TT250 Pannier rack done!

[Goob]

Finished up the project today. I think it turned out well. I will be posting details of the design with measurements. Both sides were identical, so once the one was done I just copied...and reversed the mounting stand-offs.

I was going to do a bend across the back, but just couldn't make it work. So I have 90's there. I was short one "T" connector because of this design change, but decided I liked the way the electrical LB's worked and painted them black to blend in. I have another "T" on order and will consider changing out. It just means a different length cross piece.

The heat shrink on the pipe worked well. Just don't put it in the sun to flatten out (it came folded), as even the sun will shrink it.

The one thing I would consider if I was using this off road is to drill thru each fitting (and conduit) on the vertical and add a cotter pin. These connectors fit very tight (especially with the heat shrink), but I could see off-roading causing issues.

Total cost was about $95. $40 connectors and shrink wrap, $15 EMT, $10 LB's, $30 bolts, nuts, and misc hardware.

[JerryHawk250]

Really came out nice Goob. :tup:

[j0nny216]

That is a nice simple setup. I keep trying to over engineer what I am doing, but may end up borrowing this idea!

[Goob]

That is a nice simple setup. I keep trying to over engineer what I am doing, but may end up borrowing this idea!

j0nny216,

I also was over-engineering with designs I was thinking up.

The big thing for me was finding the makerpipe.com site and using their connectors. Once I decided on that I just had to figure out how to attach the rack.

I made my "stand-off" cylinders of 2 inches of 3/4" EMT with end-caps of 1/2" EMT hole plugs that are used in junction boxes. If you bend in the prongs on these slightly they friction fit into the 3/4" EMT. I then drilled holes thru for my mounting bolts.

I used M8-1.25 bolts that were 3" long (metric 70 I think), because these threads fit into the threads on the existing rear foot-peg mount.

All six standoffs were the same 2". I put a washer between the bolt and plug on each end for added beef. I used nyloc nuts on these, even on the foot-peg mount.

The other mounts were the hole left from where a side cover mounted (I cut both side covers to clear the panniers when I put on my first, smaller, set) and the turn signal mounting point. I left the stock turn signal bracket underneath my angle aluminum because it has a locator pin to keep things from rotating. I had to add a washer on the back of the side cover mount hole because it was a large hole,

A Hawk might have slightly different mounting points. but I think the same idea could be used.

[Megadan]

Almost all of the mount points are the same between the Hawk and TT250 that even if there is a difference it will be very slight, and shouldn't affect somebody copying the design.

[Goob]

Well, I made my first grocery trip today. The two grey bags came with the panniers and are 27.5L each, the other bags are about the same size, but I only filled them half way.

So, 82.5L of groceries, weighing 48 pounds! Not bad.
The bike handled normally, but I stalled when first taking off because I needed to rev more for the extra weight.

Made me realize how different my bike would have been 2 years ago when I weighed 48 lbs more (I was 223 and now am 175).

I think this was a success!

[Goob]

Almost all of the mount points are the same between the Hawk and TT250 that even if there is a difference it will be very slight, and shouldn't affect somebody copying the design.

Good!

The measurements are 27.375" (3/8 = .375) for the bottom horizontal, 8.5" for the top horizontal and front vertical, and 9.5" for the rear vertical. That is about as "un-square" as the connectors allow. The cross bar I just eyeballed so it spread the ends of the two sides just a smidge.

Used one EMT "hook" to secure the cross bar to the rear fender. This doesn't carry any weight, but is my security against if the friction fit connectors slip (so I won't loose the whole rack). I don't think this is likely street riding.

However, if anyone is off-roading, then I would drill thru the vertical connectors & conduit and put in a cotter-pin, or pin with a cotter on one end, for security.

The cross straps carry the weight, while the racks stabilize it and keep the panniers square and off of the exhaust. So, not much vertical weight on the rack, just lateral.

I used 3 T's, and two 90's per side from Maker Pipe and two 3/4" EMT/Rigid LB's for the rear. Used one 10 ft roll of their pipe heat shrink plus about 1 ft of another roll, glad I bought 2.

Could also use two of the Maker Pipe 90's for the rear and put two end-caps in the bend area. This might look cleaner than the LB's, but I wanted to finish the job and had to do with what I could get at the hardware store.

See my reply to j0nny216 for how I did the mounting "cylinders" that fit at the mounting points. These 6 are all the same, so easy to set up a small production line.