| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
Like many of you, I ran right out and ordered a couple of the now-legendary OPERATOR'S TUBES to mount on the Uly. When I received them, I thought..."man, these are really cool, but how the heck am I going to mount 'em?" I didn't want to mount them along the bottom of the side cases, since when I'm moto-camping (which is as frequently as possible) I need to detach the cases and set them on the ground, a table, or whatever. Some of you may have used a creative solution of your own, but I was still puzzled... But NO MORE!! I've got what I think is an excellent way of mounting the OPERATOR'S TUBES (you can tell I like that term) such that they do not interfere with the side cases in any way. The key to it all is McMaster-Carr P/N 2236T31, a "Type 303 Stainless Steel Clamp." Uh, the "End Clamp" version. Like this:  This is a stainless steel split clamp with a 1/4-20 threaded hole in a flat, as shown above. Their smallest ID is 3/4-inch (side case bracket is 0.640-inch OD). But, hey, no problem...I've got a bunch of stainless-steel tape to act as a shim:  I suppose the only downside to these great clamps is their price: $21.15 each. But a small price to pay for a secure mounting, right? There is a slight modification which must be made to the H-B Journey cases:  This provides clearance for the rear clamp. This mod is easy to do, and does not compromise the integrity of the cases in any way. The stackup of my fasteners is shown below (all stainless): 1/4-20 bolt, lockwasher (missing in pic, oops!), flat washer, fender washer, OPERATOR'S TUBE, fender washer, then tube clamp.  Here's the left-side tube mounted up.  The forward tube clamp has to be mounted a little ways into the curve of the side case mounting tube, but the compliance of (1) the stainless steel tape, and (2) the OPERATOR'S TUBE itself allows everything to fit nicely. Here are a few more pictures of the complete setup.  I trimmed off some of the "lazy" material from the OPERATOR'S TUBE...     Anyway, that's how I mounted my OPERATOR'S TUBES. --Doc | ||
| Eulysses |
Thank you, that does take some extra teacher effort to document a fix...then expose yourself to the other 'great' minds :-) on the board. While I have no issue attaching the tubes to the bottom of the journeys (they sit flat on the table anyway) or the back in a vertical fashion, what is valued about your approach is that certain permanent elements like tools and tire repair kits and perhaps fuel remain with the bike should the luggage not be invited for the ride. | ||
| Towpro |
Looks good Dr. I am going to mount mine this weekend. Since they are calling for 4" of rain this weekend I should be able to find some time  Will (Message edited by towpro on March 11, 2010) | ||
| Road_kill |
That looks great Dr. Greg! Nice job! | ||
| Johnboy777 |
Hey Doc, Let's see a close up of your foot pegs. Thanks John | ||
| Hangetsu |
That's sweet Doc! I also have a pair of "Operator's Tubes" just waiting to be mounted and like you, I just haven't come up with the perfect solution - yet. I love what you're done, but unfortunately the way my Zega cases mount, your set-up would interfere with the bottom mounting points. I will keep the brain gears turning. I will find a way. (not that there aren't a dozen possibilities, but I'm a perfectionist. I want it to be CLEAN) | ||
| Ghostrider |
That looks great, Doc. Has anyone figured out the best way to keep the lids "secure" so they either won't fall off or are tougher to get into for a would be thief? | ||
| Hangetsu |
Safety wire. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
What seat do you have? and before I forget.... Nice job on the tubes | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Nice Setup! What rear tire is that??? | ||
| Oldwesterncowboy |
OPERATOR'S TUBES ??? do you have a link for where you got them and the mounts | ||
| Mikef5000 |
http://www.agrisupply.com/product.asp?pn=67670&bhc d2=1268372367 | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Dr Greg that is a beautiful set up. Looks and works great. But, at $85.00 to mount the tubes I'd have to be, well, and doctor to afford it  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
What rear tire is that??? Avon Distanzia http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/distanzia | ||
| Paralegalpete |
Nice work, now that their installed, how much weight do you think the tubes could reasonably handle? | ||
| Oldwesterncowboy |
Mike, thanks for the link you could use these to mount them http://goo.gl/O39C or http://goo.gl/w34B with http://goo.gl/XlfV (Message edited by oldwesterncowboy on March 12, 2010) | ||
| Ratbuell |
Very nice, very clean. I just have mine on the bottom of the Journey's...and if I'm bike-camping, the bags either stay on the bike or lay mount-surface-down. Good point above about having your equipment if you are bagless...but my toolkit lives in the topcase which never comes off, and tire kit in the stow-n-go underseat bag. The only thing I'd be missing is (currently) my first aid stuff in the left side and (eventually, when I get it done) my spare fuel which will be in the right side. | ||
| 7873jake |
There is some Ag supply warehouse guy out there scratching his head as to why operator tubes keep selling out for no apparent reason  . | ||
| Towpro |
I think AG knows, the add even says something about motorcycles  | ||
| Alchemy |
Dr, are you using anti-seize on the 1/4x20s? The expense is a bit of a bummer but on the positive side I bet this hardware could be put to some alternate use creatively in the event of some unanticipated roadside mechanical failure. Keeping weighty supplies low on bike would seem very desirable. I will be interested to see if this mount works with the Outdoorsman bags. Thanks for the great writeup and pictures. | ||
| Union_man |
Oldwesterncowboy I like the way you think! I try to "problem solve" with free or cheap mods also. I rarely travel in areas that I can't get fuel when I need it, (knocking on wood) but, I do take 2 or 3 long trips each summer where some extra fuel would give me peace of mind. Your solution is simple, secure, cheap, and temporoary/removeable. On my "to do" list! +1 to you sir! | ||
