My rig is a 1989 GL1500 with a CSC Friendship 3 attached. The front upper and lower mounts look just fine but the rear mount setup seems a bit off to my eye. I have seen two different methods of attaching the rear upper mount. One has the rear upper mount poking out through the rear side cover, much like my first GL1500 that had a CSC Friendship 2 on it. The second method, which is what I have, has the rear upper mount disappearing under the seat with a U bolt holding the strut to the frame. This set up looks home made as if it had broke at some point and was repaired with whatever was at hand. I am a trifle concerned about this as mechanically it is incorrect. The U bolt is too small to go over the only part of the frame where you can put it. This causes the bolt to splay so the threaded portions are no longer parallel and the mounting holes have to be overlarge just to get the mount attached. The next size up U bolt is too big. I would really appreciate it if some of you good folks who have this particular bike and sidecar could provide some pictures of just how this rear upper strut should actually be attached to the bike.
Many thanks;
Don
Hope these photos help: Gl1500 with Champion escort sidecar.
The way we attach the upper part of the rear sub frame is to drill out the hole for the lower grab bar handle which allows for a 1/2 inch bolt to pass all the way through the frame of the bike under the seat. As it then needs a nut on it and as you would not be able to put a wrench on the nut with the seat in place we weld the nut to a plate that is then pop riveted to the frame of the bike. This is some thing that a person at home can do were as welding a nut on most people would not want to do. This set up also of course requires a spacer be made to replace the stock spacer for the grab handle. We do also of course make a full mounting kit for your bike.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Just a quick tip o' the hat and a hearty thank you for those who replied to my query. From what I can see, next fall I have a bit of iron mongering to do. Now if I can just find a small lathe!!
