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[trot]

Has anyone had trouble wiyh Bitubos rubbing the inside of the saddlebags (see pic)., if so how did you cure it?.
Also at the moment the bitubo cylinders are at the top, can they be fitted the other way up? (see pic).

[trot]

Pic 2

[Gecko]

They can be mounted any way, cylinders up or down, forward or back, whatever works best for you.  I had to change spacers around to clear the bags on my SERK.

[trot]

They can be mounted any way, cylinders up or down, forward or back, whatever works best for you.  I had to change spacers around to clear the bags on my SERK.

Are yours this way up ? and do you mean the inside spacers on the bitubos if so the space looks pretty tight between the cylinder and the chrome rails and also between the spring and the brake calipers on the offside?
trot

[sadunbar]

They are intended to be mounted with the reservoir mounted up.  (sprung weight is better than unsprung weight)  You can always space your bags out a bit to provide the clearance you need...   








edit to say - sprung weight is better than unsprung weight - stated this assbackwards in my initial post!!

[16HD117]

I think some people (Chief for one) are inverting the Bitubos to fix the clearence problem with the saddle bags.

Here's an old thread with info that might help you:

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=13951.45

 

[trot]

I think some people (Chief for one) are inverting the Bitubos to fix the clearence problem with the saddle bags.

Here's an old thread with info that might help you:

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=13951.45

 

Thanks this seems to be the answer.
Trot

[porthole]

I had them mounted like Chief does (below). There was one spot where they did rub a bit, but they don't anymore, they are sitting on a shelf

[16HD117]

I had them mounted like Chief does (below). There was one spot where they did rub a bit, but they don't anymore, they are sitting on a shelf

Why did you take um off?

[porthole]

Remove saddlebags
adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound

Add tourpak and load up for a trip

Remove saddlebags
adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound

Add passenger and her stuff and load up for a trip

Remove saddlebags
adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound

Get to location, remove all gear and tourpak

Remove saddlebags
adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound

don't worry about adjusting day to day in case the BSR chooses not to go, just keep it adjusted for her.

Pack up to go home

adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound


Get home, remove BSR, gear and tourpak

Remove saddlebags
adjust preload
adjust compression
adjust rebound

See a pattern here?

And don't forget, you are supposed to test ride in between the preload, compression and rebound changes, not all 3 at once.

Or, Howie's recommendation is to just find the ride with the bike set up for the heaviest load.
What good is that?

Besides, of the three aftermarket shocks I have now tried I believe they are all made for riders that weigh above 200 pounds. I have yet to get a good ride with any of the tree with just me on the bike and no extras. Load it up (passenger and gear) and I can get a decent ride with any of the 3.

[geezerglide]

Porthole,

You have a PM.

geezerglide

[trot]

They are intended to be mounted with the reservoir mounted up.  (unsprung weight is better than sprung weight)  You can always space your bags out a bit to provide the clearance you need...   

Think you could be wrong here see Dans reply ..
Trot
Dave,

 

Glad you like the ride now.

 

Notice that with the shock mounted the way you have them, the sticker on the reservoir is now upside down. Bitubo actually intended for them to be mounted upside down for this application. The shock is a gas charged shock, the oil is separated from the nitrogen with a floating piston. The shock can be mounted either way. On some applications, depending on the bags, you have better clearance with the shock mounted “upside down” and with the resi in the front. Most of the hard bags work best with the shock mounted “upside down” and with the resi in the back.

 

The mounting instructions with the shock could be better, sorry about that.

 

Best regards,

Dan

 

==============================

Dan Anderson

Internet Sales

Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.

Suspension Innovation Is Our Passion...

[porthole]

For those that have already sent or are thinking about asking - I am not ready to sell the Bitubo's, or the Progressive's, or the Arnott's. But I do have a pair of junk factory air shocks available (lowered)

[sadunbar]

Think you could be wrong here see Dans reply ..
Trot
Dave,

 

Glad you like the ride now.

 

Notice that with the shock mounted the way you have them, the sticker on the reservoir is now upside down. Bitubo actually intended for them to be mounted upside down for this application. The shock is a gas charged shock, the oil is separated from the nitrogen with a floating piston. The shock can be mounted either way. On some applications, depending on the bags, you have better clearance with the shock mounted “upside down” and with the resi in the front. Most of the hard bags work best with the shock mounted “upside down” and with the resi in the back.

