Top Box Install Question

Bob

Guest
The Honda top box calls for drilling two 20mm holes in the existing rear cover (after you remove it) using a 20mm hole saw. The location and size of the holes is well marked on the bottom side of the cover. The sleeve that sits in the hole is 18mm. A 3/4" hole saw is about 19mm. Has anyone use a 3/4" hole saw or has everyone had or purchased a 20mm hole saw when doing this install? Thanks..
 
Also, when the little straps, that hold the lids from opening too far, break, I borrowed someone else's idea of replacing with a piece of 14 ga electrical wire and an eyelet on each end and it works great, should last forever.
 
Thanks dannyjo. The bike is apart so I have an excuse to quit working on the yard and get back to the topcase.
 
Yes, that's what I used to install the Give e221, which specified that size hole also.
 
I installed a Givi E221 before I switched to my home made rack, and yeah, its instructions called for metric drill bits. I have never seen any metric drill bits for sale anywhere, but I didn't run all over town looking, either. You could probably find them online, but this is not like a precision hole that I'm going to be trying to tap for a metric screw or something. And I already had a set of SAE spade bits. IIRC, I used the 5/8" spade bit and then filed the holes until the spacers fit in them.
 
Thanks all. The install is done and it looks good. Like others have noted it is a more involved process than it should be, definately something you could do in a third the time the second time you do it. Some suggestions having been through it once.

- as noted the 3/4" hole saw works fine instead of the 20mm
- 1/4" for the holes for the back pad should work fine although I had to go 5/16 because the 1/4" holes didn't quite line up with the embedded pad nuts. Not sure if I was off when I drilled or the embedded pad nuts were off.
- for the bottom pad I used a 3/32 to predrill for the screws and that worked fine.
- Once you have the seat and back cover off there are 4 million places you can drop parts into and never find them so after losing a washer I put a towel over the open area and that saved me a couple of times after that.
- Maybe for a different install, but you will have parts left over. In fact the instructions say "not used" next to some of the shipped parts.. not very green.
- The parts list and instructions refer to 4 "flange nuts" but what comes instead is 4 lock nuts and 4 washers so don't think you are missing anything.
- The parts list shows 2 8mm socket bolt (long) and 2 8mm socket(short). I had 4 the same size and it worked fine.
- The parts list shows 2 flange collars (part number 6) that are to be installed under the original back cover. I could not see where these fit anywhere, there did not appear to be room to just sit them there and get the cover to close back down to its original position, and everything seemed to line up perfect without them so I didn't use them. This is the one thing I am not sure I did correctly.
- There are two square nuts that go on the underside of the passanger grab bars. They tell you to tape those in place but eventually the tape will dry up and in a future removal the nuts could drop out. I will use a bit of epoxy instead the next time I have access to them.
- Some have suggested tightening the 4 socket bolts to the point of getting rid of the left-to-right spring movement of the box. I am going to let it move for now but if you really want it locked down I would think you will have to grind down the four flange collars a bit or add an extra washer that has an inside diameter bigger than the flange. As designed the flange collar prevents complete tightening.
 
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Bob:

Thanks for the helpful hints! I picked up my new NT two weeks ago and just got my accessories tonight, so I will have a project this weekend. What's involved in taking the rear cover off so I can drill the 3/4" holes?

Mike
 
Two phillips/JIS screws that you will see when you remove the seat, and two hex screws that are very visible on top of the cover. Then the cover slides back and lifts.
 
Oh and...

The install instructions for the topcase rack will probably tell you to take the grab rails off. When you do this, spacers will fall out and try to plummet into the crevasses on the bike. So stuff rags in there before you lift the grab rails. Or just do the job without lifting the grab rails - you can; it's just difficult because you won't know what you are looking for to put the rectangular nuts into place, until you've seen it. Here's a cross section diagram I drew for one of the earlier threads on this topic. Note, not to scale, and this wasn't the Honda box, it was my own DIY setup. But the mechanism is likely similar.

mount.jpg


The dark blue is the grab rail, the light blue is the spacer tube, and the white thing at the bottom is the rectangular nut. Notice how it fits in the bottom of the grab rail and has fingers that hold one edge. It slips in pretty easily and kinda sorta stays, but I advise you take a piece of duct tape and put it on the bottom of the grab rail, so you won't accidentally rattle it loose and drop it into a crevasse while you are trying to thread the bolt into it.
 
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Yes! Thanks for the tip! I have already been bitten by the disappearing fastener trick that this bike uses. When I tried mounting my license plate, I dropped numerous nuts and lock washers into the inner fender liner. I was able to fish 'em out with a pocket magnet tho'. When I first glanced at the license plate mounting location, I said to myself... "how hard can this be?". A fatal error! The inner fender as you probably well know is mounted in such a way that you only have a tiny amount of room to get your fat fingers behind it to hold the nut. I persevered and after some salty language and holding my tongue just right, I managed to attach the plate. Life is good!

Mike
 
mikesim said:
Yes! Thanks for the tip! (stuff snipped)...I persevered and after some salty language and holding my tongue just right, I managed to attach the plate. Life is good!

Mike
Click to expand...

Ahh yes; the ole "holding my tongue just right trick"! I too have found that "tongue position" is key to accomplishing many other tricky things in life. Unfortunately, it's a different position/twist depending on what it's used for as an "aid". The trick is to not accidentally nip or bite the tongue in the process...that just brings about a whole other set of problems especially if the tongue thing is used in conjunction with the salty language :rofl1: :rofl1: :doh1:.

Seriously, a big thanks and a :hat4: - good to know when I finally do install it. I have the rack and the Givi top box but no NT yet (did I mention I'm STILL waiting for it?! :mad1: -but that's a different thread :rofl1:). Ahh, heck, maybe I'll just install everything on my bicycle and call it a poor man's "NT scooter" :turtle: :rolleyes1:
 
manual?

I received my new topbox and carrier plate, however there is no manual. Can anyone help me? does anyone have an installation manual? for the carrier base plate?
 
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Tell me if I am correct, but after reading this thread ( I too have a Honda Top Box on my NT and I was wondering if it supposed to have some play or looseness side to side and a tad Up/down. Seems like they designed it with play to avoid the weight snapping off the bolts or box when you hit imperfections in the road. Mine is just loose enough that you can see it vibrate while running at a full stop and the side to side movement is about 1/4 inch.
Is this indeed by design? The bike came with it so no instructions either here.
Thanks
 
It is for sure designed to move left and right. I don't think it is designed to move up and down but it most certainly vibrates a little. I mentioned in another thread that I could not get an XM antenna to function on the top box due to the vibration. All that aside, I love having the box on the bike. It is great to have a place to throw your helmet. When you have to carry something it is just easier to deal with than the panniers. It reduces the amount of times you're fussing with the pannier locking mechanism... one of the only "ughs" of the NT. It provides great extra storage when on a trip. I think it makes the bike look better. And maybe most important for me, it makes the bike look more like a touring bike, people look at you more like a touring bike, I feel more like a touring bike rider, and consequently I ride it more like a touring bike and less like a sport bike and I think in the long run that will be good for my health. :)
 
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