Lost the right passenger floorboard and mounting bracket today. The bolt that holds it on broke in the threaded hole it goes into (now I have to drill and extract it). Thank God no one was on the back, that could have been catastrophic. In all these years I've never even HEARD of this happening. That single bolt is that large for a reason... so $hit like this doesn't happen. If the previous owner over tightened it, I would have expected to see the head twisted off not severed in the hole and it would have taken a hell of alot of torque to compromise a grade 8 bolt that size. Can't wait to find out what HD want for this entire assembly. I went searching for it but it got dark so I'll try again tomorrow. I didn't hear it hit the ground and there's no damage to the bag, bag guard or the exhaust heat shield just below it so maybe it came off when it was leaned over in a turn. Considering the weight of that assembly and the locating dowel on it I don't know how it didn't hit anything. I know this isn't exactly a tear off but if anyone happens to have one lying around they'd like to get rid of for a few bucks and shipping, I sure could use it if I don't find it tomorrow.

 

I heard a clunk one day just before I left the dealership. Looked down and there on the parking lot was my Left side passenger board. Bolt broken clean. I have heard of several.
Of course the dealership had not..

Mark

 

Hope it works out for you. How big a passenger have you been packing around . J/k

 

I seen a thread about this very thing a few weeks ago, it is a problem with our bikes, damn things just snap right off. I have heard of some people putting a string around em to keep from loosing em, sad but true. Big red has 8000 miles on her. Soon as I get back the chity cracking dunlops and the floorboards are the first thing I am going to check. Hope you find yours when you go back to look.

 

This is actually quite common on the pre '09 FLH frame. Did you have Kuryakyn adjustable passenger pegs? 2 years ago I put them on and a month later my right side assembly sheared off. Found about 15 old similar threads at that time. The Kury's amplify the vibration and grade 8 bolt shears off. I removed it with a Left hand twist drill bit.
I put Rivco pegs on. Way better.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/general-harley-davidson-chat/794631-new-rivco-adjustable-passenger-floorboards-are-awesome.html

I have the left floorboard assembly, off my '03. PM if you want it for $40. Cost $140 new.

 

Nice offer Ron!

I have had this discussion before and everyone thinks I'm wrong. I won't stand up on my floorboards say, to stretch my legs or see up ahead or whatever. The front floorboard brackets are each held on with a similar Grade 8 bolt and if either one were to shear while I'm standing up I fear bad things could happen. Grade 8's are strong, but brittle under the right circumstances.

 

Stiggy, in your situation, you have two 1/2-13 bolts (GRD8) holding the right side rider footboard bracket and one 1/2-13 and two 5/16-18 bolts (GRD5) holding the left side bracket compared to the '09 and later models that went to four 3/8-16 bolts for the rider brackets. You definitely have a beefier set up.

As for the OP's situation, prior to the '10 models, the passenger bracket is held on by one 3/8-16 bolt (GRD8). In 2010 the passenger bracket was redesigned and now has a 3/8-16 (GRD8) and a 5/16-18 (GRD8) bolt holding it on.

 

Lost mine last year while out in Montana. Was on the freeway heading back to hotel when it went. I was the first in a line of 7 bikes. Only took out one headlight two bikes back thank god. Worst part is had to walk up a large hill/small mountain to get it back. Only minor scratches to the board and bracket.

 

Now I heard everything, using a piece of string to secure a floorboard....
If people are that concerned, they should remove the stock bolts (who knows what grade they are) and replace them with Grade 8 bolts and use some blue loctite when installing them to specs.
Is it possible that the bolts may be working themselves loose and with weight on them and the vibrations from the bike, they get fatigued and snap....Anything is possible I guess....

 

The stock bolts are grade 8, and they fail from metal fatigue. Obviously they were inadequate for the application, and that is why they have been replaced by 2 bolts on newer bikes. Don't blame the victim. As I said earlier, I found 15 threads on this. I would post them again, but search sucks!