Left passanger peg bolt keeps breaking, now at my wits end.

[Blackie_]

I have an 09 FLSTC


I'm at the point now that I have thrown in the towel, don't know which way to turn now, this is the 4th bolt to break on the left rear passenger peg,

Shortly after I got the bike, I added rear bag guards in which I had to extend the peg bolts by about 3/4 to 1" along with having to add a saddle bag relocation kit for both sides of the bike, the left side is the only side I've had to deal with, the first three bolts were factory bolts, I then after those kept breaking I went to a local Bolts shop and told the guy what my problem was what it was doing and that I kept breaking bolts so he gave me a harden steel bolt which was a black bolt it just broke in my hand as I was trying to put the peg down for a lady to ride, needless to say we didn't get to go on our ride.

Thanks for the help

 

[Breeze3at]

Bolt heads are marked for hardness grade. no dashes = std. 3 dashes = grade 5, 5 dashes= grade 8 which is just about the hardest. I don't know why your bolts are breaking so easily. Try grade 8 if your black one didn't have the dashes on top.

 

[Rubyred]

Grade 8 bolts are very brittle because they are very hard. I don't believe this is the problem. Something is causing these bolts to break and I would use a softer grade bolt that is less prone to fracture after you find what kind of stress is being put on the bolt. Is the bolt you are using threaded all the way to the head? If that is what you are using try a smooth shaft or maybe a sleeve over the bolt. Do you have any pictures of the application you are using these on. I know it is the footboard but can we see it? Thanks.

 

[Blackie_]

First thanks for all the replies

Pictures included. the last picture shows the right side of the bike.

If I'm not mistaking I'm pretty sure that's what the salesmen sold me were grade 8 bolts.

The bolts are breaking pretty much at the same point where the rear bag guard meets the frame at vibration perhaps? when I reached down to push the peg down for the lady to get on snap, it was just ready to break and I'm glad it broke in my hand and not on the highway with her on it.

this is the left side of the bike, never had any problems with this side.

 

[Blackie_]

After some research, I found a PDF that shows the bag relocation bracket and the chrome bag guard positioned on the back side of the female bolt hole on the frame nutted on the back side, which if this is the case the finger points at me, *bows head in shame* I just hope if that is the case it would/should solve the problem.

 

[bc45]

It is hard to tell but in the pictures of the side that keeps breaking is that rust on the braket where the bolt is breaking? If it is it usually means that the 2 parts are moving on each other, which indicates that they are not tight. could the bolt or stud be bottoming before the parts are all the way tight/

 

[Bodeen]

After some research, I found a PDF that shows the bag relocation bracket and the chrome bag guard positioned on the back side of the female bolt hole on the frame nutted on the back side, which if this is the case the finger points at me, *bows head in shame* I just hope if that is the case it would/should solve the problem.

You are on to something with that. That bag bracket creates a ton of vibration and being on the outboard side of the bolt would make it worse. Putting inboard allows the hole in the frame to carry the weight and vibration instead of the bolt.

 

[Blackie_]

Changes are now made, events that took place, I took the needed parts with me to local Harley got some insight but already knew what I needed, I did how ever entertain buying some rear boards but after seeing that $250.00 price the ladies will have to make due with the 1/4 boards they didn't have the bolts I needed so I went to the local bolt shop and bought the needed bolts 1/2 longer then the ones I had as they were to short, came back home torn down and made the corrections on both sides, I should now have two points of stress on the back side and what ever else on the front side makes since that this should fix the problem. Since the bolts were longer I had to use washers as shims to hold for the time being, I'll swap them out for some black washers or either paint the ones I have black, I'm thinking a black magic marker for a temp fix.