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[Chains]

Found out today that since I have the extended warranty on my 06,  Harley will replace them for the deductable.  May help someone who does not want to do their own, I made my own brackets two weeks ago so mine is good to go and I believe better than factory.

[tazmun]

Found out today that since I have the extended warranty on my 06,  Harley will replace them for the deductable.  May help someone who does not want to do their own, I made my own brackets two weeks ago so mine is good to go and I believe better than factory.

So how do you know when they break? What are the first signs?

[Chains]

So how do you know when they break? What are the first signs?

My right hand side of the fairing developed a terrible shake even at idle sitting at a light.  We were on a long ride and by the time we got home the LH side broke as well.  From what I have read on this site if you have a late model HD with a bat wing chances are your brackets are either broken already or will.  I would pull the front off the fairing and take a look, it is not a hard DIY if you catch them before they break down lower.

[skreminegul07]

Just went into the fairing to do the rear auxiliary input upgrade to the radio and found the right bracket broken right where it bends to bolt to the inner fairing.  Took a right angle bracket, re-bent it and drilled a new hole.  Then I pop riveted it to the fairing bracket.  It looks like a very difficult job to replace the whole inner fairing bracket.

[grc]

Just went into the fairing to do the rear auxiliary input upgrade to the radio and found the right bracket broken right where it bends to bolt to the inner fairing.  Took a right angle bracket, re-bent it and drilled a new hole.  Then I pop riveted it to the fairing bracket.  It looks like a very difficult job to replace the whole inner fairing bracket.

Not that difficult, but it is time consuming if your clutch line is routed through the middle of the left main bracket like mine was.  I suggest taking a few photo's of the wiring routing before disconnecting everything, just in case you forget how everything was tucked in and zip tied out of the way.

I found that once the main brackets started breaking, they continued to break in different spots.  So while adding brackets to replace the broken off upper pieces works (that's what I did originally), you may find that next year you have to add another "patch" in a different location (I had the main portion of the left bracket crack almost completely through, at the boxed section that becomes the radio mount).  It seems that just about anything we use to make the patches is stronger than the original POS, so the repairs don't break, just a different weak spot on the original breaks.  The original speaker braces were also a total POS - probably not a bad idea anytime someone has the fairing off to just go ahead and replace those with the latest revision.  Those seem to be a sturdier design that might survive more than a year or two.  As for the main brackets, the only part that seems to be improved is the upper attachment area.  The rest of the part is the same configuration and metal gauge as the old part, as best I can tell.

Latest Design Levels:

58938-96C     LH Lwr Inner Frng Brace (Speaker Brace)   $9.25
58939-96C     RH Lwr Inner Frng Brace (Speaker Brace)   $9.25
58478-96B     LH Frng Supprt  (Main Bracket)     $46.00
58479-96B     RH Frng Supprt  (Main Bracket)     $46.00

 
Jerry

[skreminegul07]

Not that difficult, but it is time consuming if your clutch line is routed through the middle of the left main bracket like mine was.  I suggest taking a few photo's of the wiring routing before disconnecting everything, just in case you forget how everything was tucked in and zip tied out of the way.

I found that once the main brackets started breaking, they continued to break in different spots.  So while adding brackets to replace the broken off upper pieces works (that's what I did originally), you may find that next year you have to add another "patch" in a different location (I had the main portion of the left bracket crack almost completely through, at the boxed section that becomes the radio mount).  It seems that just about anything we use to make the patches is stronger than the original POS, so the repairs don't break, just a different weak spot on the original breaks.  The original speaker braces were also a total POS - probably not a bad idea anytime someone has the fairing off to just go ahead and replace those with the latest revision.  Those seem to be a sturdier design that might survive more than a year or two.  As for the main brackets, the only part that seems to be improved is the upper attachment area.  The rest of the part is the same configuration and metal gauge as the old part, as best I can tell.