 

The mounting instructions with the shock could be better, sorry about that.

 

Best regards,

Dan

 

==============================

Dan Anderson

Internet Sales

Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.

Suspension Innovation Is Our Passion...

Actually, I think what Dan is saying when he states "Bitubo actually intended for them to be mounted upside down for this application" is the shocks are mounted "upside down" on baggers because they provide more clearance to the hard bags when mounted "upside down" - and he further states the shocks will function either way.  I would have no argument with either of those statements.  They do provide more clearance when mounted upside down, and the shocks will function perfectly well mounted either direction.  However, mounting the shocks "upside down" produces more "unsprung weight", which is evil as compared to sprung weight.  Shocks with external reservoirs, on any performance bike, or race car for that matter, are always mounted with the reservoir "up", to reduce unsprung weight.  The shocks can be mounted "reservoir up", but it takes a bit of work to space your bags out and to space the shocks for sufficient clearance.  But, as Dan states, they will function fine either way, and when mounted upside down, they provide more clearance for the bags without need for the extra work of spacing the bags...  So, I think we are agreeing....

[porthole]

I can't see how little weight we are talking about will make any difference that we could actually feel with these bikes (unsprung weight).

Mounted "upside down the decal is right side up, the chrome is up and the smaller end is up, which is what you need on the baggers if you have the docking hardware.

[Gecko]

Weight! On a Harley!  A Bagger even. 

[16HD117]

Weight! On a Harley!  A Bagger even. 

Exactly!

I can see where unsprung weight would be an issue if we were talking about something heavy like steel wheels compared to alloys.  But two shock reservoirs can't weigh much over a pound!

[mr_magoo]

I just shimmed the top saddlebag mount out a bit and solved the problem.

[rheiner]

I have a serious problem with my Bitubos. About 2-3 weeks ago I bought a set of Bitubos from Dan at Traxxion Dynamics. I mounted mine upside down with the reservoir facing rear on my 2009 SEUC4 like most other people have and what was suggested to me by Traxxion.

I took my saddlegags off and found contact wear, both sides. It's wearing way into the plastic of the saddlebag, especially the left side and has taken a lot of the metal off both of the Bitubo reservoirs, too, right at the top. Not a pretty situation and it goes to say, even if I removed these shocks, my saddlebags will remain damaged. I'm guessing on the left side the saddlebad is worn at least half way through, maybe more, and I have no idea how close I am to bursting the Bitubo reserviors. I attached several pictures below with commentary in between the pictures when there is something noteworthy.

I have a voicemail into Traxxion but being it's the weekend, they are closed. I'm not riding the bike with these until there is a solution and if one doesn't exist they are coming off. I was told by Traxxion that these will fit but clearly for my particular model, 2009 CVO SEUC4, that doesn't appear to be the case.

I bought the 13 inch Bitubos based upon Traxxion's recommendation for my bike. I've got about 5/8 inch preload. Here are some pictures with commentary:

 



The first few pictures show the installation then following you can see the wear on the reservoirs and the saddlebags, both sides. The left is worse than the right side.



























Here's the left side.












Here is the top mount picture the next day after I discovered the damage and I flipped the reservoirs to face forward to see if that might be a solution.







Here is the bottom mount with the spacer between the shock and the frame. In this picture I have the reservoir facing forward but still on the bottom.







Here the reservoir is flipped around facing forward, and the saddlebag fits, but if the shock compresses there isn't a groove or setback the entire height of the saddlebag to avoid the reservoir hitting the saddlebag.







The problem with the reservoir facing forward is the liklihood of the latch lock wire being sheared off as well as shearing more of the saddlebag like what occurs if the reservoir is facing rear. The wear on the right is with the reservoir mounted bottom and rear. If I flip it facing forward you can see what will happen: more saddlebag wear, reservoir metal wear, and the wire will get sheared off.







Here is a picture of the shock installed with the bottom spacer removed which will give more clearance between the reservoir and the saddlebag. But this distorts the angle between the top and bottom of the shock (without bottom spacer installed).

The other obvious problem is the contact occurs closer to the top of the saddlebag, not the bottom.

