DIY Cheap Mods
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 1
Awesome mods in this thread!!
Has anyone figured out a low-buck method to lower the front fender on a FXST?? I was looking at the fender on my new bike and it seems to me that Harley could have done a better job of making an even gap all around the fender-to-tire clearance. Dropping the fender down a little closer to the tire would also look better.
Has anyone figured out a low-buck method to lower the front fender on a FXST?? I was looking at the fender on my new bike and it seems to me that Harley could have done a better job of making an even gap all around the fender-to-tire clearance. Dropping the fender down a little closer to the tire would also look better.
Thread Starter
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
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From: Rochester, NY
Stmplr and I have been trying to work something out for that because we both have 07's and the fenders on them are significantly father away from the tire than the later 08 and up bikes.
The two best ideas we have been able to come up with are;
1. remove the fender and cut a small section (about 1/2") out of the mounting brackets, weld them back together and repaint. Then either use small spacers, flat washers, or a combination of both and longer bolts between the bracket and the fork tube, or rebend the ends to match the bosses on the fork tubes.
Bending them however could be a lot trickier than you think because it would only have to be just slightly "off" for the fender to end up way off to one side or not be straight over the tire. Using spacer/washer idea would things simpler because even if it is off, it would only take a variation in the size of the spacers or number of washers to straighten things out.
2. get hold of the new fender. Only problem with that is that for some stupid reason the part number for the older fender and the newer one seems (up till very recently) to be exactly same. So ordering a new fender with the old number could be a crap shoot.
Personally I'm giving serious consideration to finding a cheap one on evil-bay or something and trying to do the cut/weld/spacer idea on it. Its cheap and I have the tools so its not out of my capabilities, and even if I screw it up I still have the option of using the one I have or getting the 'real' new one. Assuming I can find the right one, that is.
The two best ideas we have been able to come up with are;
1. remove the fender and cut a small section (about 1/2") out of the mounting brackets, weld them back together and repaint. Then either use small spacers, flat washers, or a combination of both and longer bolts between the bracket and the fork tube, or rebend the ends to match the bosses on the fork tubes.
Bending them however could be a lot trickier than you think because it would only have to be just slightly "off" for the fender to end up way off to one side or not be straight over the tire. Using spacer/washer idea would things simpler because even if it is off, it would only take a variation in the size of the spacers or number of washers to straighten things out.
2. get hold of the new fender. Only problem with that is that for some stupid reason the part number for the older fender and the newer one seems (up till very recently) to be exactly same. So ordering a new fender with the old number could be a crap shoot.
Personally I'm giving serious consideration to finding a cheap one on evil-bay or something and trying to do the cut/weld/spacer idea on it. Its cheap and I have the tools so its not out of my capabilities, and even if I screw it up I still have the option of using the one I have or getting the 'real' new one. Assuming I can find the right one, that is.
Last edited by In Memoriam Citoriplus; Dec 30, 2009 at 08:36 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 1
Thanks for that info, Citoriplus. Any idea when Harley made the running change to the "new" fender?
I was also playing with the idea of slotting the mounting through holes on my original fender. Not too much adjustment could be made with this mod, but it would help the overall fitment
Thread Starter
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
Thanks for that info, Citoriplus. Any idea when Harley made the running change to the "new" fender?
I was also playing with the idea of slotting the mounting through holes on my original fender. Not too much adjustment could be made with this mod, but it would help the overall fitment
I was also playing with the idea of slotting the mounting through holes on my original fender. Not too much adjustment could be made with this mod, but it would help the overall fitment
Like I said if you order one today its a crap shoot which one your going to get.
Best advise he got from someone at Zenotti's was to wait a while to see if they either 'fix' the PN issue or just run out of the old ones.
For now I wouldn't bother with trying to cut the brackets or slot the mounting holes. It will not work properly anyway.
I must be getting stupid in my old age. I was just looking at my sig pic and realized that even if you did the slotting or cutting the bracket thing. Its never going to look really 'right' because the radius of the fender needs to be changed (made smaller, good luck with that one) or the ends will always be farther away from the tire than the middle.
Easy way to see what I mean is to take a piece of paper and a compass. Using the same point on the paper (axle center) use the compass to draw a circle (tire) then widen it a little and draw an arc (fender) outside the circle.
Now without changing the size of it, take the compass and put the pencil part on any part of the circle (tire) and put the pointy part down and try to draw another fender line. You will be able to see that while the middle is on the tire the ends of the fender are farther away than the middle, the same way out fenders would be.
