that I added a chain like the OP. But this morning, looking at it, I thought why do I even have the cable on anymore. The chain will hold a hell of a lot more than the cable. So, off with the cable and keeping the chain. When I lower the lid, the chain folds up in the pouch in the TP and doesn't catch on anything.
Was looking at my tour pack last night. My tether is nothing like the OP's. At each end of my tether their is a clevis. The clevis pivots on a boss that is part of the bracket bolted to the tour pack. A small screw keeps the tether from slipping off the boss. Is there an after-market tether that is made more "beefy" than the stocker?
You could buy the Harley lid tether for $30 or a Key Bak with a chain, Kevlar or stainless tether for around $15.00.
This is part 54171-11 in the Canadian Harley parts at $36.95 CDN; probably be around $30 USD. Looks elegant but wonder about 1) strength / durability and 2) will it jam up if it gets a bit of grime on it.
I've wanted the eglidegoodies hinge ever since I first saw it; but 80 bucks is way to much. I'd still think it was overpriced if it was half that at 40 bucks. I've been searching through some woodworking resources, there's got to be a cabinet hinge somewhere that would work.
I believe this has been addressed in one of the forums before, but there is always room for Jell-O...I mean there is always room for another way of doing something.
The tether for my Tour-Pak came loose at one end and allowed the lid to flop all the way over. It bent the hinges, but didn't damage the Tour-Pak itself. <insert photo of me looking relieved> Replaced the hinges and properly secured the original tether. I chose to install a backup tether for the day when the original breaks again. Not if it breaks again, but when it breaks again.
Got a few feet of metal chain at the hardware store. Snipped it so it would let the original tether bear all the weight when attached. Piddled around with various nuts and bolts and fastened it as shown in the photos. If/when the first one breaks the chain will stop it.
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but imagine being out on the road in someplace like Tentflap Kansas and having the lid for your Tour-Pak break off. Bummer.
Resent that remark, I live in the suburbs of Tentflap! Fun little town that you don't even have to slow down going though, as long as the County Sheriff's aren't sleeping here.
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