Wires holding the saddle bag pins so they don't roll around or get lost when taking the saddle bags off. I know this has been done before but I added a "twist". I used some plastic coated wire fishing leaders with a swivel on one end. I had made some with just speaker wire with crimped connections on the ends to connect to everything, but the wires were always getting all twisted up. The swivel allows you to twist the pin to lock it without getting the leader all jacked up. I have an o-ring on the shank of the pin holding the flat washer on. Its working a lot better now.

 

Good thought...maybe secure one end to your frame so it holds bag on bike when those cheap pins spread and come loose.

 

ummm...yeah

 

OK I will use your "O" ring washer retainer idea. Don't take em off too much anymore and don't really have a problem keeping up with them but the washers almost always fall off.

If you adjust your bag so it is sitting on the support you won't have any issues with the pin spreading. It isn't designed to hold the bag weight up. Just in.

Thanks for helping me see outside the box.

 

Guess you haven't seen the results of these cheap Chinese parts wearing down and watching your $700 hard bag exploding in the rear-view mirror...it happens more often than you think.

Better solution is to ditch the HD hardware and get some clips and star bolts to secure the bags (i.e. similar to Brukus Kit).

 

You have come up with a better mouse trap, good job!

 

I went this route. Only exception is I used allen head bolts. Takes a little more time to take the bags off but I would rather that than one of them falling off going down the road.

 

I had also gone the route of the threaded clips with Allen head bolts on my 2012 limited. I did this at the time because everyone was stating how easy they were to steal, not falling off. So now on the 2014 limiteds they are not that easy to pop off from the back anymore so I made the doodads to keep the washers and pins from getting lost. Now you guys are telling me that these bags are falling off every other ride....I've maybe read about ONE falling off in the couple of years that I've been snooping around this forum. Am I missing the bags falling off posts?

 

I just have to wonder how many of the exploding bags were because the owner was hanging the bag by the pin instead of the bag sitting on the lower bar AND the rubber sleeve that can also fall off of the bag when you remove it. It only takes a few miles to spread the pins under the weight of the empty bag. Any time the brackets are removed or loosened, a little time needs to be spent properly adjusting them when they are put back on or tightened. If everything is adjusted right the pins should be very easy to install with no jostling of the bag for alignment. I also never looked at bolting them on as anything more than a theft deterrent but I have insurance for that.

 

I used clevis pins with rubber fender washers and stainless fender washers and hairpin cotters on my '11.

A bit tougher to accomplish on my '14, can't reach behind and hold it while I put in the cotter.

Served 2 purposes, Couldn't get them off from outside, as the outside of the pin is smooth and round, no threads, and b.) easy to take off with the bag open.

VERY secure, the bag would break before the pin would shear, so no falling off.