I have a service manual and it doesn't seem to be in there either. It's the rear bolts on the low sitting sissy bar frame. There doesn't seem to be a bolt to grab like the front bolts had. I thought maybe they were the flat washer type of bolts. I can't get pliers or a wrench to hold onto them. When I turn the Torx bolt it just spins with the bolt behind it. I can rotate the front of sissy bar unit all way up 90 degrees. I've included a photo of the style of bar that is on the bike. It came this way as I bought it.

It's very frustrating as I'm trying to convert to a solo seat and dont ever give passenger's rides. I like a clean back end on a Softail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Jack

 

OK, I've been there and done that on a 2001 FXSTS. I will try to explain what you need to do, with reference to the pics I added below.


You are correct, the front sissy bar side-plate bolt (part #4188, 3/8-16 x 1 1/4) goes through a washer (part # 6379W, 3/8 x 5/8 x 3/64), the sissy bar side plate, the chrome fender support, the fender itself, and then is secured by a nut (part #7601, 3/8-16 flange locknut) on the inside of the fender.

The rear sissy bar side-plate bolt (part #4188, 3/8-16 x 1 1/4) goes through a washer (part # 6379W, 3/8 x 5/8 x 3/64), the sissy bar side plate, the chrome fender support, the fender itself, and this is where it is different from the front bolt..

Instead of being secured behind the fender with a part #7601, 3/8-16 flange locknut, it goes into the plastic rear license plate bracket. In that bracket is a rivet nut type of fastener, that has threads for that bolt to screw into. Since that fastener is imbedded in the plastic license plate bracket, it is easy to "strip" that fasteners grip in the plastic bracket. It will then just spin and the bolt will not be able to be removed.

If you look at the second pic, it shows the license plate bracket from inside the fender. There are two bolts securing the fender, that use rivet nut type fastener in the plastic license plate bracket (marked with a red arrow). The forward most bolt in the pic, is the rear bolt to the sissy bar side plate (marked with a green arrow).

If you look closely at the rivet nut fasteners in the license plate bracket (again, marked with a red arrow), you can see they have a rather thick shoulder. I sprayed that bolt from inside the fender, with a penetrating oil several times. A few days later, I cleaned it up an used a thin-jawed vice grip, to grab the base of that rivet nut. I was able to hold that rivet nut with the vice grip, and remove the bolt from that fastener.

If you are unable to hold the rivet nut shoulder with a small vice grip or similar plier, I have no advice to give, but at least you now know how it works...

I hope this info helps.









Disclaimers:
I am using the OEM parts pic which shows a part #4188, 3/8-16 x 1 1/4 as the bolts involved. The sissy bar side-plate will use the same bolts, but may use a slightly longer bolt, like 1 1/2" or maybe a little longer. I don't know for sure.

Additionally, if you look up the parts pic of that license plate bracket #59993-00A (no longer available), it only shows one bolt hole and makes no reference of the rivet nuts in the bracket to hold the screws. I don't know why...

 

WOW! Thank you so much! That is a huge help. I'm going to give it another go today once I'm back from work. I appreciate your time and input. I still can't believe my dream bike is in my garage. It's surreal and it's great. Thank you again!