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Home > Do It Yourself - Tech Tips - Make A Custom Bracket
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| How
to Make a Custom Bracket - Triumph Head Stay / Steady |
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Here
I show the process used to make a custom head stay
(otherwise known as head steady) for my Triumph. This
is a '61 pre unit Triumph with a later unit top end,
in an earlier '58 frame, so nothing stock works. I
decided to make up a neat bracket using a couple of
bungs and
some steel plate.
The
first step was to screw the bungs in place for mock
up. I mocked it up using 5/16" hardware, but
switched to 3/8" hardware and bungs for the actual
bracket. I used a 3/8"
couterbore bung on one side and a 3/8"-16
x 1/2" threaded bung on the other,
which sandwiched a stock cast tab on the frame. I
then drew up a rough cardboard template and cut it
to size to check fitment.
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was having too much fun and not taking enough photos,
so next shot shows the bracket tacked in place, which
I did in place on the bike. I went ahead and drilled
out some round stock and cut it into thick washers for
the mounts on the rocker boxes. I then used a grinder
to rough-cut the shape of the bracket in question, radiusing
the metal for the washers with a cut off wheel and shaping
them smooth with a flap disc. I also cut the slot in
the body of it so the bracket could squeeze together
when tightened. Once tacked, I removed it from the bike
and and welded it up. |
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| Then
comes the really fun part. I ground down some of the
welds with a 120 grit flap disc on an electric grinder,
as well as a couple of files and some emery paper. I
picked up this circle stencil at a craft store for $5,
and it works great for laying out some lightening holes.
I figure these lightening holes help produce another
6 hp due to reduced weight. Ok, maybe only 5 hp. |
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| The
use of a stencil like that, and most importantly, taking
your time and center-punching before drilling, makes
the end result much nicer. It really blows when you
spend a couple hours on a custom bracket and then drill
the holes crooked. |
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| A
drill press helps for straight holes, especially in
thicker steel. A nice low speed and some cutting fluid
helps as well, and makes your bits last longer. Step
bits (also known as unibits) are awesome, and make for
less bit changes, and also allow you to chamfer the
edges of your holes super easy. |
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The
final bracket bolted in place. Nice and clean, and
very stout, this should do it's job well. Some final
sanding and either paint or plating and it will be
totally finished.
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