[Theodin King]

Hello,

Picked up a 2003 Volusia 800 in pretty good shape. Glad to see this forum up and running, already gleaned some good info.

I see Sanford is looking to ride. Keep in touch and after I get a few things set up on this new cruiser we'd like to ride.

Something weird...trying to install sissy bar/trunk rack. pulled one bolt out of the trim on the rear fender to replace with a slightly longer bolt to accommodate the brace. However, the old bolt and the new one will not thread back in. Also, I tried pulling the other bolt but it just turns without backing out!

Is there some trick to this I don't know?

 

[Rob 61]

Welcome from the west coast of Florida

Word of advice: don't remove all 4 bolts at the same time ! I don't know why the bolts are not going back in, but I know one bolt has a fixed nut inside the fender while the other is a loose nut & must be held with a wrench to loosen. Good luck.

 

[Whiskey]

Welcome from Kennesaw GA!

Robyn's right. If you took all four bolts out at the same time, that's you're problem. It's just going to take a lot of wiggling and cussing to get them back in at this point. She's also right about one having the nut welded to the frame while the other is loose. You'll need a wrench on the inside to hold the nut.

Good luck.

 

[Rob 61]

Hey, I'm right !!!

 

[Whiskey]

Hey, I'm right !!!

Don't let it go to your head.

 

[DCinCT]

welcome...easy cure to your problem...get a bolt just a tad bit thinner and slide it thru the hole and secure w/ a nut...don't ask how I learned this will work...its a guy thing...Robyn's like the girl next door...knows about usefull stuff similar to this most girls don't know about nor care to know about...not your typical dame...I didn't say that....

 

[Theodin King]

All good info...

Got the left side in and need some help with the left. 2 person job with all the wiggling and cussing! Would probably be easier with a center stand but maybe that's a project for down the road.

 

[Theodin King]

Done...

 

[Whiskey]

Awesome! Looks great. Now, I bet you'll never take out more than two bolts at a time. Take out the back bolts, loosen the front. Swing it up and put the back in and tighten them down. Then you can take the front out and remove it. Installation is the reverse. This is so common that Suzuki should etch a warning in the side of the bike. It's because that back area is a sandwich of stuff coming together. Everything has to line up perfectly to get the bolt in. If it makes you feel better, we only know about it because we've done it ourselves.

 

[duglaura]

Official welcome. Nice rig.

 

[beezer]

I never had all the problems people have with aligning the bolts. Maybe that's why I've been elevated to such a prestegious position on this board

 

[DCinCT]

still a loser...always a loser...morning ugly.

 

[beezer]

high

 

[Woodswoman]

I never had all the problems people have with aligning the bolts. Maybe that's why I've been elevated to such a prestegious position on this board

Then what's BearBait's excuse? He made the VERY mistake with removing all 4 bolts at once on his 2008 C50. It took him, me, and a buddy all cussing and pushing the fender around to get those damned bolts back in again. LOL!


Anyway, WELCOME, Theoden King! (Cool forum name, BTW.)

 

[beezer]

I used a drift pin

 

[scorpion46]

Greetings from Indiana.
You found the funny bunch.

 

[Rob 61]

I never had all the problems people have with aligning the bolts.

Well Beeze, you've got a Harley so the bolts just fall out along the way 😂

 

[Theodin King]

Got the sissy bar and trunk rack on, thanks to all ya'll's help!!!
Also semi-permanently mounted a storage bag on the back rack.

 

[Just_Bob]

Got the sissy bar and trunk rack on, thanks to all ya'll's help!!!
Also semi-permanently mounted a storage bag on the back rack.

View attachment 149469

That set up looks nice! I had considered doing exactly the same. In the end I went a slightly different way. I’ll post some photos when I get it all.