Reinstalling Stock Luggage Rack

[huntly2]

I am the new owner of a used 2005 GS and have a question regarding the stock rack. I removed the rack easily to carry some cargo and now cannot reinstall it because the rear bolt and threaded bolt hole do not line up. This is very perplexing to me, when a perceived easy job doesn't work. I think I have all the stock parts, but cannot be sure since the bike is used. When looking down through the rear access hole to the threaded part, the threaded hole is offset towards the front of the bike. What could possibly be wrong?

[marc]

The center rear mounting screw goes through a bushing before screwing into the deck. Perhaps the bushing moved. The bushing is #6 in this diagram.

[huntly2]

Thanks Marc for responding. I do have all the pieces alluded to in the illustration and using them in, I think, the correct and logical order the bolt is centered, but since the threaded hole is not they do not align.

[marc]

The rear center screw goes into a tang welded to a cross bar of the rear sub-frame. It's not something that will easily move.



If you can't see all the threads perhaps the rear support (the grey plastic piece that the rear saddle sits on) has shifted. Just guessing.

[huntly2]

Hello Marc,

I think I have uploaded a photo so that you can see what I see. The plastic deck under the rear seat is aligned properly and can not move when the screws are loosened. I remain perplexed.

[RCH]

Did you try loosening all the screws to align the holes, get all the screws started, then tighten?

[huntly2]

Hello RCH,

I have tried everything. When I initially removed the rack, I was careful to observe the path of the parts, the bolt, washer, spaces and the two bushings. I did not notice if the rack was installed properly. This is a recently purchased used bike and I had no diagram to refer to. When I went to reinstall the rack, I noticed that the bottom bushing, which seems to mate with the bottom of the rack and is lined up flat side to the rack centers the bolt for installation through the center of the hole in the flat plastic deck surface. As you can see in my previous posted picture, the threaded tab where the bolt should align with is not centered. The deck seems to be attached correctly and it seems unlikely that the heavy steel tab has moved. Shown in the photos are the attaching parts in order. Help.

[pdxrmccgs]

It seems I had the same problem some time ago and perplexing it
was. If my memory serves me I first secured the aft mount and
then "bent" the side mounts into position thereby "loading" the
entire mechanism which kind of made sense. In other words Fritz
and his engineers have designed in some "shock absorbing capacity"
using the elasticity of the design material. Actually a bit of genius
engineering.

My remove and replace episode was a little different in that
I did the remove on my brand new bike (09 in Oct 08) and tried to put it back
together within the hour. What finally kicked my memory
into gear was your last picture as I remember looking at the same
"mis-alinement" of the aft mounting hole and thinking it was a manufacturing
error. Since I had just taken it apart I knew it was me and not the machine.

Again I first secured the aft attach point. As I recall I then
pressed down with one hand on the top of the rack
and with the other pulled out and forward with
a grip on the forward mounting leg and it snapped into position and
then I went around to the other side and did the same thing.

In other words you have to use the elasticity of the material and
load it with some compression (I guess) to make the respective mounting
holes align properly.

Hope this helps.

[huntly2]

Hello pdxrmccgs,

Thank you for your advice and I am considering it.

But to my mind, nothing I do to stress the rack will get that threaded tab and the hole in the plastic deck to align and then have all the parts seated properly; there is an error of about .4". With the last bushing seated flat side in its matching recess in the bottom edge of the rack and then inserted through the deck hole forcing the bolt to be dead true, that thread is far away. I am fortunate that I have never known panic.

[pdxrmccgs]

huntley2

I feel your pain. If nobody jumps in I will do the drill on my
bike tomorrow and report back. As I recall it was a real head
scratch as its kind of all right there in front of you and
you would not think it was rocket science.

pd