The Moco site says the docking station and quick release rack are only applicable for '95 and newer. Has anyone fab'd up anything for an older (1988 FLHTC is mine) EG?

Thanks

 

cant tell ya right off but i made my removeable tourpack from a luggage rack.

 

Saltybagger.

Easy. There is not "bolt-on solution" and never will be. You need to make your own.

Your 88 comes with a rivited-on luggage rack that attaches directly to the rear frame rails, Just like my 89 did. The luggage rack is pre drilled to hold a factory tour-pak.

Remove both saddlebags, remove both chrome rear fender strut covers.
Take a chisle and remove the rivets that hold the chrome luggage rack to the frame fender struts.
Remove the luggage rack from the frame rails.
You will then need to take a drill and fully drill out the 4 holes that the rivets were in so that the hole in the frame rail goes all the way thru top and bottom.
Take 4 long bolts with nuts and install them in the 4 drilled out holes. tighten them down with the nuts installed at the bottom of the fender strut holes. Then tack weld or JB weld the 4 nuts to the bottom of the fender struts. I used JB weld and it worked great.

To modify the luggage rack, this is what I did. I took the rack and slid it back into the frame rails and lined up the rack with the original rivet holes. Then mark the rack and drill the two rear holes in the rack.

For the front legs of the luggage rack, I slid the rack back into it's stock location and marked the chrome legs where they intersected at the top of the factory frame fender struts. Removed the rack , bent both the front legs and at that line and then slid the rack back on and adjusted the bends for an easy on and off fit.
Cut the end of the factory legs down and drill the 2 holes in the sections of the legs that are left.
This will then allow you to slide the rack into the frame fender struts and then use the 4 bolts to tighten it down.


So in the end, I ride with a solo seat (a std 2 up seat would also work) and when the Mrs says she would like to go for a ride, I remove my saddlebag top covers, remove the chrome fender struts, slide the luggage rack on, bolt it down with 4 bolts, then put the tour pak on the luggage rack and bolt it to the rack with 4 bolts.

Takes, 15 minutes to make it 2 up and takes 15 minutes to return it to solo status.

Good luck.

 

Mikeisglidn - Yup, fabricator is my middle name. Cheap *** is my first. I figgured something would have to get bent, built, beat, cut and welded.


89FLHT - Thank you for the detailed write up! I am struggling getting the picture right in my tiny little brain - after the 60's so few of the cells are left.

On mine, attaching the rack to the frame are 4 rivits, top and bottom, in the end of the fender strut. Drilling these out allows one bolt vertically through frame and rack tube on each side. Did you drill 2 more forward of the existing 2?

The forward attachment on my rack uses the shock mounting/fender support bolts passing through an eyelet on the rack's 2 forward downstruts. Is this where you put the bend you mentioned? I am not doing a good job of picturing this.

If you had pictures that would be a great help - pictures vs 1000 words and all that stuff.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

89FLHT - Thank you for the detailed write up! I am struggling getting the picture right in my tiny little brain - after the 60's so few of the cells are left.

Understood - the 80's and 90's took a toll on me as well.


On mine, attaching the rack to the frame are 4 rivits, top and bottom, in the end of the fender strut. Drilling these out allows one bolt vertically through frame and rack tube on each side.

Correct.

Did you drill 2 more forward of the existing 2?

Yes I drilled 2 additional holes in the fender struts for the front legs (that get bent) of the rack to bolt to.


The forward attachment on my rack uses the shock mounting/fender support bolts passing through an eyelet on the rack's 2 forward downstruts.

Exactly, my 89 is identical.


Is this where you put the bend you mentioned?

Yes. I bent the 2 front legs of the rack so that when you slide it on, the chrome front legs glide along the top of the fender struts. I then bolted the back of the rack up with 2 bolts thru the back two holes and then drilled a hole right thru the bent chrome legs and the fender struts.
Then ran 2 bolts thru the front chrome legs of the rack thru the 2 new holes in the fender struts and bolted it all down. Took a Sawsall and trimmed what was left of the chrome legs so they were flush and looked decent.

Now there are a total of 2 holes per fender strut with 2 nuts jb welded to the underside of each strut. Just slide the rack in, grab 4 bolts and tighten it down. Bolt on Tour pack and drive away.

Don't forget, you'll need to relocate your license plate since the rack also held the plate.

Sorry no pics yet.

 

Boing! The light bulb just went on, cool. You drilled through the frame just behind the shock bolts, bent out and cut the front down legs on the rack, drilled through the "flat" portion of the front legs and bolt through - NICE! Bet you cleaned up the left over old down leg pieces and put them back in the shock bolts for proper spacing [sm=exactly.gif][sm=goodidea.gif]



Thanks!

 

Exactly !!!!

 

 

Thanks for the pics, Mike - is that an official HD kit? It looks good.

 

its an official hd luggage rack and i bolted the tourpac to it. goes on and off in a snap.