[Kost]

Right saddlebag is moving/vibrating at idle, left bag looks fine and not moving. What should I be looking for, loose spools?

Thanks for any input and help!

 

[One More Time]

I have the leather bags but if it's not a loose spool I would check the tab on the bottom of the bag and see if it is broken. I believe all the hard bags attach to the exhaust.

 

[Mr.Xtreme]

The chieftain hard bags bolt to the spools up top. You can check bolt tightness by trying to wiggle at the bolts and if no movement then look at the lower.
The bags have a shoe or cleat as I dont know what they are called and they are curved and sit right on top of exhaust.
There is 2 spots and it could be loose there.
If you unplug the harness and take out the 2 top inside bag allen bolts out the bag will come off and then you can examine the bottom.
Its not difficult at all to remove the bags.
Its a 1 min task.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

It depends on what year your bike is. Up to 2018 with the rounded bags they attach to the spools with levers in the bags. 2019 and up are the newer model with the squared off bags and they are bolted to the fender.

If you have the older style, undo the levers and remove the bag. Check the spools for tightness. When you put the bag on again, push it down onto the pipe so the feet are firm, then lock the levers in place. The levers have a little up/down allowance built in. If the feet are not sitting firmly it might be contributing to some shake.

 

[Kost]

Thank you for all your valuable input, I will pull the bags and check spools and all attachment points upper and lower on the spools and bags. I was 12 miles out when I noticed the right bag moving an unusual amount, and rode back to town and parked the 2016 Chieftain, was out of time so didn't have time to look into the issue. I'm praying the bottom tab/s of the saddlebag is not damaged.

Will let y'all know what I find tomorrow night after work when I have more time to spend looking into this.
Thank again everyone! =)

 

[Kost]

Pulled the saddlebag, checked the rubber feet that set on mufflers, everything is intact, checked both spools, they are tight, installed saddlebag back onto the Chieftain, started the engine, the bag sits still as designed. Don't know how it moved into a loose position so it could move, but will keep an eye on both of them from now on.

Thank you all who replied, I learned alot about the saddlebag system and it's anchoring design, and reading your posts! =)

 

[Gearset807]

Pulled the saddlebag, checked the rubber feet that set on mufflers, everything is intact, checked both spools, they are tight, installed saddlebag back onto the Chieftain, started the engine, the bag sits still as designed. Don't know how it moved into a loose position so it could move, but will keep an eye on both of them from now on.

Thank you all who replied, I learned alot about the saddlebag system and it's anchoring design, and reading your posts! =)

Since you have the 2016 Chieftain you have the system where the rubber plungers (as I call them) fit inside the spools. When you push the lever inside the saddle bags down the plungers expand gripping the inside of the spools to keep the bags on. If those “rubber plungers” aren’t fully inserted inside the spools they won’t grip the spools and the bag could wobble.


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