I installed the adjustable rider backrest today. It was a fairly simple installation with no problems except that when it all went together, the gas shock didn't work properly. It appears that the adjustment cable is about 1/8" too short and will not allow the adjustment lever on the shock itself to close fully. I can get it to work with the seat off, but with the seat installed it flexes the cable just enough to disengage the shock and hold it in that position.

Has anyone run into this before? Any suggestions?

 

what type of seat are you useing?

 

I had exactly the same problem. The cable has to be run under the frame, routed up behind the mount and kept as straight as possible. After about ten tries, I was able to get it working

 

Had the same problem, finally f**ked up the cable and threw it our, and removed the lever assembly from under the fram, didn't like the looks of it anyway.

Took a long zip tie, locked it around the lever on the piston, and routed it up to the opening in the seat. Put a loop in it at the other end, held in place with a small rivet. Now I just reach down into the opening in the seat and pull to adjust.

This is another POS that HD has designed poorly IMO.

 

Timex: I'm using the stock FLHRS seat.

mrsr71: How did you route your cable? I ran mine along the left side of the battery, up, over the fender making a u-turn behind mounting bracket and into it's slot by the gas piston. That u turn is pretty much the only bend in the whole thing.

Dalton: I hope it doesn't come to that, but I'll keep your system in mind if it does.

 

I installed mine just the way you described and it works fine

 

Does anyone have more recent insight into this problem?&nbsp\\;Tried to help a guy at work who had installed the adjustable backrest on his 08 Ultra and had exact&nbsp\\;same problem as first post. Backrest locks with the seat off when you can twiddle the little control arm on the piston. But put the seat back on and try to do it remotely with the cable, and the arm never extends into its locked position.
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Seems like the cable is too short or has too much friction or the control arm has too little spring action. The cable is not adjustable on either end.
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Does seem like a bad design.

 

&nbsp\\; I just installed mine 7/3/08 Cable was short. I ran it several ways

includung the exact route called for in the instructions. I gave up

and trimmed 1/8" off the vinyl and it worked fine. all I can figure

is the vinyl stretchs with turns more than the cable. I tried just

laying the cable out straight not installed and it worked.

&nbsp\\; When I trimmed&nbsp\\; the 1/8"&nbsp\\; I found&nbsp\\; a steel&nbsp\\; end&nbsp\\; under the vinyl.

I had to put a plastic tie strap on to hold it, but it works fine.