I have a '07 Road Glide that I added a king tourpack to about two years ago. The HD hardware was a bit sloppy, so I ordered a set of bushings from a guy here on HDF. His are machined aluminum, and were superior to the HD bushings, but were getting progressively sloppier as time and miles went by. Took the time this week to really get down to the problem. The tourpack was to the point where there was over 1/2" of vertical play at the back edge. I found that the steel TP mounting bracket had worn slots in the front bushings, so I rotated the bushings 90 degrees to get to "fresh" areas - which reduced the slop/play considerably, but did not eliminate it. Moving to the rear bushings, I found negligable wear, but still some play. Rotating the rear bushings did not reduce the play, so off to the metal yard I went. $3 got me a foot of 1" solid aluminum bar stock, and home to my recently acquired 1950s lathe I went. I quickly produced two new rear bushings that measured .008-.010" larger in diameter than the rear bushings on the bike. Changed them out and VOILA! - no more slop! Grandson says the rear seat is much more comfortable now that the tourpack doesn't bounce around....

I believe the rear bushings had just enough play in them to allow the movement that wore the fronts, and the wear should be greatly reduced. If that proves incorrect, I'm going to try using a different material than aluminum for the bushings. In fact, I've already ordered a different material and will be experimenting soon....and will keep you posted.

Sorry, didn't take any pictures.....

 

 

Mine fit tighter than a nuns.......... well, you know. Now I just have to worry about it being stolen. But having the option is nice, my wife doesn't ride 100% of the time.

 

It seems that HD's quality control isn't really tight on the detachable hardware - the slots on the racks vary. I was able to machine mine to fit - and there is a couple thousandths difference in the two sides....

The '09s and '10s use a different system, with a replaceable plastic piece in the rack.

The ones I made are custom-fit versions of Gilbos' (http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?...geid=310473&ck), which were the ones I purchased. Gilbos has to make his to fit the smallest slot HD's suppliers send out the door, so they are a bit loose on some racks - not his fault, as if he made them to fit the wider slot, you couldn't mount a narrow-slotted rack at all! Anytime you get steel moving against aluminum, steel wins. That's why mine got looser over time and miles. They were on since May '08.

 

I could not see paying HD all that money for 2 pieces of metal. I just bent a peice of aluminum for the mount. Cut a slot facing forward in the front for the shock bolts and down in the back for the middle hole between where the 4 point mount goes. Used a 1 1/4" copper pipe for a spacer to keep the mount from scratching the chrome. Works great & pull the 2 plugs I made for the lights & speakers lossen up the 4 bolts & its off. Takes me a few minutes longer but cost me a total of 34 bucks with the plugs. If I ever take it off again I will take some pics. Works great for my 09 street glide. Have it setup for solo.

 

here you go......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harle...item3caa9cd41c

 

I for one have Gilbos mounts and have never had a problem...BUT thats just me....Maybe Bobbie could make them larger for you!!! This is news to me....something i will watch out for....We spend enough for this SHIOT it should be right and dependable... Thanks for the heads up...

 

I had the same issue after one of my swedged bolts that hold the lock fell out somewhere between here and Colorado. So I had to buy a used backrest for $60 bucks to get a swedged bolt cuz HD doesnt sell them, then I paid about for $48 for new bushings, only to find that I could rotate them 90*, so far it still works.

 

No doubt Bobby could - and would - have made them larger for me, but since I bought them I have acquired a Clausing lathe. The parts are about as simple a job as you could ever need a lathe for, and to make them fit as tightly as I wanted Bobby probably would have needed the actual TP mount. It was faster, easier, cheaper, and far more satisfying to make them up myself. It also gave me an idea for an even better design, which I will experiment with when the unobtainium arrives.....

 

I've got the same problem, a loose/bouncy detachable tour pak. Keep us informed on what you do next to help cure this.