FXDWG Tail Light ASSy. always coming loose

[huhwhyn]

[align=left] I just found this site while looking for a front fender, so this is my first post. I've been reading a lot of posts to get an idea of the site, and joined because it sounds like a wide range of riders use it. And I need help. Well, at least my doctor says so.

I have a 1996 wide glide that has had only one chronic problem since I bought it 12 years ago. The rear taillight assembly keeps coming loose. I found a way of keeping those speed nuts on for long haul rides, but sooner or later they come loose (usually about every 1000 miles). On one ride, they were tight on a pre-ride check and broke somewhere on the highway. Imagine my surprise when I did a pre-ride check the following morning and found out my brake light wasn't working because the entire assemble had fallen off.

This seems like the biggest design flaw I have ever encountered and the "boys" at HD won't help. I have searched for a long time and found no aftermarket assembly that uses something better than speed nuts. Am I the only person in America with this problem? The dealers insist they have not encountered this.

Can anyone help me? I am planning on a 2-3 month ride this summer and I would love to find something with nuts. No, not for the ride; for the taillight.

Aloha,
Huhwhyn

"Act your shoe size, not your age."

[04_SuperGlide]

Did you try Loctite? Red for non removable-blue for removable. I'm guessing the speed nuts have the threads cut to loose and are just backing off. Are the studs molded into the light assembly or can they be replaced? I sympathize with ya though-it's the little things that can drive ya nuts
Oh yeah, welcome to the site. This is the place to come for an answer.

[wreckerman]

have a bud that has the same bike and the same issues , lock tight , star washers with the teeth, is about all you can do , short of revamping the whole set up..

[huhwhyn]

Wow! Thanks for replying to my post so quickly. I did not want to go into too much detail on the original post. You are right about the speednuts backing off. I even bought new speed nuts (twice) in the hope they would cut a tighter thread into the tapered posts of the taillight assembly. By the way, pounding a speed nut with a hammer when you are pissed about your situation is not a good thing. Here are some of the things I have tried.

Locktite (both types) does not work. Marine and other epoxies that harden do not work. Vibration seems to be the problem with any material that hardens after application. And epoxy is also a bitch to remove after failure.

I have replaced the taillight housing about 4-5 times (including the time when it jumped to its death on the freeway). The dealer mechanics are just a bunch of dweebs and really aren't into solutions. They're just part changers (except for Chase at South Seas Harley in Waipahu). But even he has no answer for this dilemma. I should tell you that I was a factory trained VW mechanic in my yout'. Bunch of wussy mechanics nowadays aren't even allowed to weld in most shops. But you can wait 2 weeks until a new muffler bracket shows up from the mainland, can't you?

Here is what has worked. I used bathtub caulk (waterproof) under the speednut before tightening down against the bracket. I even added a second speednut above the first after applying caulk to the underside of the nut. Both of these solutions seem to work equally well. The additional nut doesn't seem to improve the situation and just makes things a bit more difficult when the assembly eventually loosens.

And thats the rub. Eventually loosens. If I could just find a taillight assembly that would accept aircraft nuts, my life would be a joy (I have a rather simple life at times).

Again, thanks for the reply. If I am able to solve this #%^@%&* HD design flaw, I vow to pay for membership to this site.



"Act your shoe size, not your age."

[scooby_postie]

First welcome to HCG from AUS
Have you thought of an after market tail light with bolts instead of speed nuts
this one I found on ebay although I am not sure of your rear guard width or you could run a cats eye or simular

[huhwhyn]

I might test some new sizes of star washers again. If it worked for one person.....

On the other hand, the bolt-on tail light assembly is what I have spent a long time seeking. The biggest problem is that it needs to fit a Wide Glide, not just a dyna. Where have you seen the bolt-on assembly for sale? I thought I had viewed every on-line catalog by now.

[scooby_postie]

I might test some new sizes of star washers again. If it worked for one person.....

On the other hand, the bolt-on tail light assembly is what I have spent a long time seeking. The biggest problem is that it needs to fit a Wide Glide, not just a dyna. Where have you seen the bolt-on assembly for sale? I thought I had viewed every on-line catalog by now.

Like I said Try ebay
here is a link
http://stores.ebay.com.au/HDBITZ-BIR...4Q2em158QQtZkm

[Nitram_b4]

try cleaning the post and run the nuts on and apply silicone on the post and nuts

[Brent]

I own one of those fabulous machines (1996 Dyna Wide Glide). While it is a fun ride, it has been a handful to keep going. There are actually several problems with the Dyna's made from 1991 to 1998. These problems include, but are not limited to: a solid mounted transmission coupled to a two point rubber mounted motor. If you put any aftermarket performance parts on these bikes to increase engine power, problems WILL occur. The fix is to install a Carlini Torque arm or a HD race brace. The problems associated with a flexible motor coupled to a solid mounted tranny can be anywhere from minor problems (breaking off exhaust pipe studs when the engine "flexes" under power) to major problems (cracking the engine cases).

Another massive issue occurred in the 1993 models (all Harley models) when Harley decided to shitcan the original inner cam bearing (Torrington) in favor of an inferior 19 needle inner cam bearing manufactured by INA. The bearing from INA consists of nylon needle separators which will eventually wear out, causing the needles the cam rides on to clump up. As you can imagine, this scenario would be bad. This was a BIG issue about fourteen years ago when Harley had many bikes fail due to this bearing. Harley denied, and never fixed, the problem. Cam failure on the highway equals engine case death, which was about a 5,000 dollar fix back then. The INA bearing replaced a superior 29 needle inner cam bearing made by Torrington and used by Harley for many years. The fix is to replace the INA bearing with a Torrington bearing (the Torrington I bought retailed for about five dollars, so this isn't a huge cost). You need tools for the job, but most decent Harley type shops can either rent em to you, or you can purchase them online. Tools include a bearing puller and a bearing installer.

Then comes the tail light issue. This is why I decided to post on here, sharing my experiences. The tail light housing is an aluminum cast body which fits into a plastic license plate bracket. There are two aluminum posts which go through the license plate bracket housing. These posts are where the speed nuts attach. Whoever the engineer on this project was obviously didn't understand aluminum studs and the vibration associated with a running evo engine don't mix so well. I tried many things before I finally figured out how to fix the problem. Loctite simply cannot work, because there isn't enough contact area between a speed nut and the threaded stud in the tail light housing. Using a die to cut grooves into the aluminum post so you can attach a real nut works for a while, but the stud will eventually drop the nut. The fix - take a pair of large pliers and bend the stud back and forth a few times. When it breaks off, take a punch and hammer, and make an indention in the middle of where the stud was located. This will allow you to drill a hole through the tail light bracket which corresponds with the original studs. Next, take some bolts which will fit through the holes you made and bolt the tail light housing to the license plate bracket. Be sure to use washers before you put a nut on the newly installed bolts, otherwise the nut will be seated directly against the plastic license plate bracket. This could become a problem later on, so just use some common sense and use a lockwasher and a flat washer together. Problem solved for under five dollars.