Moreover, with this configuration, the bolt does not have the spacer "sleve" that goes into the shock mount between the bike frame and the shock to keep the bolt tightly fitted against the shock mount. This problem can easily be solved by Traxxion if they supply a sleve just like the one on the bolt side but without the spacer attached to it. These sleves only go half way into the shock mount so two sleves are needed, one for each side. But I'm not convinced creating more clearance room for the shock at the bottom will solve the problem.







One possible solution to taking off the spacer from the bottom is to redesign the top of the shock (when I say top, I mean with the reservoir in the down position facing to the rear). One member on this cvoharley site told me in a PM he took the rubber bushing off of the top of the Bitubo and slid the top mount of the Bitubo over the black protruding 3/4 inch OD bolt stud and then took the spacer off the bottom and the clearance problem was solved and the shocks lined up the way they were supposed to.

This is a possibility but the bike wasn't designed to have shocks mounted this way. Furthermore, I wouldn't want to do this myself because (a) I don't know how easy it is to force out the rubber bushing on the Bitubo and don't want to damage it, (b) I don't want to take redesigning or engineering into my own hands potentially voiding any warranties by the HD MoCo and by Traxxion, and (c) once the rubber bushing is removed the diameter of the Bitubo hole is 1 inch so it's too big for the 3/4 inch protruding stud.

I can't believe I'm the only one that's had this problem on a 2009 CVO UC. Maybe it's because I went on a ride that really tested the shocks. I weigh 200 pounds and my passenger weighs 160 pounds and we had 25 pounds of luggage so the shocks got compression testing rather than just fitting tightly in the indent of the saddlebag.

I'm anxious to hear what Traxxion has to say about the shocks and the damage to my bike.

Randall

[04se103]

I just had these installed two weeks ago at Traxxion put about 400 miles on them last week no rubs.Dan said that the Bitubos where installed up side down like in the picture so they would not rub checked them today mine are quarter inch from the saddle bags.

[04se103]

top veiw

[rheiner]

top veiw

You have a different model than mine. I see you have detachable hardware for a sissy bar or tour pack and you don't have automatic locking saddlebags with a wire coming out on top of the Bitubo reservoir.

Randall

[trot]

You have a different model than mine. I see you have detachable hardware for a sissy bar or tour pack and you don't have automatic locking saddlebags with a wire coming out on top of the Bitubo reservoir.

Randall

Randall, I have had a very similar problem and I have now had the Bitubos in more positions than Paris Hilton.
As you can see from my first post I started with them at the top and to the rear and they rubbed like mad. I then moved them to the bottom and to the rear and you can see from the following pics that they rubbed just as bad.
I have now moved them to the front at the bottom and they had 1/4ins clearance (see pic). I have also put a 1/8ins spacer behind the upper front bag fixing bracket which now gives 3/8ins clearance between the Bitubo and the bag.
The bike looks just the same cosmetically. Also the bitubo is slightly lower down on the front than on the rear bacause of the angle of the shocker on the bike so I dont think the bag locking wires will be an issue. I havent ridden it yet because of the weather but i am pretty confident that it will be o.k.I will let you know as soon as the weather clears up.
Having said all that for the amount of money these Bitubos cost we should not have to be doing mods to make them fit especially after having been told that they are "plug and play" so like you i am waiting to hear what Dan at Traxxion has to say about the problem.   

 

[trot]

Before shimming

[trot]

After shimming

[trot]

After shimming

[rheiner]

After shimming

How do you shim the front connector on the saddlebag and have the pin long enough to latch into the wire? I've thought about that but like you, I was told these are plug and play and I was not counting on shimming here and there to make them work. And what if it looks like you have clearance until the shock fully comresses and then you notice your latch wire got sheared off? I've talked to Traxxion today and they are looking in to it.

Randall

[trot]

How do you shim the front connector on the saddlebag and have the pin long enough to latch into the wire? I've thought about that but like you, I was told these are plug and play and I was not counting on shimming here and there to make them work. And what if it looks like you have clearance until the shock fully comresses and then you notice your latch wire got sheared off? I've talked to Traxxion today and they are looking in to it.

Randall

Take off the bag bracket and the bracket that holds the pillion grab strap.,. (They are held on by the same bolt ).,And put the spacer between the brackets and the frame.
Trot

[rheiner]

I spoke with Mike at Traxxion today and he was a pleasure to work with. He carefully read my post and met with Dan and their in-house technition and came up with some options that I think will work. The most impressive option that demonstrated Traxxion's integrity and customer service, which I do not want to do, was to offer me a full refund and I return the shocks.