Last edited by In Memoriam Citoriplus; Jan 13, 2010 at 08:42 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 442
Likes: 3
From: Warren, Ohio
I use two black mouse pads I got from Wal-mart to fit under the passenger pillon on my Heritage Classic. The no-slip rubber sits on the fender and the seat holds 'em down. When I want to go solo, the pillon and protection comes off easily. I like the no-slip rubber 'cuz there is less sliding than the harley padding from their old kit. I may cut the pads to a more exact size (they overlap each other now, but you can't see it) and glue it to the bottom of the pillon. That way I won't forget (again). Turns out I still needed to buy a fender bib, but I'm minimizing damage to the fender.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,415
Likes: 5
From: San Antonio, Republic of TEXAS
I use two black mouse pads I got from Wal-mart to fit under the passenger pillon on my Heritage Classic. The no-slip rubber sits on the fender and the seat holds 'em down. When I want to go solo, the pillon and protection comes off easily. I like the no-slip rubber 'cuz there is less sliding than the harley padding from their old kit. I may cut the pads to a more exact size (they overlap each other now, but you can't see it) and glue it to the bottom of the pillon. That way I won't forget (again). Turns out I still needed to buy a fender bib, but I'm minimizing damage to the fender.
Stage I
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
Citoriplus Will your baffle extraction technique work on Screamin Eagle II's? I put a set on my 07 Heritage and was a little let down by the sound.
Softail53
Softail53
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 1
No idea on the when, and nobody that Stmplr has talked to knows either.
Like I said if you order one today its a crap shoot which one your going to get.
Best advise he got from someone at Zenotti's was to wait a while to see if they either 'fix' the PN issue or just run out of the old ones.
For now I wouldn't bother with trying to cut the brackets or slot the mounting holes. It will not work properly anyway.
I must be getting stupid in my old age. I was just looking at my sig pic and realized that even if you did the slotting or cutting the bracket thing. Its never going to look really 'right' because the radius of the fender needs to be changed (made smaller, good luck with that one) or the ends will always be farther away from the tire than the middle.
Like I said if you order one today its a crap shoot which one your going to get.
Best advise he got from someone at Zenotti's was to wait a while to see if they either 'fix' the PN issue or just run out of the old ones.
For now I wouldn't bother with trying to cut the brackets or slot the mounting holes. It will not work properly anyway.
I must be getting stupid in my old age. I was just looking at my sig pic and realized that even if you did the slotting or cutting the bracket thing. Its never going to look really 'right' because the radius of the fender needs to be changed (made smaller, good luck with that one) or the ends will always be farther away from the tire than the middle.
I just got back from the HD dealership. While I was there I checked out a new 2010 FXSTC in Vivid Black. The fit on these new front fenders is perfect......when comparing it to a used 2008 Night Train that was close by it was obvious how poorly the "older" fenders fit. There is no way that I can see to make the older fenders fit as good as the new ones. If I do a repaint on my bike, I'll get a new fender.
Thread Starter
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
But if there is a baffle plate in there it should work just the same way.
Before you get out the hammer and punch though I would see if the baffle can be removed.
Older SE mufflers used a pair of Phillips screws about 90 degrees apart toward the rear end of the muffler to hold the baffle in.
You only had to take them out to be able to get the baffle tube out.
If you can get them out that way so much the better and I would try drilling out the holes a little and maybe adding a couple of more rows of holes before punching out the plate.
That way you retain a little of the back pressure the engine seems to like at the low end. But you get a more Harley like sound from them when you get a bit heavy handed with the throttle.
An added benefit from leaving the plate alone is that if you live anywhere near one of those areas where the cops check such things.
I doubt they would be able to tell the mufflers have been 'modified' a little witout taking it out and looking for themselves.
I just got back from the HD dealership. While I was there I checked out a new 2010 FXSTC in Vivid Black. The fit on these new front fenders is perfect......when comparing it to a used 2008 Night Train that was close by it was obvious how poorly the "older" fenders fit. There is no way that I can see to make the older fenders fit as good as the new ones. If I do a repaint on my bike, I'll get a new fender.
Given my present income level that might take a while and I want one now!!!
PS if you go back to that dealer anytime soon, see if you can swipe the fender off that bike. My bike is vivid black and I'm sure it would look so much better on mine.