Latest Design Levels:

58938-96C     LH Lwr Inner Frng Brace (Speaker Brace)   $9.25
58939-96C     RH Lwr Inner Frng Brace (Speaker Brace)   $9.25
58478-96B     LH Frng Supprt  (Main Bracket)     $46.00
58479-96B     RH Frng Supprt  (Main Bracket)     $46.00

 
Jerry

I could see that it would be weak at the 90 degree bend at the fairing, but where else did it break?  I assume you have to remove the fairing cap.  I had a hard time re installing the ignition lock and had to make an alignment tool out of a piece of wood.

[grc]

I could see that it would be weak at the 90 degree bend at the fairing, but where else did it break?  I assume you have to remove the fairing cap.  I had a hard time re installing the ignition lock and had to make an alignment tool out of a piece of wood.

I haven't been able to condition myself to have the camera handy when I do this stuff (photography isn't one of my strong suits), so before I could answer your question I had to dig the old bracket out of the junk pile and take a picture.  The actual crack is highlighted with chalk, it began at the forward edge and as you can see it almost made it to the other edge.

I removed the maxi-fuse, then the fairing cap and the outer fairing.  Then you have to remove the spot light brackets, since the bolts that attach them to the forks also secure the fairing brackets.  Then I removed the cigar lighter socket for access, unplugged all the electrical wiring that runs through the main brackets, removed the radio and the speaker braces, and then fished the main brackets out.  The biggest PITA for me was having to remove the clutch line and fish it out through the opening in the left main bracket.  I understand that some bikes don't have the clutch line routed through the bracket, and if that's the case the whole job would go much smoother.

If you decide in the future to do this, I suggest having the shop manual handy and either a camera or a sketch pad to document wire and cable routing.  It's not terribly complicated, but if you're not used to doing this stuff a picture is worth a thousand "aw craps".

If you remove the black plastic panel under the ignition lock knob when you disassemble and remove the fairing cap, you should have plenty of room to maneuver the cap over the ignition switch stem.  Only replace the black plastic panel after you have reinstalled the cap to the inner fairing, right before you reinstall the knob.

I'm not saying that everyone should replace the main brackets if they have the earlier versions.  If just the top mounting tabs break, the fixes many of us made with small right angle brackets are fine.  But I would suggest a yearly inspection of the entire bracket, just in case you develop the same issue I did.  


Jerry

[skreminegul07]

I haven't been able to condition myself to have the camera handy when I do this stuff (photography isn't one of my strong suits), so before I could answer your question I had to dig the old bracket out of the junk pile and take a picture.  The actual crack is highlighted with chalk, it began at the forward edge and as you can see it almost made it to the other edge.

I removed the maxi-fuse, then the fairing cap and the outer fairing.  Then you have to remove the spot light brackets, since the bolts that attach them to the forks also secure the fairing brackets.  Then I removed the cigar lighter socket for access, unplugged all the electrical wiring that runs through the main brackets, removed the radio and the speaker braces, and then fished the main brackets out.  The biggest PITA for me was having to remove the clutch line and fish it out through the opening in the left main bracket.  I understand that some bikes don't have the clutch line routed through the bracket, and if that's the case the whole job would go much smoother.

If you decide in the future to do this, I suggest having the shop manual handy and either a camera or a sketch pad to document wire and cable routing.  It's not terribly complicated, but if you're not used to doing this stuff a picture is worth a thousand "aw craps".

If you remove the black plastic panel under the ignition lock knob when you disassemble and remove the fairing cap, you should have plenty of room to maneuver the cap over the ignition switch stem.  Only replace the black plastic panel after you have reinstalled the cap to the inner fairing, right before you reinstall the knob.

I'm not saying that everyone should replace the main brackets if they have the earlier versions.  If just the top mounting tabs break, the fixes many of us made with small right angle brackets are fine.  But I would suggest a yearly inspection of the entire bracket, just in case you develop the same issue I did.  


