I recently installed a pair of harley billet saddle bag latches on my street glide and today when i was washing my bike i discovered that the latches were putting a scratch on the paint fromthe front side of the latch. It looks like they were rubbing upon opening and closing. Has any one else experienced this and How did you remedy it. I am looking at putting a washer between the latch and the latch cover. This sucks because the bags were in perfect condition until this problem. Now they are flawed. I am curious to find out how common this is.

ps if your reply is going to be the bike is going to get flaws just ride it or dont ride it so it stays perfect then dont waste your time replying.

 

I have the billet latches as well, but don't have the problem that you describe. Do your latches have the rubber tabs that work to prevent rubbing of the latch on the bag? These extend a little lower than the cover and prevent the latch from touching the saddlebag. You can see them sticking out below the latch on the picture below:

 

I'd almost bet that the rubber tabs didn't make the trip

 

The rubber tabs are still in place. the scratches are on thelid of the bag at the front of the end of the latch where it comes to a point. It rubbed when opening and closing the bags and wore a mark in it. upon further inspection the latch cover needed to be shimmed out a little to give it more distance. i will try to post some pics tomorrow i have to borrow a camera.

 

Just installed the billet latches on mine and same thing. Rubbing the lid at the front of the point of the latch when opening. Worse on one side than the other. I am headed out to buy some little washers to see if I can space the latch cover out a bit from the internals. Hope this works. Wouldn't be an issue if my bike was white, but it's pretty obvious on black.

 

Yup. Bought some washers #8 stainless. Use a dab of grease to keep them in place and put them on the latch side then set the cover down over them. I just did the front two bolts. Otta space you out enough to stop chafing the lid. Ya still have to be careful when opening to not let the latch pivot too much, it can make contact if you go too far, but it's good enough for me. Just have to make sure the ol' lady gets a quick lesson before she goes into the bags.

 

Any pics of the contact point?