1 #ZCALW 5/32” Allen wrench

8 #ZN14FL Black ¼” Lock flange nuts (for outside Phantom bracket)

8 #ZSFW ¼” Fender washers (for inside saddlebags)

6 #ZB1434S ¾” X ¼” Stainless steel button head bolts (for 3 top holes each side)

2 #ZB1478S 7/8” X ¼” Stainless steel button head bolts (for lower hole)

1. Starting on the right hand side of bike. The supplied nipples will first need to be installed by replacing 2 bolts in fender strut or fender. Do this one at a time to avoid fender shift. Be sure to use the supplied tap to clean old paint from treads in fender. Longer nipple in front hole. Check your application as far a what spacers, washers to use on Kit # ZKVTXU. Tighten nipples (not to exceed 271 inch pounds torque). Check alignment of nipples, they must be parallel in both axis but the front one will stick out farther.

2. Place the couplers into the holes in the black fiberglass Phantom bracket from the inside. This will make the black nut for coupler on the black gel coat side (shiny side) of bracket. Do not tighten these nuts yet (slightly less than finger tight). The large black nut is a 1” and the coupler will use a 13/16” wrench. One of the couplers will stick through more than the other. First see if the bracket will snap onto the nipples with the nuts being loose. You need to find out if any additional washers may be needed to get both couplers to engage on nipples at same time. When bracket can come on and off without binding it now can be tighten and do not forget to use the supplied loctite. Tighten the coupler nuts only to 5 ft pounds. Over tightening the coupler nuts will cause the bracket to shift and create bind on the nipples, making the bracket hard to remove. The couplers must be tightened while bracket is snapped on the nipples. Once couplers are tight, again recheck if bracket can come on and off easy. If brackets still do not come on and off easy, you may have tightened the couplers too tight, loosen them slightly. Time taken now to get couples set in right spot will be worth it. Put a little WD-40 spray into couplers when you are doing this. Because of the oversize hole in the Phantom bracket it is possible to have your brackets tipped either up or down. A little fine tuning of this once bags are mounted might be required so the bags sit parallel

3. When you are satisfied the couplers are set right and tight on Phantom bracket it is now time to attach the bracket to the saddlebag ( outside back of saddlebag). The large washers will go inside the saddlebag and the button head bolts will from inside the saddlebag outward, through washer, back of bag then bracket. Use the 2 Chicago screws to attach bracket and bag at top point near shock, no washers used here. Using the other bolts here can cause damage to your shock. There are 2 bolts that are 1/8” longer may be needed to go through the part of the bag that has the extra piece riveted in the back side of the saddlebag at bottom of bracket. Do not over tighten any of the bolts that attach the Phantom bracket to the bag. This can compress the back of the bag and cause it to warp. The bracket will not lay nice and flat against the bag then.

4. Now the bags can be put on the bike. When ever you put your bags on you MUST MAKE SURE THE COLLAR ON COUPLER HAS SLID ALL THE WAY BACK AND LOCKED DOWN ON THE NIPPLES. If collars do not go all the way back your bag is not locked on bike and could fall off. REMOVE THE BAGS FREQUENTLY (AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH) AND SPRAY INSIDE COUPLERS WITH WD-40. THIS HELPS WASH OUT ROAD GRIME AND KEEPS THEM WORKING FREELY AND PROPERLY.

***Caution--Do not exceed weight limit of luggage rack, could cause rear nipple to break*****

Boss Bags, Inc. 111 Industrial Park Ave, Hortonville, WI 54944 920-779-9975

VTX Stainless steel nipple install instructions

There are 2 lengths of the 10mm nipples in your hardware kit as well as a 10mm X 1.25 tap. The longer one replaces the bolt closest to the shock, the shorter one goes in the middle hole in the fender strut. The tap is needed to clean the paint out of the threads in strut. The hex size of the nipple requires a 9/16” wrench.

Be sure not to cross thread the tap. It should run through with not too much difficulty. Cleaning the threads is necessary with these fine threaded bolts.

Retro with Honda sissy bar, luggage rack side plates

The ¼” spacer is used on the front nipple only.

Retro without side plates for sissy bar or rack

The ¾” spacer goes on the front nipple, the ½” spacer goes on the rear nipple.

Classic with Honda sissy bar, luggage rack side plates

No spacers are used on nipples.

Classic without sissy bar or rack side plates

The ¾” spacer is used on the front nipple, the ½” spacer goes on the rear nipple.

Classic with Paladin removable sissy bar

1” spacer in front nipple. ¾” spacer for the rear nipple, and remove the spacers and button from the sissy bar hardware. Side plates now use our nipple for front connection.

All other brands of sissy bars

Aftermarket sissy bars usually use the rear 2 holes to mount the side plates. The front nipple (longer one) will need the ¾” spacer. The rear nipple will need to have ½” from recess in strut out to the head of the nipple. On most brands there will be a spacer in the recess area plus the thickness of the side plate. If the spacer and the side plate add to ½” then no extra spacers will be required. If the spacer and side plate add up to more than ½” then additional spacing needs to be added to front nipple to maintain correct nipple posture.