I have the engine guard and drilled the hole on the pre-2018 fangs. The fangs just barley touch the engine guard when locking the fork but it's not a problem. I did drill the whole slightly oblong so that I could adjust the fangs slighty forward.

Regarding the buffeting, its was a significant improvement and completely changed the riding experience for me.

 

I know. I had read one of your post stating this before I ordered the pre-2018 deflectors. I went ahead and ordered them anyway to see if I could make them work. The contact made was enough that I didn't care for it. I could have monkied around with the install to try to get them to work, but I decided against it. I went the JES fangs (chrome) instead.

I wasn't sure if I'd like the looks of the JES fangs or not. But now that they are on the bike, I think they look fine and fit the bike well. In fact I'd say I prefer them now.

 

It's funny how many people are unsure about the look of the fangs when they first install them. I wasn't sure I liked them but I really liked what they did. After about a week or two I started to really like the look of them and could not imagine the bike without them.

 

Respectfully - I've had pre '18 HD fangs on two post '18 Softails with the full-size engine bars and HD windshields. One was a Deluxe and now on my 114 Heritage. The lower hole is required to be elongated down or redrillled to fit the wider hardware spacing on the upper forks. I prefer to fit them under the windshield braces that engage the rubber mounts with existing hardware, and removing the shield requires unbolting the lower bolts so the fangs can be swung back and the shield pushed and rotated forward. Loosening all the windshield hardware lets the fangs fit underneath then retighten after the shield is installed.

As far as the engine bar to fang clearance it's done in two steps. One is make sure the flat upper mount is as far forward under the bolts as possible. Enlarge the two holes if needed. Then hand bend the fang's outboard sides slightly forward so they twist a little below the upper flat tang. I leave about 1/4" clearance on both sides. They look good and work as advertised.