Funny... my first thread starting post here...

Okay, so I have an 07' Fatboy with a nacelle headlight; have had it nearly from day one in Sept 06' and have about 9300 miles. At some point last year I installed a visor on the nacelle and have had it on and off about 4 times trying to get the gap closed up.

So, in the last month or so I noticed something of a rattle that I figured out was coming from the headlamp. I presumed it was the spring clip in the original nacelle headlight retaining ring as that rascal never fit tightly. Twice I pulled the visor and retaining ring to reset the spring clips and twice it kept rattling. I was baffled..

Well this week I decided to pull off my front turn signals (had moved them to front forks) and swap out the lock nuts for a chrome spacer to make it look nicer, as well as adding shrink wrap on the wires instead of electrical tape. While I was at it, I decided to pull the retaining ring one more time to try and tighten the retaining clips and stop the rattle. As I started to mess with it, I noticed the whole headlight moving in and out. I played with it for a bit and figured out the whole headlight, bucket, and associated mounting stuff was all moving around, so I took it all apart.

SHOCK!!! The whole thing was two screws from flat falling off the bike. Turns out the nacelle headlight bucket mounts to the nacelle with 8 small screws that thread into a "T" shaped black rubber piece with an imbedded nut. The rubber part presses into the nacelle from the front and the bucket presses against it to hold the rubber part in the hole. The problem was that the rubber had broken on 6 of the 8 screws leaving the nut to float freely in and out of the hole.

I took the nuts out of the broken rubber fittings, got some small washers and siliconed them on the back side (inside) of the nacelle long enough for me to get the bucket/screw installed again. When I put it all back together and test rode it, there was no movement or rattle any longer.

So, long story short, for you nacelle guys and girls be sure to check your headlight and make sure it isn't loose in the nacelle. If it is, you may have the same problem I did.

Oh... didn't take any pics. Sorry...was a 6 beer project to figure out. 8^)

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Thanks for the heads up,think i will give mine a quick check.

 

When I put my nacelle all together, I tried to put little washers behind the well nuts. Sorta like a rivet??? But it did not work. I bought new well nuts for mine, they were only a buck a piece or so.

Could see them breaking pretty easy if over tightened.