Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Tool Bag Bracket ideas..

I decided to make a tool bag bracket today out of some 20Ga. stainless I had laying around. The design seems sound, but the 20Ga. is way too thin. There is a lot of flex and bouncing around. Then I remembered the brackets that Phil and others have made up:



What gauge did you use for them and do they flex like what I'm experiencing? I know I need thicker, just wondering how much to keep it rock solid.

Cheers,
Brad

I made mine from 20 gauge, but mine's a large plate about the size of a number plate rather than two strips. It's slightly smaller than the toolbag so it's not visible, however because it's in front of the forks it allowed me to use a couple of "stick on" rubber feet. That braces it against the forks so it can't bounce "downwards" without scratching anything, and the weight of the tools keeps it from bouncing "upwards". I simply drilled some holes in the back of the toolbag and put some bolts with large washers through it so it's hard-mounted to the bracket.

Matt

If you could crimp an edge onto those strips they would be stiffer....

Made the same as you from aluminum (aluminium [Brit.?]), 20 Ga., They cracked and broke from what I think was wind buffeting. I recently replaced with same shape made from painted 1/8" x 3/4" flat bar. Seems far more rigid. Painted black and kept short. Makes them virtually invisible.

That's 1/8" aluminum Brad. Since been modified with more curl on the end and soft rubber pads as I was hitting the fender and marking it. Not hitting anymore.

If I ever change, I will go with 1/8" SS and make them shorter.

As it turns out, I measured the stainless that I used and it is more like 22Ga. (0.032"). From what everyone is saying, it looks like 1/8" (10Ga.???) or thicker is the way to go for a rigid mount that doesn't flex. I had thought about using those little 'rubber feet' like Matt uses, but I want to keep completely off the fork shrouds if possible. If I had access to a metal brake I'd bend a couple of angles into it for stiffness, but all I have is a POS bench vice that's about 40 years old and rusted.

The braces I made help a lot, but hopefully I can redo my original design and get rid of them. I kind of like the two piece design like the ones Phil made up (shown in original post), but was concerned about messing up the fork clamp (from rubbing and vibration) where they go over the front. If I can get some stainless thick enough, the single piece design should do the trick (sans the braces). I sure do envy you guys that have access to a machine shop. Hey Phil, was the bag hitting the fender due to the action of the front forks allowing the fender to push up into the bag, or from the bracket itself flexing?





Cheers,
Brad

My brackets were too long by a couple of pubimeters. Bending the curl a little more and adding soft rubber pads to the bottoms solved the problem.

One thing I noticed was how low your bag is hanging. I am going to bet that it will hit your frnder on severe bumps, even if you have aftermarket springs. The stock travel is a little over 5" so measure up from the fender and that is the lowest the bag can be.

Check out this pic and note how high it's riding:



Here's another shot (although older, it was still after I fixed the hitting issue):

You can mount your tool bag on your footpeg hanger cross over bracket, and then you will not be needing a fabed up bag hanger. Mounted down on the footpeg bracket your toolbag will not block off the air flow to the oilcooler either. Vegas

Being as that spot is in direct line for everything coming off the front tire, I would never put my tools there...

I am going to bet that it will hit your frnder on severe bumps

Hey Phil.. you win that bet.. it does (at least when I went out and jumped on the front end to test it) I hadn't considered that much fork travel when I mounted it, and was more concerned about being able to get into it from the top without the headlight getting in the way.

I've got about 3" between the bottom of the bag and the fender, and about 5 1/2" to the bottom of the bracket itself. Fortunately though, it's just the bag that lays down on the fender and not the bracket, so it shouldn't cause too much (if any) damage as it is. I'll shorten it up on my next 'new and improved' version Now I just got to find a good source for 1/8" or thicker stainless that won't require me to mortgage my home!

Cheers,
Brad

I need a better front on shot but mine is almost touching the headlight and I have no problem accessing the bag and I keep the blow molded case from the Freak in there!

Tad's (bluesbass) horn whacked his fender a couple times. Check it out in his gallery.

Brad and Phil, thanks for the info, you guys did the research and the trials, I just made a bracket with a little bit from both of you. I made mine from 0.050 Aircraft Alclad Aluminum. 2" upper lip, extends down 5" behind the bag. The plate is 6" wide. I drilled 2 holes in the bag and bolted the bag to the plate with 10/32 screws and fiber lock nuts. I will probably paint it(Red of course, match the bike and the fastest color)when the temps get above 50F in the garage. It was too dark in the garage tonight, I'll get the wife to get some pics tomorrow.She's the photographer I'm just the mechanic. Maybe two more weeks and the America will be on the road again.
Steve

Hey Steve.. the 'research and trials' are still ongoing, at least on this end Get them pictures posted! I'm curious as to how your design works for you and how it fits, and how well that 0.050" aluminum supports the bag.

Cheers,
Brad

Hi Brad,
I'm hoping for some decent temps tomorrow to test it out on the road. The Aluminum has enough flex to it but it's rigid. We fix airplanes with it it better work!! I'll get some picks tomorrow also. I try to take the pics outside, the lighting in my garage s@ks. I havent't decided if I am going to use a lower brace between both forks. Hopefully I won't need it. I hate to add any more weight.
Saddlebags & brackets last week, this week a toolbag. and of course the Corbin seats a little heavier. I'll let you know tomorrow.
Steve

I'll get some picks tomorrow also.

