Dumb question of the week!

[ZoneIII]

I bought a new 2015 R3T about ten days ago. My question is about the lock on the rack bracket. Looking at it, I can't see what it locks. I turned the key and I see it frees a little black lever inside of the bracket but the lever didn't seem to unlock anything. I moved the lever with my finger but nothing seemed to unlock. But now the key won't turn at all because the U shaped bracket on the key mechanism is blocked by the lever which won't move at all.

So, first, what is the key for? The manual mentions that it's for the backrest but it's obvious that it has nothing to do with the backrest which is held on by bolts and nothing from the key connects anywhere near the backrest anyway. (No linkage, etc.) The only thing I can think of is that it locks the entire rack but, looking at the mechanism, I don't see how it would do that.

Second, does anyone know how I can free the lever up so the key can turn?

Thanks and sorry for the dumb questions. :-(

 

[Ygransom]

When I get home I'll take a look at mine, but what it locks is teh release lever from moving enough to release the rack/backrest. The backrest and rack come off as 1 piece. There is a lever on each side you pressa than push forward and it comes off. You may have moved it enough to block full return of lock lever. Try jerking it back and see if tha resets it.

 

[ZoneIII]

When I get home I'll take a look at mine, but what it locks is teh release lever from moving enough to release the rack/backrest. The backrest and rack come off as 1 piece. There is a lever on each side you pressa than push forward and it comes off. You may have moved it enough to block full return of lock lever. Try jerking it back and see if tha resets it.

Thanks! I'm going to go out right now and check that out.

I'm back. You are a true gentleman and scholar, Ygransom! I jerked it back and, sure enough, it was loose. (I'm so glad I posted this question because I would have ridden tomorrow with the rack only locked in on one side and not seated fully on the right side. I found the latch on the left side. I just didn't see it before but I should have reasoned that it was similar to the locking one on the right side. I guess my brain was dead today. I unlatched the left side and took the rack off and could then clearly see the mechanisms. But the key still couldn't turn. I figured that maybe the latch had to be re-set so I installed the rack on the bike and pulled it back. Voila! The lever would now move properly and I could lock the rack on the bike. I think what happened is that while I was checking things out and unlocked the lock, I must have inadvertently pushed the rack forward and then tried to lock it without knowing that it wasn't fully back.

I mention this in case some other idiot runs into the same problem.

You guys are great!

 

[cusso ken]

Thanks! I'm going to go out right now and check that out.

I'm back. You are a true gentleman and scholar, Ygransom! I jerked it back and, sure enough, it was loose. (I'm so glad I posted this question because I would have ridden tomorrow with the rack only locked in on one side and not seated fully on the right side. I found the latch on the left side. I just didn't see it before but I should have reasoned that it was similar to the locking one on the right side. I guess my brain was dead today. I unlatched the left side and took the rack off and could then clearly see the mechanisms. But the key still couldn't turn. I figured that maybe the latch had to be re-set so I installed the rack on the bike and pulled it back. Voila! The lever would now move properly and I could lock the rack on the bike. I think what happened is that while I was checking things out and unlocked the lock, I must have inadvertently pushed the rack forward and then tried to lock it without knowing that it wasn't fully back.

I mention this in case some other idiot runs into the same problem.

You guys are great!

Glad you sorted that out ,the left hand lever is a bit of a trap for young players, if your rack and backrest rattles on rough roads just put a couple of rounds of rubberised tape on the connection lugs to take up the clearance between the latch and the lugs, it annoyed me until I found the source of the rattle,

 

[ZoneIII]

Glad you sorted that out ,the left hand lever is a bit of a trap for young players, if your rack and backrest rattles on rough roads just put a couple of rounds of rubberised tape on the connection lugs to take up the clearance between the latch and the lugs, it annoyed me until I found the source of the rattle,

Great tip! I'll remember that if I do experience a rattle. Thanks again.

 

[cr0ft]

Hah, this brings back when I bought and assembled the rack. I somehow managed to mount the lock backwards...

I toured for over a week in Norway, giving the rack and irritated shove every once in a while as the right hand side slipped out and cursed Triumph for making such a shoddy construction.

Much later when I came home and I was dismantling stuff back there to do other things I finally realized my mistake, turned the lock round and with a loud CLICK the rack just slid into place and was rock solid... it's so easy to make mistakes or not just get how some things work sometimes. But I suppose that's quality after all, the rack held on to my luggage for over a week when attached firmly only on one side.