Sissy Bar
- Thread starter LHS
- Start date
pknowles
RETIRED
differences in mill stock or the chroming process?
bigkelk9
Well-Known Member
So here is what I learned when I had my rotors RE chromed, most of these factory parts were flash coated so it was only a few mil thick, when u have things RE chromed, well no one is gunna do a cheap job and flash coat anything, so u definitely have to account for about 10 to 15 mil of thickness on whatever you are doing. I had to use a burr bit and grind down my button holes and my center hole to re use my rotors after they were chromed.
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The only holes in the struts on my 09 Ridgeback is the 4 mounting holes on the bottom of them for the stancions which it looks like I will also have to fabricate. I would say from pknowles & kickstart‘s measurements there They were shooting for 11/16 but with the differences in the Barstock And the chromeing process it varies. It could also be the process in which they formed the sissy bar that varied it’s diameter from bar to bar and or the process of all three. In any case I thank you guys very much for the info. I may have to rethink this whole thing as the closest to 11/16” I have is 3/4”. Be nice if I could find a like new used 18” bar and stancions for that 330 rear tire beast Because with the ever-growing honey do list my wife keeps expanding on 
I’ll probably never get the damn thing made anyway.
Thanks again guys much appreciated.
I’ll probably never get the damn thing made anyway.Thanks again guys much appreciated.
roadie1389
Well-Known Member
If you are looking for used, there is a guy on on of the Big Dog FB groups, named Curtis Smith (not Wild Steed Worx Curtis). He is always posting used BDM parts. See if you can't find one from him. I believe the group is Big Dog Motorocycle parts and trade or something like that. Or you can look on ebay. You can try Donna and see if she has a used one as well.
I have a bar for a 300 tire, but no struts.
Nope stancions wernt stock. If you fab your own then it doesn't matter the size.The only holes in the struts on my 09 Ridgeback is the 4 mounting holes on the bottom of them for the stancions which it looks like I will also have to fabricate. I would say from pknowles & kickstart‘s measurements there They were shooting for 11/16 but with the differences in the Barstock And the chromeing process it varies. It could also be the process in which they formed the sissy bar that varied it’s diameter from bar to bar and or the process of all three. In any case I thank you guys very much for the info. I may have to rethink this whole thing as the closest to 11/16” I have is 3/4”. Be nice if I could find a like new used 18” bar and stancions for that 330 rear tire beast Because with the ever-growing honey do list my wife keeps expanding on
Thanks again guys much appreciated.
Stock you would have holes in the struts that accept the sissy bar. Meaning the struts you have were just stock and not the extra with the sissy bar attachment.
Can try calling Derrick and Donna and seeing if the struts from an 05-06 with a 300 fit your 09 330 as well
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Nukeranger
Nukeranger
Sounds like your wife will need to call Donna and order you a Sissy Bar and struts......maybe for Xmas, Birthday, Thanksgiving, or Halloween.
Just hold up a piece of paper when you see her with the Honey Do List and the words "Will work for Sissy Bar" added to the bottom.
Just hold up a piece of paper when you see her with the Honey Do List and the words "Will work for Sissy Bar" added to the bottom.
kickstart
Well-Known Member
Most likely both.
kickstart
Well-Known Member
LHS, the fender struts should be solid stock so I can see no reason you could not have them bored out to accept the bar you intend to make unless the stock struts are a different size (thickness) than the sissy bar kit struts. I'm sure you all you need to do is ask that question on here to get the answer. Good Luck
Nice ride, you might want to contact Curtis at www.wildsteedworx.com
He may have what you want in stock.
He may have what you want in stock.
KaptinAmerika
Guru
You mentioned stainless and all I can say is be careful. Stainless is brittle and really not a good material to be building something that someones life may depend on not failing. Several folks on the forum have built stainless sissy bars and had them fail later for different reasons. I'm sure there will be someone that jumps in and says their's is doing fine but again I am only saying be careful. I have also seen numerous exhaust systems made of stainless that fail due to the heat and stress.
So with that out of the way majority of the sissy bars I have come in contact with have all been in the .6835 range with .6805 at about the first 1.5" of the bar. Both dimensions include chrome. There are some out there that were tapered at the ends and used a removable wedge insert in the struts. I'm not sure if those were early models or later models though. The previous statement is only in relation to top mount sissy bars. I have little to no experience with the rear mount bars in terms of size or manufacturing.
Not all stainless steel is brittle . The stainless bar stock that I have is grade 304 which only has a chromium content of 18% by weight and a nickel content of 8% by weight and only a trace amount of molybdenum. If you jump up to say grade 316 stainless then you’re amounts of Chemical composition jumpes dramatically. Then you have like 20% chromium and 10.5% nickel and 2 to 3% molybdenum in which case it becomes harder to form And more brittle doing so. Don’t get me wrong 316 can still be formed but you have to be very careful when forming it not to get cracks or stress fractures. Another concern is When welding it as the heat from the weld can cause fractures that you can’t see with the naked eye and heat from the weld can also make it brittle. To overcome this you have to preheat it and use the proper fill (IE) The right wire or rod material. For the last three decades I’ve made my living as a supervisor in a fabrication department and we use stainless on a daily basis and yes we do have catastrophic failures but only when the improper procedure was taken and the wrong material was used. You can pick up a spray dye At most welding supply places that you spray on and let it dry.Then you take a intense black light and hold it over the formed and or the weld area and if there is any cracks or fractures they will show right up. Then you only have one choice and that is to throw the peace away as rewelding The bad spot or fracture is not safe and usually only makes it worse. I just wanted to throw this out there for those who want to use stainless steel. If you are not familiar with the process of fabricating things out of stainless I would not suggest attempting it. Captain America is correct stainless steel can be very unsafe if you don’t know what you’re doing and it can become brittle and difficult to work with. But if the correct grade for the project is chosen and the proper procedure is taken wene fabricating with it it can be very strong and very safe. Plus you don’t even have to have it Chromed you can polish it up and make it look Awesome without paying a chrome shop. I would like to thank all of you for the measurements on stock sissy bar it is greatly appreciated.
Nukeranger I love your idea about the piece of paper which states will work for sissy bar. That is freaking awesome
you can polish it up and make it look Awesome without paying a chrome shop. I would like to thank all of you for the measurements on stock sissy bar it is greatly appreciated.Nukeranger I love your idea about the piece of paper which states will work for sissy bar. That is freaking awesome