He suggested I mount the shocks with the reservoir forward and down and shim the front connector of the saddlebag. Traxxion says the reservoirs tend to move in toward the wheel when the shock is compressed in this position, and with the reservoirs in the rear of the shock, they tend to move away from the wheel toward the saddlebag when the shock is compressed.

I bought 1 inch long bolts (3/4 inch is stock) and shimmed the front saddlebag connectors a full 1/4 inch. The bags seemed to fit well and no problems with the look. After shimming, on the right saddlebag, as best as I can judge, I have about 3/8 inch space between the reservoir and the flat portion of the saddlebag (not the indent portion), which all looks good. For some reason, on the left saddlebag, even with the 1/4 inch shim, I only have about 3/16 inch clearance, but since it is on the flat portion of the saddlebag, I think I'll be fine especially if the reservoirs tend to move toward the wheel.

I will have to do one more mod though to make it work. I'm going to have to move the wire for the automatic latch connectors. The left saddlebag will shear the wire if the shock fully compresses. This shouldn't be a big problem though. I just need to move it away from the line of the stroke of the reservoir and put a small rubber plug in the old hole and I should be good to go.

One other issue I brought up with Mike that installers of these Bitubos might want to seriously consider: The upper and lower bolts to mount the shocks are both 2 inch and you reuse the HD bolts. However, with the 1/2 inch spacer that is installed on the bottom of the bike frame, you only get 1/2 inch of thread in the bike frame for the lower mount. I went and bought 2 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts to replace the bottom bolts for both shocks so I get a full inch of bolt thread to hold the shocks in place when torqued to 40 ft. lbs. While I was at it, I also replaced the upper bolts with 2 inch grade 8 bolts.

After I move the latch wires I'll give the bike a thorough test of the shocks and hopefully confirm no new wear or contact between the reservoirs and the saddlebags.

Randall

[trot]

I spoke with Mike at Traxxion today and he was a pleasure to work with. He carefully read my post and met with Dan and their in-house technition and came up with some options that I think will work. The most impressive option that demonstrated Traxxion's integrity and customer service, which I do not want to do, was to offer me a full refund and I return the shocks.

He suggested I mount the shocks with the reservoir forward and down and shim the front connector of the saddlebag. Traxxion says the reservoirs tend to move in toward the wheel when the shock is compressed in this position, and with the reservoirs in the rear of the shock, they tend to move away from the wheel toward the saddlebag when the shock is compressed.

I bought 1 inch long bolts (3/4 inch is stock) and shimmed the front saddlebag connectors a full 1/4 inch. The bags seemed to fit well and no problems with the look. After shimming, on the right saddlebag, as best as I can judge, I have about 3/8 inch space between the reservoir and the flat portion of the saddlebag (not the indent portion), which all looks good. For some reason, on the left saddlebag, even with the 1/4 inch shim, I only have about 3/16 inch clearance, but since it is on the flat portion of the saddlebag, I think I'll be fine especially if the reservoirs tend to move toward the wheel.

I will have to do one more mod though to make it work. I'm going to have to move the wire for the automatic latch connectors. The left saddlebag will shear the wire if the shock fully compresses. This shouldn't be a big problem though. I just need to move it away from the line of the stroke of the reservoir and put a small rubber plug in the old hole and I should be good to go.

One other issue I brought up with Mike that installers of these Bitubos might want to seriously consider: The upper and lower bolts to mount the shocks are both 2 inch and you reuse the HD bolts. However, with the 1/2 inch spacer that is installed on the bottom of the bike frame, you only get 1/2 inch of thread in the bike frame for the lower mount. I went and bought 2 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts to replace the bottom bolts for both shocks so I get a full inch of bolt thread to hold the shocks in place when torqued to 40 ft. lbs. While I was at it, I also replaced the upper bolts with 2 inch grade 8 bolts.

After I move the latch wires I'll give the bike a thorough test of the shocks and hopefully confirm no new wear or contact between the reservoirs and the saddlebags.

