I have the detachable sissy bar (back rest) on my 2008 FXDF Fat Bob. It clips onto hard plastic bushings in the back. My install has a little play in the connection, and it rattles pretty bad, especially as I throttle down, or ride at slow speed in 1st gear. The noise of the rattling exceeds the noise of the engine/exhaust. That ain't right.

I'm considering asking the dealer to swap it out for a fixed mount sissy bar. Unless you think they should be able to adjust the fit to stop the rattle. Anyone else have this problem?

Yeah, I know, all Harley's rattle. But on my new bike, it is frustrating to hear the sissybar more than anything else.

 

I have the adjustable backrest on my RK and it doesn't rattle at all - it clips in very tight. I don't think that it should be loose. If the dealer put it on, they should be able to tighten it.

 

I've never put those on a dyna, only a softail. They looked completely different from that. Are those Harley Brand? Mine didn't and couldn't rattle. They were tight.

In the front you can see an open ended slip fit. In the back, a black flip-up latch.

 

I think it was joe, jrk, he said he wraps electrical tap around his bushings to snug up the fit. Also if you bushings are wearing where the mount attaches you may wanna roll the bushing so there is a new bushnig surface contacting the sideplate.

This should not be rattling. Are your strut bolts tight? I know i lost 2 sissy bar bolts (holds bar to plate) b/c i didnt use loctite on em... That caused a rattle and i saw that one side didnt have bolts in it... Duh.

 

I've got one of those 'quick' detachable on my RK and if anything, it's too tight. Are you sure you got the latches secured right? With the rip-off price on those things I'd get my butt back to the dealer pronto.

 

Is it the backrest rattling as it sits in the mount? Or is it the mount itself rattling? If it's the mount there should be spacers that came with the docking kit that you may wnat to use.

 

Whatdahey? Bolts loosening and fallin' off a Harley? What's this world comin' to? Stinkin' American iron. Geesh!

 

That has never happened. You lose your patriotic card for two hours for that remark.

 

I had this problem and took the advice on here to put some electric tape on the black bushing the locking clips go on. It only took one loop of tape to be tight. Two loops and the clip would not "click" It took away my "buzzing" sound from the clips. Makes sense since it makes a soft vinyl cushion. If it is more than a buzzing and more like a loud rattle, I would go back to the dealer. Maybe something not installed right JMHO

 

Yep, I've got the exact same problem with my Fat Bob.

JBaker421, the detachable brackets on the Dyna look and operate just as you describe. I've made sure everything is tight and as it should be.

It even feels tight, and the latch is secure. It's just that it wants to rattle when you let off the throttle.

Now, I have managed to stop the rattle, but I won't call it a fix. As someone else suggested, a little electrical tape wrapped around the bushing will keep it from rattling. But I don't like it, and you shouldn't have to do this. This temp. fix will not last through taking the sissy bar off and on multiple times.

Next time I am at the dealer, I am going to ask if there are any shims or something similar that might help.