| Court |
Dr. Would it be possible to use some sort of a rubber shim, where you have used the S.S. tape, to reduce the I.D. of the clamp to that of the bracket? I'm thinking that perhaps McMaster-Carr may have such a thing. Court | ||
| Towpro |
A piece of an inner-tube. Bicycle for thin, motorcycle for thick. Or Rubber based electrical Tape. (it might be called waterproof electrical tape?) | ||
| Badrap |
Are the tubes waterproof? | ||
| Blake |
"lazy" material I like it, a neat new term for my analysis reports. Thanks Doc!  | ||
| Marinus |
Top shelf reporting, Doc. Thanks. And 7873jake, I 'bout spit out my coffee laughing. | ||
| Dr_greg |
I'll try to respond to a few queries... Let's see a close up of your foot pegs... I'll take a photo this evening, but those are just sharpened socket-head cap screws installed into tapped holes in the pegs. Not my idea (I'm not THAT smart), but an inexpensive way to increase the grip. Perhaps the OP will chime in as the inventor. Funny, isn't it...I'll spend $85 for tube mounts, but won't buy the wonderful PE footpegs, preferring my own tightwad solution. Go figure... Has anyone figured out the best way to keep the lids "secure" so they either won't fall off or are tougher to get into for a would be thief? I don't think they will ever loosen on their own. With the flat O-ring, and the "stickiness" of the plastic thread they just don't strike me as self-loosening. But I guess I'll find out. Safety wire, of course, but the hassle of "opening" every time would wear me out. What seat do you have? That is the stock '06 low seat. My original '06 had the stock (high) seat, and it wasn't damaged in the deer strike. I use the low seat for commuting, and the "high" seat (it's black, and I like the blk/orng color combo) for longer rides. do you have a link for where you got the mounts? Yessir, just go HERE and type 2236T31 into the "FIND" box in the upper left corner. What rear tire is that??? Yes, that is a 160-60/17 Avon Distanzia, like the man said. It is my FAVORITE tire for the Uly, if only they'd wear longer. I only get 3-4,000 miles from the rear, and I'm very easy on tires. It's a single compound, and the center wears quickly. Pretty good dirt tire, and VERY sticky on pavement (SuperMoto compound). But, at $85.00 to mount the tubes I'd have to be, well, a doctor to afford it... Yes, indeed! Well, I run everything by Mrs. Greg before I order, and she said "...as long as it's for your motorcycle, you can get anything you want..." What a woman!!! And yes, she has a sister, who is happily married and living in Jerusalem. And no, I am not Jewish (how did that get in here?) Well, I did have that beard... how much weight do you think the tubes could reasonably handle? Dunno. They're pretty tough. Note that the mounting holes in the tubes are somewhat larger than 1/4-inch; that's why I used the double washers. Due to their limited volume, I don't think you could GET that much weight in there. I fit all my "loose" tools into one, and they're squeezed pretty tight. It can easily handle that much weight. Dr, are you using anti-seize on the 1/4x20s? No, actually hadn't thought of it. Is stainless/stainless likely to cause a problem? If one were Al, then yes, but...? I'm all ears. Would it be possible to use some sort of a rubber shim, where you have used the S.S. tape, to reduce the I.D. of the clamp to that of the bracket? Court, an honor to have a question from you, sir. Yes, there are probably many materials that could be used for the shim. I just used what I had sitting around. I think it's good to have a shim that contributes some compliance, due to the slight mounting alignment issue. A piece of an inner-tube. Bicycle for thin, motorcycle for thick. Dang, I have lots of both of those laying around...would have worked just fine. Oh well, the tape works okay, too. Are the tubes waterproof? There is a small hole through the side of the tube just below the cap (on the "up" side) the way mine are mounted. I plan on plugging that hole, and with that accomplished I should think they are VERY waterproof. "lazy" material... Yessir, a term used by machine designers. For example, a cantilever beam should not have a constant cross section, since the bending moment is zero at the tip and maximum at the root. Kinda like a good design is where everything fails at once? Or something like that. You guys take care! --Doc | ||
| Dr_greg |
First of all, this was NOT my idea; got it from another BadWebber. Anyway, here are some photos of my footpegs. Just a number of 5/8-inch 10-32 socket head cap screws like this (focus isn't too great):  Here's the pattern on the footpeg  Here's a "tabletop" view. You sharpen them---of course---before installation.  When they get dull, just resharpen or install new ones. Loctite when installing, naturally. An inexpensive alternative to improve the footpeg grip. And I need "inexpensive" after shelling out $85 for my fancy-shmancy clamps. --Doc | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Doc, your a cool guy, you know that. I thought it was nuts to spend as much on hardware as I did the tubes. But then the tubes are an out right steal compared to spending $100.00 on a "made for motorcycle stainless steel job". I found a web site selling the same agri tube without the writing on it for $18.00! He/They did have a tube like ours only bigger around, and one with a stretched top. | ||
| Paul56 |
Is stainless/stainless likely to cause a problem? Actually I have found stainless/stainless to be a problem on several fasteners/fittings on my boat, and on hardware where I work. It seems to be prone to galling (probably not the correct use of the term) which causes the pieces to seize to each other. You can run a stainless nut down on a stainless bolt with no trouble and have the thing seize tight upon disassembly (to destruction). I would try blue Loctite (242?). It may prevent galling while providing security. |
