I have a 2009 Street Glide. It is just about to turn 4000 miles. I have broke 3 seat nuts to date. I change between my stock seat and a tall boy but not that often. I have also removed the seat for mods like PCV and Taillight change, and stereo. I would say probably taken the seat of less than 15 times.

First time it was broke I didn't know until I removed the seat to run my ipod cable into my side bag. When I took the screw out the lower part of the nut fell out of the fender leaving me with a piece of aluminum and the c clamp.

Second time it broke I was getting ready for a road trip and thought I would stick the Tall boy seat on. I loosened the HD Thumbscrew I had installed when the nut broke last time because service insisted it would only break if I overtightened it. Well the nut started to fall apart so I tightened it back up so I could take my trip without replacing the nut. Went to the dealer he scratched his head and we put another new on in. This time he mentions that the fender is now dimpled and it has to be due to overtightening which I know I have not done.


About 100 miles into a ride after leaving the dealer with my newly replaced nut I had to lift my **** due to a large bump/hole in the road and when I sat down again I heard the nut break this time. I felt back there and the screw was loose. I pulled over and was able to retighten it. The nut is breaking right above the fender.


I am going to get yet another nut today but I am looking for some insight from you guys. I am not a small guy but can't be the biggest guy riding a harley. I am 6'3" 290lbs. My wife is about 130lbs. and she only rides once a month with me and it has never broken when she was on it. The dealer wants to pull my rear fender and tap it back into shape and he thinks this will cure my issue. I don't want to be without the bike for too long so I hope someone has heard of something similar.

 

have the guys at the service dept determined that the fender opening has rounded out? i believe it might be time to study the fender itself, to see what the problem is. you aren't nearly the heaviest harley rider, and there's bound to be a simple solution. i hope you get it worked out. i've had several harleys through the years, and have never experienced the problem with the seat retention screw, or even heard of it being an issue. perhaps they'll replace the fender as it's been a problem. if the fender isn't holding the nut in place, ya know?

 

Well, dropped the bike off today, they are going to remove the fender and "Repair" it. I will post when I pick it up, hopefully they are able to get it all done in one day. Summer is finally here in Boston!

 

i own a 09 flhx and i have the same exact issue i would love to hear the outcome.. keep us posted!

 

6000 miles 09 SG and I just found mine broken tonight. I installed one of those HD round barrel type screws about 2 thousand miles ago so I could take the seat on and off with ease and no screw driver needed. Just use my thumb and finger.

I noticed two things about these HD 20 bucks a piece (I'll call em barrel type screws)

1) THey were longer than the stock philips screw I was replacing.
2) It was tight as hell (unlike the stock philips screw)

I ran the threads of the screw in my bench grinder in the wire wheel side to get some of the chrome off the screw threads. It did go in easier...but it was still unusually tight.

Could that have broke the nut? Maybe....

The other thing I was thinking.....since this screw was noticably longer than the stock srew I replaced it with.....what happens under that fender when we hit one of those "bottom out" dips in the road?

Does the longer stem hit the spinning tire and yank the nut???
Did that break it?

The question I would like to know is anyone breaking these seat retainer nuts with the stock screws in them??
Thanks

 

Brother you do not have to remove the fender to replace this nut!!

Place the nut fat side down on top of a plastic wire bundle tie....let the nut drop so the eyelet of the tie is holding the nut....snake the other end of the wire tie under the fender from the sides and pull it up through the hole.

Then line it up in the hole and use the black snap retaining washer to lock it in.....

Please tell me they are not removing your tire and fender to do this..

 

They are doing this because the fender is "Dimpled" and they are going to repair the fender.

 

OH Thank god..Just looking out for ya.....hope all goes well. I'm sure it will. Did you have the stock screw Jim?

UPDATE:
In looking at this thing closer. (The nut that is...) it looks the color of brass but seeing it broken in half I see that silver/gret compressed glitter look to the inside of it....

I dont know what that stuff is called but it sure aint steel. It's some cheap piece of something that has to take alot of punnishment regarding bumps and the seat compressing up and down. No wonder it breaks. HD needs to have that made of something stronger..