WRONG!!!....The pins CAN and DO FAIL, you obviously have no idea what your talking about!

 

Thats my setup

 

I have a short ratcheting box end wrench. Removing the bolt adds about 10 seconds to bag removal.

I've been flying professionally for 40 years and have certainly seen Dzus fasteners fail before, even when installed by professional aircraft mechanics.

 

Well, back in my navy days we used the same type fastners to secure inspection panels on jet airplanes, they seemed to work ok at 500 mph.

I have 130,000 miles on my Roadglde with the same, original fastners, haven't lost a bag yet. If they are used right, they stay put.

 

Ya and I tore my mind on a jagged sky....

 

Dumb question, How do they fail? Had My bags off many times and they always looked and worked fine when securing the bag

 

I have to agree with you, had to buy new pins and a couple spare one's for my wifes bike, because the latch end of the pin had cracked and was afraid it would break off and bag would come off bike, her bike is an '08 that she has put over 50,000 miles on. I think her problem is she overloads the bags with too much crap.

 

As stated earlier if you have to struggle at all to install and lock the pins it is because the brackets are not adjusted properly. The bags are supported by the pipe and rubber cushion that runs under them. If struggling (meaning the pins do not go right in and turn and lock front and rear) you should loosen both brackets, center the wire catch in the hole, check rubber cushion for wear and placement in the underside of the bag, set the bags on the pipe, install the pin moving the loosened bracket around untill the pin goes straight in easily, lock the pin in place, snug the brackets and re check the ease of the pin installation. If it is not a straight shot to twist and lock re adjust untill it is. It helps to have a little weight in the bag when doing this to hold it against the support pipe and rubber cushion. The pins were not designed to hold weight up. They are to keep the bag from falling outwards from the bike and are plenty strong for that. If your pins are bending they are trying to support weight verticaly and can not do that.

The brackets can get out of adjustment a lot of ways but the best is when you or your mech does anything under the seat and you have a seat strap one side has to be removed and re installed and the bracket is not installed properly. My riding bud fights his every time he takes them loose. So bad he refuses to take the bags off because it is so difficult to put them back on. I told him he should mention it to his mech to adjust because it should be a peice of cake to remove and install the bags.

BTW Drag sells 2 pins and 2 wire brackets for less than HD sells 1 of each. I carry spares for myself or others that may have a falling bag.

Have A Great Holiday

 

I'm with ebigfish.

 

nice to reread - marking