Ok, it's the day after tomorrow now

Cheers,
Brad

Brad, sorry for the delay, Saturdays weather was really weird. We had all 4 seasons in one day, snow, sleet, hail, and rain and a little sunshine(Very little). Anyway I posted pictures of the tool bag in my album. I did something stupid also. I tried to paint the thing and the temp was only 40. I know better so now I will have to repaint it basic black or try to find a paint to match the bike. So the paint looks like crap, thats what you get when you try to hurry,4 steps backward. OK, the hardware, the one picture shows the inside of the bag with 10/32 fine thread allen head screws, they will be held on with steel fiber lock nuts. Its kinda hard to see but I also put a piece of metal inside for more backup support. The top bolts are also allenhead bolts which go through the existing holes in the fork brace. These will also be held in place with steel fiber locknuts. I also glued on strips of rubber for a shock mount which also protects the fork support from scratches. I put rubber washers underneath the two large bolts also. I will probably test riding it this week, we are supposed to get 60 degree weather by the end of the week.The bracket saga goes on. I hope this helps some. If you ask nicely I could send you some "Scrap" Aluminum for you to play with. What the Airlines calls scrap, I call gold!!!!
Steve

Nice:



I see you went with the one piece over the top design I was thinking about going over the top, but wanted to minimize the amount of cutting I had to do with the jig saw. You can't really tell from the picture, but the paint looks just fine, although IMHO it might have looked better with just a polished aluminum finish to match the forks and clamp. You didn't mention, but does the bracket flex enough to allow the bag to come in contact with the forks? That's what I'm really looking for, something that is completely rigid without any flex at all. I'll be looking forward to your 'road test' report.

Cheers,
Brad

hung mine on the backrest, if that is any help??? its in the rear outa the way and the wheather and easy to get in and out of. i dont have a rack so luggage isnt a problem as far as it being in the way of that. it looks good to me as it hangs back there where the saddlebags are below it. i just took a couple zip ties and strapped it to the uprights of the backrest above where it widens out. looks a little to h.d.ish hangin out there in the front to me

hung mine on the backrest, if that is any help???

No, it isn't

The set of bags I got off of e-bay had two saddle bags, a front fork bag and a sissy bar bag. But since I do have a luggage rack, the sissy bar bag not only looks a bit funny back there (it sits up higher than the sissy bar due to the rack), but it also gets in the way of anything else you might want to carry on the rack. I'll probably wind up selling it since there really isn't any other place to mount it on the bike.

Cheers,
Brad

Hey Brad,
I went over the top because the fork bracket actually gives it more support to keep it rigid. About the cutting, I cheated, kinda. I have a 8 gallon compressor (90 psi capacity 6 cfm) and I used air tools. I cut out the pieces with a Die grinder cutting wheel and polished up the rough edges with the same die grinder and a scotch brite disc. The cut out only took 10 minutes, it took that long because I was picky and because I got cold, had to go in and get more coffee.I just need to road test it now. Actually worked on the chain yesterday in the driveway, that's how I got the pictures. I still froze, we had a High of 42. I didn't feel like putting on 10 pounds of clothes just for a test ride. Guess I'm getting old, can't stand the cold.

Steve

I guess I could go ahead and cut a notch in the top of my bracket and see how it works over the top instead of mounted under the fork clamp.. It would raise the bag up as well, so maybe that would be enough to keep it off the fender. I'm guessing that the stainless I used will still be a problem though, but it would give me an idea of how it works up there and could serve as a template for a newer one made out of thicker metal.

Cheers,
Brad

Brad,When I get to test drive mine, and I know its going to work, I will send you a piece of Aluminum.Already formed and with the top holes drilled. Is the hole pattern on your forks the same spacing as the America? PM your mailing address. You can buy me a beer in Ga to pay for the postage!
Steve

I originally had my tool bag mounted on the front forks, but after seeing what some others had done, I moved it to the bike frame. It is mounted with 2 1" velcro strips to the vertical frame bars tightly so that the bottom sits on the top parallel horizontal frame bar. It's just above any spray from the front tire. It actually sits with the bottom higher than the front fender. It shows off the raked forks better (also didn't want to cover up the chrome) and works extremely well.

Brad, No test drives this weekend, Thunderstorms and Tornados! Are you sure you miss this part of the country? And the cold weather is coming back this week.
Hope to ride to work Tuesday or Weds.
Steve

Are you sure you miss this part of the country?

I sure miss the countryside and the people up there in the 'heartland'. Those small rural towns are the last remaining holdouts of what America is supposed to be like. I do not however miss the weather. Like you, when I was in Iowa, we were in tornado alley, so if it wasn't the snow and ice, it was the thunderstorms and tornados. Maybe good for growing corn and soy beans, but not for me

I won't even tell you what the weather is like today down here, it would just make you depressed

Cheers,
Brad