Jerry

Wow, that looks like FrankenFairing bracket!  Are you kidding me.  From the piece that broke off, the steel is very thin, but the powder coat makes it twice as thick.  I'll just reinforce the top piece, as I already made a bracket as in your picture.  My clutch cable does not go through the brackets.  As you said, it's one of those jobs that you get the parts first and then do not stop or you will forget where things go. 
Thanks for the picture.

[tazmun]

 I'm thinking HD has really farted up here!!!! Lets see how many
people per model year have had this problem!!!
I just got a notice in the mail a few days ago where all the lawnmower
and garden tractor companies got a "class action lawsuit" because they
had horsepower listed that was incorrect. Seems everyone that bought
one during a period of time would get a check. Cost those mfg companies
"tons" of money.
HD has been building the "bat" fairing a VERY long time, and should NEVER
have these kind of problems.

[grc]

I'm thinking HD has really farted up here!!!! Lets see how many
people per model year have had this problem!!!
I just got a notice in the mail a few days ago where all the lawnmower
and garden tractor companies got a "class action lawsuit" because they
had horsepower listed that was incorrect. Seems everyone that bought
one during a period of time would get a check. Cost those mfg companies
"tons" of money.
HD has been building the "bat" fairing a VERY long time, and should NEVER
have these kind of problems.

Yeah, I got the class action thing on the lawnmowers too.  Seems like much ado over nothing; I mean who cares if the advertised HP wasn't accurate, the friggin' lawnmower did the job just fine, and all the mowers had the same inaccurate ratings.  I've also received them for diamond jewelry, Sears clothes dryers, etc. over the years.  It does seem a little strange how the lawyers jump all over everything but the Harley crap.  There's enough defective stuff with Harley to keep a decent sized firm busy for the next 20 years.

The current batwing bracketry was originally released in 1996, so yes you really would think they could have gotten it right a long time ago.  The latest revisions represent the fourth update on the speaker braces, and the third update on the main brackets.  I doubt all those revisions were to fix the cheap design and materials to prevent breakage, more likely they were changes to holes or weld studs for mounting of connectors or other stuff.  If all those revisions were supposed to eliminate the breakage, then I certainly hope that engineer has been fired for gross incompetence.


Jerry

[skreminegul07]

I'm sure HD would reply that adding extra weight in the form of non HD accessories, ie Radio Amps, Larger speakers, HID ballasts, and other items exceeded the design specifications and therefore you are on your own.
 

[tazmun]

I'm sure HD would reply that adding extra weight in the form of non HD accessories, ie Radio Amps, Larger speakers, HID ballasts, and other items exceeded the design specifications and therefore you are on your own.
 

    I would agree, but I think "way more" broke to people that don't change a thing.
But here again, owners take it upon themselves to fix the "FU's"!! Thats just WRONG PEOPLE!!!!

[grc]

Zero mods to the fairing or contents in my case, so H-D can blame it on a full moon or some other BS like they normally do.  As Phil pointed out, once you scrape off the paint/powder coat, the thickness of the actual metal doesn't inspire confidence.  And a first year rookie engineer knows better than to just put a sharp bend in that thin metal at an attachment point and think it's going to survive in an environment that includes lots of vibration as well as loading from windshield related forces.  This stuff stopped surprising me a long time ago.  I fully expect stuff to break, thus I tend to pay more attention to everything when I do the maintenance.  With most modern vehicles, you can blow off many of the "recommmended" maintenance inspections.  Do so with a Harley at your own peril.


Jerry

[skreminegul07]

Spot on as usual, Jerry.  We must be very aware of the nuances of our bikes and always perform routine checks for things that loosen, wear and leak. I went to get a safety inspection for my FXR and found out that my rear stoplight switch is bad.  Tomorrow's project.

I was at R&R cycles (nice shop) on Monday discussing TC88 upgrades and the service manager said these bikes were designed for the majority of people who don't actually intend to ride a lot of miles.  On this site, you tend to see our own flavor of the 1%ers.