Front Fender Brace
#1
05-08-2016, 12:24 PM
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Taiwan
Posts: 292
Front Fender Brace
My fender with wolfman fender bag with tube inside was rubbing my tire often. So I've been mounting it above my headlight. Works ok, but I need to check the headlight plastic bolts often. One loosened and fell out. So I'm thinking a fender brace would solve the problem.
I've been searching for a front fender brace and I'm not coming up with much. The few on eBay that will ship to Taiwan have pricey shipping. (There's really very few listed anyway. Are these things not popular?)
Anyone have one they're not using, know of some small place selling them who's not at the top of a Google search, or have some tips on a DIY brace?
I've been searching for a front fender brace and I'm not coming up with much. The few on eBay that will ship to Taiwan have pricey shipping. (There's really very few listed anyway. Are these things not popular?)
Anyone have one they're not using, know of some small place selling them who's not at the top of a Google search, or have some tips on a DIY brace?
#2
05-11-2016, 05:55 AM
DIY - All you need is a jigsaw, drill, vice and a aluminium sheet.
If you don't have the tools, get it done from a chop shop.
something simple like this
If you don't have the tools, get it done from a chop shop.
something simple like this
#3
05-24-2016, 09:25 PM
DIY Fender Brace
After reading the thread on front fender braces, I searched the web for something that would fit my 09 KLX and found nothing so I decided to make my own. I wanted something that would keep the front fender from bouncing crazy over washboard desert roads with a fender bag attached. I also wanted something that could not be seen.
I had a new spare fender that I used to make a pattern with on a piece of card board. I transferred it to a piece of .080 aluminum plate and cut it out. I bent the metal to follow the contours of the under side of the fender. It is necessary to use 4 spacers and 4 new M6 x 35mm Japanese motorcycle bolts to replace the stock short ones. I used a piece of double back tape on the front part to hold the brace tightly against the fender but a small bolt would work. I drilled a small hole should I want to bolt it later. Although this might not be necessary at all. The center larger hole is a relief for a raised spot in the plastic. When installing the brace I found that a little JB Wield helped hold the spacers in place while bolting everything together.
The fender now is a whole lot firmer and better supports the weight of the tool/tube bag.
Below are a few photos that I took of the project.
I had a new spare fender that I used to make a pattern with on a piece of card board. I transferred it to a piece of .080 aluminum plate and cut it out. I bent the metal to follow the contours of the under side of the fender. It is necessary to use 4 spacers and 4 new M6 x 35mm Japanese motorcycle bolts to replace the stock short ones. I used a piece of double back tape on the front part to hold the brace tightly against the fender but a small bolt would work. I drilled a small hole should I want to bolt it later. Although this might not be necessary at all. The center larger hole is a relief for a raised spot in the plastic. When installing the brace I found that a little JB Wield helped hold the spacers in place while bolting everything together.
The fender now is a whole lot firmer and better supports the weight of the tool/tube bag.
Below are a few photos that I took of the project.
#4
05-25-2016, 05:58 AM
After reading the thread on front fender braces, I searched the web for something that would fit my 09 KLX and found nothing so I decided to make my own. I wanted something that would keep the front fender from bouncing crazy over washboard desert roads with a fender bag attached. I also wanted something that could not be seen.
I had a new spare fender that I used to make a pattern with on a piece of card board. I transferred it to a piece of .080 aluminum plate and cut it out. I bent the metal to follow the contours of the under side of the fender. It is necessary to use 4 spacers and 4 new M6 x 35mm Japanese motorcycle bolts to replace the stock short ones. I used a piece of double back tape on the front part to hold the brace tightly against the fender but a small bolt would work. I drilled a small hole should I want to bolt it later. Although this might not be necessary at all. The center larger hole is a relief for a raised spot in the plastic. When installing the brace I found that a little JB Wield helped hold the spacers in place while bolting everything together.
The fender now is a whole lot firmer and better supports the weight of the tool/tube bag.
Below are a few photos that I took of the project.
I had a new spare fender that I used to make a pattern with on a piece of card board. I transferred it to a piece of .080 aluminum plate and cut it out. I bent the metal to follow the contours of the under side of the fender. It is necessary to use 4 spacers and 4 new M6 x 35mm Japanese motorcycle bolts to replace the stock short ones. I used a piece of double back tape on the front part to hold the brace tightly against the fender but a small bolt would work. I drilled a small hole should I want to bolt it later. Although this might not be necessary at all. The center larger hole is a relief for a raised spot in the plastic. When installing the brace I found that a little JB Wield helped hold the spacers in place while bolting everything together.
The fender now is a whole lot firmer and better supports the weight of the tool/tube bag.
Below are a few photos that I took of the project.
#5
07-03-2016, 09:21 PM
Cross posted...
Roll the bends if possible, then sand edges round with fine sand paper. That will hopefully stop any stress risers that could cause cracking. I made a similar bracket for the rear license plate on my KLX650, the aluminum one cracked and almost lost the plate, a second one made of stainless failed as well. Vibration and the constant up down flex caused cracking and breakage at the bends. All it takes is a nick or scratch from cutting to start a crack. Fine finishing of the edges and rolling the bends rather than bending in a sharper radius will reduce the stress riser possibilities.
Another interesting possibility would be to get a scrap fender and double up the inside, but may not be bend resistant enough.
Roll the bends if possible, then sand edges round with fine sand paper. That will hopefully stop any stress risers that could cause cracking. I made a similar bracket for the rear license plate on my KLX650, the aluminum one cracked and almost lost the plate, a second one made of stainless failed as well. Vibration and the constant up down flex caused cracking and breakage at the bends. All it takes is a nick or scratch from cutting to start a crack. Fine finishing of the edges and rolling the bends rather than bending in a sharper radius will reduce the stress riser possibilities.
Another interesting possibility would be to get a scrap fender and double up the inside, but may not be bend resistant enough.
Last edited by klx678; 07-03-2016 at 09:23 PM.
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