Randall

Randall, Gave mine a good 120mile test today without moving the latch wires and they work perfectly using roads designed to test them to their limits
Trot

[rheiner]

I moved my wire door latches today on my saddlebags so I'm ready to test the Bitubos with the reservoirs facing forward and down. Like I said in a prior post above, even though I shimmed the front saddlebag connectors on both bags 1/4 inch, it looks like I have only 1/8 to 3/16 inches of clearance between the saddlebag and reservoir on the left side but more on the right side. The cover to replace the old wire hole sticks out slightly less than 1/16 inch. The grommet and wire for the latching system sticks out 3/16 to 1/4 inch so I'm quite sure I would have sheared my wire clean off on the left side if I didn't move it notwithstanding the shimming. Here are my pictures. The 2nd picture focuses on top of the reservoir and the replacement cover is somewhat blurred, but you can see it was right in line with the stroke of the Bitubo reservoir. Hopefully this solves my clearance issues and provides guidance to those that want to put these shocks on a SEUC4.

Randall










Here is the left side after shimming front saddlebag connector 1/4 inch away from bike frame. You can see the reservoir in focus and the plug I put in the old wire location is slightly out of focus, but it should be clear to viewers I needed to move it. Either my bags and bike are slightly different than Trot's bike or my Bitubo reservoir on the left side sticks out toward the bag a bit more than other manufactured Bitubos. My right side I'm getting clearance like Trot's bike.







Below in this picture the reflection is the top of the reservoir on the left side and the old wire cover is in focus. It looks like it will barely clear. If the reservoirs in the down and forward position have a tendency to move in toward the wheel upon shock compression like Traxxion says, I'll be in good shape.

[Black Diamond]

Randall

Have you stuffed your saddlebags to capacity to flex them out some? Does the fit seem to be ok now? For this kind of money, they should fit without having to do mods.

JW

[PR3VS56]

Thanks for all the trial/error with fit.  I have a set waiting to be installed. 

I also spoke with TD about the reservoir -- it makes absolutely no difference up, down, or sideways.  You could have a remote reservoir in an alternate location to provide the same benefit.  All the reservoir does is allow for expansion of the oil when hot in order to retain same dampening characteristics hot or cold.  That's it.  The reservoir has an air pressured piston that will allow for expansion or contraction of the fluid.  It's just air pressure holding the oil firm in the reservoir (air on 1 side of the piston, oil on the other).  Gravity has no measurable effect. 

[Twolanerider]

For this kind of money, they should fit without having to do mods.

JW

The shocks were never designed with our bikes in mind.  We use the proper length because we can and because the shocks work well as a suspension item.  The European manufacturer was never building with Harley baggers in mind though.  That's on us.

[rheiner]

Randall

Have you stuffed your saddlebags to capacity to flex them out some? Does the fit seem to be ok now? For this kind of money, they should fit without having to do mods.

JW

Yes, I've loaded the bike down and tested full flex and compression of the shocks to the point of bottoming out. They're working for me now, no rubbing on the saddlebags but I don't know what would happen if I took the 1/4 inch shims off the front saddlebag connector.

Randall

[Black Diamond]

The shocks were never designed with our bikes in mind.  We use the proper length because we can and because the shocks work well as a suspension item.  The European manufacturer was never building with Harley baggers in mind though.  That's on us.

I hear that Don. I really like what I've read from everyone with the Bitubos. However...I just can see me parting with that much molla when my insensitive butts been riding for going on 35 year on whatever is on the bike. Glad I'm ignorant to what it could be!   

Yes, I've loaded the bike down and tested full flex and compression of the shocks to the point of bottoming out. They're working for me now, no rubbing on the saddlebags but I don't know what would happen if I took the 1/4 inch shims off the front saddlebag connector.

Randall

Glad you got her fixed. May you have many miles and smiles.

JW

[hdnut]

So what way should the canister be ,front or facing back on a 2004 SEEG?

[PR3VS56]

So what way should the canister be ,front or facing back on a 2004 SEEG?

They told me forward because it has a tendency to torque in if it's forward (out toward the bags if toward the rear).

[hdnut]

Thank You!! I'm dropping off my bike tomarrow to get the Bitubo's and the Ricor fork upgrade. And I can't wait!!!!

[hdnut]

Won't be able to pick the bike up until Saturday , so i will update You guy's than or Sunday morning!

[hdnut]

I picked up my SEEG today and it rides great!!! The Bitubos and the Ricor fork upgrades work nice together!!!