Tri-Glide Midsection cracked bracket

[Bikerbozo]

A heads up for TG owners. I was hearing a weird sound whenever I was hitting bumps. At 25k service asked H-D mechanic to check the shocks or look for sound. He found nothing. Having experience with vibration cracked brackets, I started looking real close at stuff. In the pics, note the "Midsection Assy", p/n 83318. You can see where I circled location for hairline crack. Wasn't easy to see initially. The dotted lines show where bracket runs inside assy. Instead of Harley bolting bracket inside so it could be replaced easily, they have molded it into Midsection Assy. Put you hands up in there and you can feel it. I showed it to H-D dealer. They called H-D. H-D didn't respond. Had dealer call them again. They wanted pics. Back to dealer. End result is H-D says they have "never seen this before"...BUT, they will replace it under warranty. Will take 6-8 weeks to match paint. In meantime I have added a really big washer that keeps pieces in place. No danger riding and best news, the trike didn't have to sit at dealer waiting for replacement part as is normally the case. Speaking of cases, no, I don't have a case number.

[Rod69]

Thanks for the heads up Bikerbozo. Have 2009 TriGlide with 27,000 on it. Will keep an eye out for this. Rod69 TOI #900

[wriddle]

thanks for the heads up i also will keep an eye out for this on my 2010 tri glide

[msocko3]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Oldmsocko]

Thanks for the heads up.

[427dave]

Thanks for the info.

[eagle1]

thats why i like this site. thanks again.

[kkaykk]

Thanks for the information and the pictures... very helpful.

[Bruce]

thanks for the pics and heads up -- why do you think it cracked?? are you riding a lot of rough roads?

[screwball]

WOW'
Now that you scared the hell out of me!! Ran right out to the garage with a huge flashlight and a magnifying glass. The '09 and '11 both look OK and when they go in for the break light recall I'll get a "professional" look at.

Like the others, THANKS FOR YOUR POST!

[TNTriker]

I thought only women were drama queens, looks like a bad case of drama kings on this thread.

[GARYD]

Another thumbs up.
Now I don't know if I want to wait till summer to really get to ride my TG. First all the posts about the extreme heat issues and now this.

Me thinks I should have kept my Limited.

[Oldmsocko]

Another thumbs up.
Now I don't know if I want to wait till summer to really get to ride my TG. First all the posts about the extreme heat issues and now this.

Me thinks I should have kept my Limited.

It's all good.

[Oldmsocko]

I thought only women were drama queens, looks like a bad case of drama kings on this thread.

Were all just whiners.

[Bikerbozo]

Were all just whiners.

Personally, I'm more of a Vodka-er. Wine gives me a headache. Much like dealing with The Factory.
As far as why it happened. I do pass through the heart of NYC whenever I leave Long Island for points west. I wouldn't call any city roads smooth. Roads everywhere suck these days in general. Unlike my last bike ('04 FLH), I don't have saddlebags to overload. I used to get cracked mounting brackets all the time on that bike (it's back on road for backup with 109,000 miles on it). Not making this bracket replaceable is a major design error on Harleys part. So instead of them replacing a $50 bracket, they are now replacing a $3000+ body part. And still 5 1/2 years left on my warranty.
On a side note. For those still suffering from low power/high heat, an updated flash to ECM in Oct. by dealer has really made a difference in my '10 TG. Of course, being winter it's hard to tell heat, but it feels better. More power in 6th (let's not talk mph though).

[chiefwright]

Ditto of the heads up

[TheBobs]

Thanks for the heads up. Thought the ECM update was for '11s only. Didn't think a '10 would be eligible.

[Roundabout]

Thanks for the heads-up. At least its good to know the factory will honor the warranty. Funny you should mention the October ECM with regards to heat reduction (good) and mpg (bad?). My mpg actually improved on my 2011 TG after the ECM but I would say heat reduction was only slight. I got far better heat reduction after removing the lowers. Unfortunately I don't like riding on the freeways without lowers. Actually I don't like riding on the freeways in general, but it only takes one stone, or in msocko3's case one hailstone to make you think...hmmm, maybe removing the lowers wasn't such a great idea. One time I got zinged by what I think was a small bird or maybe a bat. Doesn't matter, I just know it was painful.

[msocko3]

I got far better heat reduction after removing the lowers. Unfortunately I don't like riding on the freeways without lowers. Actually I don't like riding on the freeways in general, but it only takes one stone, or in msocko3's case one hailstone to make you think...hmmm, maybe removing the lowers wasn't such a great idea. One time I got zinged by what I think was a small bird or maybe a bat. Doesn't matter, I just know it was painful.

You would be amazed at the crap I've been hit with, even with the lowers and a 12" windshield. This past summer besides getting hit with a few little stones I was nailed by a couple nasty bugs. One come in from the side hit the boom mic on my helmet and exploded across my face, tasty. The 2nd was while running along on the freeway around 75 mph, don't know what kind of bug it was, I know it was large. It hit my left foot which was kind of cocked out past the lower. When it hit my foot was pushed back and it exploded up into my face, across the side of the trike, onto my pant leg and the wifes pant leg. That bug tasted nasty, I'm going to be wearing a modular helmet this year.

[Bikerbozo]

Bat hit my leg once. Bounced off and wrapped around my gas line. Also rode through hailstorm doing 80mph. With no windshield. Ouch!