Trunk Arm

[StarRider07]

A buddy of mine has a Venture and always complained that his trunk lid did not open all the way. He would either have to hold it open or let it rest on the half way open lock feature.

Anyway, when I got my Venture he was with me and one of the first things he looked at was my trunk lid. It opened all the way, stayed up and let to close it, of course you have that double action you have to do to close it.

Anyway, last week, after only having the bike for 3 weeks or so, mine started doing the same thing. Is this a common problem? Is there a fix for it other than removing the arm? That is what he ended up doing. I don't really want to do that.

 

Thanks

 

Greg

[Vance]

I haven't had any problems with mine.

You ought to take it back to the dealer for warranty work.

[BuddyRich]

The arm has a couple of mounting screws. The don't use any loctite on them so they back out and cause your problem. Took mine apart after I had had it just a few weeks to fix the same problem. Used blue loctite on the screws and its been fine since.

[StarRider07]

The arm has a couple of mounting screws. The don't use any loctite on them so they back out and cause your problem. Took mine apart after I had had it just a few weeks to fix the same problem. Used blue loctite on the screws and its been fine since.

 

When I took the arm out, all screws were tight. I can't get it to work properly again. I guess I will go to dealer to get it fixed or replaced under warranty. I was basically just asking to see if it is a common problem. Like I said, at first the trunk lid would open up so that it was almost straight up. Did not have to hold it open wide, it would just stay there.

[ediddy]

I have the same problem with my 05. Let me know what the dealer does to fix this problem.

[sarges46]

When I got my bike from midnightspook the holderopener thingy was removed. I like it that way..but you do have to use caution as it is possible to push the armrests into the rear speaker housing cracking them.

 

I havent done that.....yet.

[StarRider07]

I have the same problem with my 05. Let me know what the dealer does to fix this problem.

 

No problem, I will let you know. I think he will probably order me a new arm.

 

Greg

[KeithR]

Last year when I first got my bike my better half didn't know how to close the trunk lid and kinda forced it down...bent the assembly pretty good. I went to the dealer and asked them to check the price for me, after a few days they called me and said they had it ordered ($85) and would cover it under warranty.

That was great and all was well till a few weeks ago ! I put my bike into have the rear intercom assembly replaced because of a missing PTT button. The "tech" at the dealer didn't know how to close it either so he bent the new one all out of shape. They replaced it and said they would get it covered under warranty, I'm not sure how they handled it but it was of no cost to me.

 

So check it out it should be a warranty item !

 

Keith

[StarRider07]

Last year when I first got my bike my better half didn't know how to close the trunk lid and kinda forced it down...bent the assembly pretty good. I went to the dealer and asked them to check the price for me, after a few days they called me and said they had it ordered ($85) and would cover it under warranty.

That was great and all was well till a few weeks ago ! I put my bike into have the rear intercom assembly replaced because of a missing PTT button. The "tech" at the dealer didn't know how to close it either so he bent the new one all out of shape. They replaced it and said they would get it covered under warranty, I'm not sure how they handled it but it was of no cost to me.

 

So check it out it should be a warranty item !

 

Keith

 

 

Hi Keith. I have no doubt in my mind that it is covered under warranty. Just hopes it lasts more the the fews shorts weeks I had it. I will take it every month if I have to.

So, once you got the new one installed did your trunk lid stay open up high? Almost straight up? I am not talking about staying up at the auto lock open when it is about half open.

 

Greg

[Freebird]

This is really a simple fix guys. My '99 had gotten to where it didn't stay open far enough either. I simply applied gentle pressure in the upward direction. I could feel smooth tension as I forced it open. Like something was bent or twisted. I was careful as I did it and then it stayed open as far as it did when new.

[KeithR]

Greg

 

Here are a couple of photo's of the open trunk lid. The second one is as far as it will go.

 

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Keith

[ronklein]

I agree with Freebird. My girlfriend did the same thing with mine, tried to close it and bent the bracket. Every time you accidientally try to close it past the auto stop, it will bend a little more, until it looks like the picures here. I applied gentle pressure upwards ( which unbent it) and now it works fine.

 

Definitely a marginal design, but if you are careful it works OK.

[V7Goose]

This is really a simple fix guys. My '99 had gotten to where it didn't stay open far enough either. I simply applied gentle pressure in the upward direction. I could feel smooth tension as I forced it open. Like something was bent or twisted. I was careful as I did it and then it stayed open as far as it did when new.

Yup, that's the ticket. A lot of these bikes have that weak lid strut bent up before they are even sold from unknowing folks messing with them on the showroom floor. When I bought my 05, I had the same problem. About a month after I bought it, I was at a bike show where the RSV on the floor there was miraculously still in pristine shape, and I saw how far it was supposed to open. I did exactly like Don described, just gently pushing it open against the pressure of the bent strut, slowly bending the mounting plate back into the correct position. No problems with it at all in the next 35,000 miles.

Goose

 

(when all is working as it should, the trunk lid should open to a completely vertical position - straight up - and stay there all by itself if you don't want to lean if back to rest on the strut lock).

[Monsta]

When I got my bike from midnightspook the holderopener thingy was removed. I like it that way..but you do have to use caution as it is possible to push the armrests into the rear speaker housing cracking them.

 

And FWIW, those who have a Corbin backrest don't have to worry about this. The "armrests" on the backrest will rest right on the passenger grab bars. I removed my trunk arm because of this and the fact that I hated to do the "lift up to release" thing. Plus, everyone who ever used the trunk didn't know about it and would inevitably push it down (or try) when it was in the locked, up position.

 

Cheap design (IMO). Shoulda been a small, pressurized lift strut there instead.

[StarRider07]

Yup, that's the ticket. A lot of these bikes have that weak lid strut bent up before they are even sold from unknowing folks messing with them on the showroom floor. When I bought my 05, I had the same problem. About a month after I bought it, I was at a bike show where the RSV on the floor there was miraculously still in pristine shape, and I saw how far it was supposed to open. I did exactly like Don described, just gently pushing it open against the pressure of the bent strut, slowly bending the mounting plate back into the correct position. No problems with it at all in the next 35,000 miles.

Goose

 

(when all is working as it should, the trunk lid should open to a completely vertical position - straight up - and stay there all by itself if you don't want to lean if back to rest on the strut lock).

 

Thanks for your help. I already tried that and it didn't work. Maybe I didn't push it hard enough in fear of breaking something. I did take the arm off to examine it. I couldn't find a bend in the arm or the mounting plate.

I think I will leave it up to the dealer to deal with it.

 

Greg