 Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 407
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OP
Adjunct
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 407 |
I am going to reinforce my W&M Drifter Slants on EZ brackets with plexiglass. I'm thinking the "plate" should go on the inside of the bag? Please correct me if I am wrong here. Does it make more sense to put it on the inside of the bag or outside?
I wondered why the frisbee was getting bigger......and then it hit me.
'05 BA - Mulberry/Graphite,128 mains,42 pilots,TBS needles,drilled slides,debaffled stock pipes,Uni,no snorkel
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457 |
I reinforced mine with 1 1/2" wide aluminum strips with 2 holes. I put my reinforcing inside, that way bolts went through fender washer, aluminum, bag material, then another fender washer, then support brackets. I wanted bag material sandwiched firmly between metal.
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971 |
I put 9 X 12 - 1/4 inch Plexiglas inside and out my Willie & Max floppy bags, and painted the outer Plexiglas with Krylon Fusion satin black so it would blend in. The hardware store was willing to cut them to 12 X 9, saving me a considerable parcel of cuss words. A bench grinder will do a nice job to take the sharp edges off, and round the corners too.
Go easy on the torque - you don't want to crack the plexiglas if you can help it. Threadlock juice or nylock nuts and snug will do it. Might as well use stainless nuts & button head socket bolts while you're at it, although they can be a little hard to find in that size and length in these parts.
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 407
Adjunct
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Did you put some sort of bolt or rivet in the corners at the bottom?
I wondered why the frisbee was getting bigger......and then it hit me.
'05 BA - Mulberry/Graphite,128 mains,42 pilots,TBS needles,drilled slides,debaffled stock pipes,Uni,no snorkel
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 734
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 734 |
Quote:
I am going to reinforce my W&M Drifter Slants on EZ brackets with plexiglass. I'm thinking the "plate" should go on the inside of the bag? Please correct me if I am wrong here. Does it make more sense to put it on the inside of the bag or outside?
I used aluminum heating duct which was already cut in half lengthways from the hardware store. So it has 1 side and 1 bottom half. 2 years and still works great but i will admit that plexiglass will probably work better.
No additional bolting needed.
Last edited by dmillikan; 06/08/2007 5:01 PM.
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- 2007 Triumph Tiger
- 1982 Yamaha xj650 Magnum
- Previous 2004 Triumph America
- Previous 1973 Triumph Bonneville T140V 750cc
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,753
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,753 |
i used plexi on the inside of mine
Frank
(Former)05 BA tbike pipes, ai removed, Freak, mikuni hsr 42's, 904, ported/polished head, 1mm oversized valves
NOW-2010 silver and black tbird
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 255
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 255 |
Old license plates work well too...
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 512
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 512 |
Being a Carpenter type I used Luan plywood on the out side.Sanded and Polyurethaned them.They work well however I noticed I need to put some reinforcement on the inside as well,mostly toward the top of the bags when I'm carrying a heavy load. 
Just an old Hippie and I don"t know what to do.
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,623 Likes: 2 |
Definitely on the inside.
I used sheet metal. Thin, light, yet strong enough for support.
Kevin - Luceo Non Uro
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971 |
Quote:
Did you put some sort of bolt or rivet in the corners at the bottom?
No, as the two layers of Plexiglas supports both directions of unwanted sag. On my floppy bags, the bag tops, above the EZ brackets, keeled away from the bike, hence the need for an inner layer of plexi, and the bottoms hung in toward the bike. Kind of like left \ and / right
If my bags had a rigid side, I may have opted for only one layer of Plexiglas.
The good news - they're nice and straight now. The bad news - now that they're nice and straight, I can really see what they look like, and they sure are ugly. 
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Re: Saddlebag reinforcement
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
I riveted my supports to my bags.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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