[City Chicken]

Friends – I found rust in three unused screw holes (you can see two of them in the picture) on this part whose name I don’t know (fork brace?) I went to the dealer to ask if my warranty would cover this kind of thing and was told that it didn’t; the Service Manager offered to use some touch up paint to cover the rust, which didn’t seem to be a good solution to me as it just seemed to me like covering up a problem that will only get worse.
I am not experienced mechanically (although I am pushing myself to do as much repair and maintenance as I can on my Harley) and it occurred to me that I might want to tap out the screw holes to remove all the rust prior to painting them with touch up paint. Is this the right course of action, or would anyone propose that I do anything else?
As always, I am grateful for any help and guidance!

 

[Miles Tequillya]

Put the chrome baffle that goes there:thumbup:
That is what I did

 

[City Chicken]

mquilty3 - any chance you have a part number handy?

 

[City Chicken]

Found it - thanks for the heads-up mquilty3! I guess I would need to tap the holes to get rid of the rust that is there now, correct?

FRONT FORK AIR BAFFLE – CHROME
Deflect the cold night wind rushing between the fork tubes
of your Touring model. This stylish chrome air baffle replaces
the Original Equipment black baffle on ’00-earlier models.
Includes chrome mounting hardware.
58520-79TC $27.95
Fits ’80-’13 FLT, FLHT, FLHX and FLHR models.

 

[webco2]

Found it - thanks for the heads-up mquilty3! I guess I would need to tap the holes to get rid of the rust that is there now, correct?

FRONT FORK AIR BAFFLE – CHROME
Deflect the cold night wind rushing between the fork tubes
of your Touring model. This stylish chrome air baffle replaces
the Original Equipment black baffle on ’00-earlier models.
Includes chrome mounting hardware.
58520-79TC $27.95
Fits ’80-’13 FLT, FLHT, FLHX and FLHR models.

That would be a good idea .

 

[dub]

Looks like just surface rust. Run som bolts in there with WD40 or similar in and out and should be fine.

 

[Kainam]

Then once you get them cleaned out with a tap or bolt etc, put some grease in there to keep the rust from coming back.

 

[SCHMIDTY]

I wouldn't tap the hole, if anything use a thread chaser so you don't remove any metal. Then install the part and use blue lock tight on the bolt threads.

 

[glust]

Found it - thanks for the heads-up mquilty3! I guess I would need to tap the holes to get rid of the rust that is there now, correct?

FRONT FORK AIR BAFFLE – CHROME
Deflect the cold night wind rushing between the fork tubes
of your Touring model. This stylish chrome air baffle replaces
the Original Equipment black baffle on ’00-earlier models.
Includes chrome mounting hardware.
58520-79TC $27.95
Fits ’80-’13 FLT, FLHT, FLHX and FLHR models.

How about taking a brass bore cleaner brush attachment for a firearm, chuck it in a drill and clean out the hole without tearing anything up.

 

[Kainam]

By George, I bet that would work. :thumb

 

[glust]

By George, I bet that would work. :thumb

good guess.... George

 

[SmokeyJoe]

Man you guys worry about some insignificant thing. That rust ain't hurting a thing. Wait till you put some miles on it, then say those 3 little bolt holes are bothering you.

 

[glust]

My 02 Electra-Glide might not be brand new, nothing stand out about it. But it is by far the nicest thing I own and I'm crazy-picky about taking care of it. Even replaced the batwing fairing screws when I noticed a few of them were not the proper ones and had just been hobber-jobbed in there. Someone told me once, "Man, every time I see you your bike looks like its just been detailed." Not a coincidence.. Those rusty holes would bother me to the point of wanting a correct fix. I get it. But then again, to each his own.