Saddlebag construction?

[Snaggletooth]

Ok, I'm on a roll now. I been putting it off all winter and now the bike is close to being ready to ride and I am finding more things to mess with. I had my saddlebags and trunk down in my basement shop cleaning them up and installing new LED marker lights where the reflectors were. A little wiring, making bags liners for the bottom, just killing time.

 

Now I got the polishing compound and the wax flying and I notice there are a few minor, very minor cracks in the bottom of the bags and at the back where the mounting studs are. If I press around them they show up pretty good when I put pressure around them other wise they are not much more than hair line. No biggie, I'll just run a bead of epoxy on the inside and tie them back together. Now I never noticed this before so maybe I'm not paying enough attention but when I opened the bags to look at the cracks from the inside they aren't there. Before I strip down the bag shells and remove the aluminum edging are these shells laminated or what? They don't appear to be two layers but cracked on one side and not the other? Not possible. There is no damage to the bags, just a few hairline cracks.

 

I'd prefer not to make repairs to the outside until the day comes that I decide to do what minor body work needs to be done and do a new paint job.

 

Stress cracks make me crazy.

[StuD]

I believe its molded ABS plastic, Iam also led to believe that its not easy to find a top from another saddle bag that will fit or interchange. :canada:

[barend]

Been thinking about doing just that. The lights that is! Where'd you get yours, how did you run the wiring. Where are the pictures!!! (that is the rule, isn't it??)

[Snaggletooth]

Hey Barend.

 

I was hoping you weren't planning on finding cracks.

 

Ok, I give! I'm not done yet but I got the lights mounted and started the wiring. The lights are from good ole Wally World. $6.97 each. 3 element LED's. Plastic chrome base that fits the flat reflector surface on the bag well. I mounted amber ones on the radiator side panels but had to Dremmel a little off the sides of the base for a good fit. Using 2 wire quik disconnects on the backs of the bags for quick removal. I'll post more pics of the wiring and liners as I get closer to finishing up.

 

The PO had wires just draped inside the bags. PITA! So these will be secured, protected and hidden as much as possible.

[MiCarl]

Snaggletooth, the cracks go clear through, just hard to see them on the unfinished inside.

 

Head up to the hobby shop. They sell cement for abs that is liquid. It will wick into the crack and make an invisible repair.

[Dano]

Those lights look good, I'll be picking up a set for mine!

 

Dan

[ToRide1]

Jell-Coat commonly found and used on fiberglass boats and I have seen this stuff crack much the same way as you describe and the fiberglass will flex & give but the Jell-Coat will show cracks. Jell Coat has been used on cars and applied to many things. Could these saddle bags have a Jell Coat finish?

[Snaggletooth]

I just want to mention that before ya'll run off to Wally World that you will have to be drilling some holes and cutting about a 3/4 inch square hole in that flat spot on the bag to make room for the power plug to attach to the back of the light. I'll post some more pics of the other bag as I put it together so you can see what in involved making the lights mount up.

[barend]

I was envisioning a "tubular" shaped light, kind of like the engines on "Startrek's Enterprise", then I found these at J.C. Whitney. Like the lights, just not sure if they will look good on a Mk1. Obviously they won't have the side lighting effect that Michael's have.

 

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2003427/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2003427/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10111/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=led

[MikeM8560]

Hey Snaggle thoose look great! Ive been thinkingf about theese

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2003411/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2003411/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10111/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=LED+MARKER+LIGHTS

 

but your price sure beats that now I knew i had to go to wally world, got a part number ?

 

Id like to see the front side also got a pic installed a lit?

[MikeM8560]

you will have to be drilling some holes and cutting about a 3/4 inch square hole .

a Square hole

[Snaggletooth]

What's so funny Mike? You been playing with a round pegs again?

 

I bought the lights last summer and never got around to installing them. I tossed the packages and put them in my storage trays for later work so I'll have to cruise through Wallys to check on the brand and part number. I remember stopping in during the winter and was going to pick up a few more but they were out of the chrome base ones. Only had the black base ones left. Hope you can find some.

 

My first thought when I looked at the JC ones was what are they made out of? Geesh! $83.00 bucks? But when you look at it as my lights have 3 LED's and the JC ones have 15 each and the $83.00 is for a pair...well pretty close. But in eyes the ones I have are more than needed. I mean they really stand out even in the daylight. They do catch your eye and that was my whole point. So I'm happy with that.

 

I'll be out in the garage tomorrow and I'll take a couple pics of the ones on the radiator side panels for you.

 

If you're good I'll even toss in a pic of the square hole.

[MikeM8560]

im interested in how your going to run the wire.

[Snaggletooth]

Mike.

 

Here are the pics of the LED's I installed on the radiator side panels.

 

(and a fuzzy pic of the "square hole because of the massive power plug on these things.)

[Snaggletooth]

And you were wondering about the wiring. I could have used a much thinner gauge of wire but that is hindsight at this point. It would have made concealing it much easier and you don't need 18 gauge for the draw on the LED's.

 

I ran the wires down the inside of the outer section and attached them with air conditioning tape. It sticks well and moisture don't affect it. I used it when I installed the front bumper running light on the inside of the fender to secure the wires and that was two years ago and it is still hanging tight.

 

At the bottom I cut a small hole in the plastic pan and ran the wires through that and a section of plastic shielding to keep them from getting crushed and then up the back of the box and out a small hole to a quik disconnet on the back of the bag.

 

The tool box liner is just a template for a section of 1/8 inch hard rubber matting and then the trunk liner will cover that.

 

I don't have the skills to completely cover the inside of the bags with trunk liner but I'm going to try to to do most of the larger flat areas. It should cover most the tape holding the wires in place. Not perfect......but a good improvement.

 

The PO just had wires draped inside the box and that was a mess.

 

I'm looking to set these up on a seperate circuit so I can switch them on without the key turned on so I can use them as parking lights without putting a lot of drain on the battery.

 

Comments or advice is welcome.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Snaggletooth

[timgray]

The luggage is all ABS just like all the other parts on the bike. ABS solvent with ABS filler fixes cracks really well. I fixed a few on mine before repaint. IF you go lightly you can fix the cracks from the inside and not warp the paint and surface on the outside. My front fender was split from the center rivet at the mudflap to the center top. I was able to repair this from the inside of the fender.