DIY Squadron Mounting Bracket
My parents were visiting from Indiana this weekend. Dad and I spent most of Saturday installing this light kit - father/son bonding at it's finest. ::003:: Here is how we went about it. The material of choice was a sheet of aluminum, roughly 2.2mm thick.
There are two sets of holes recessed in the plastic under the headlight. One set is higher up and closer together, the other lower and farther apart. We decided to use the upper, closer together holes. To get the spacing of the holes right, place a sheet of paper in front of the holes. Use a couple of hole punches/pencils/nails/whatever to punch holes in the paper. Center the paper and punch one hole. Keep that punch in the first hole while you punch the other side.
We roughly measured the dimensions of the piece to be 7 5/8 inches wide by 5 inches tall. You won't need anywhere near 5 inches, but you can always cut some off. We cut the aluminum with a jig saw and smoothed the edges with a file. For the two corners that tuck up to the bike, round those corners off. It makes fitment easier.
Take the sheet of paper with the holes in it and line up along one of the long edges. Use a sharpie to mark the holes. Use a hole punch and hammer to mark where you will drill the holes. This will keep the drill bit from "walking" on you. Initially drill a smaller hole than needed and gradually increase the diameter of drill bit. This will help keep the hole centered.
You will need stainless screws that are at least 1 inch long. I don't remember the diameter of the bolts, but it's easy enough to eyeball it and buy a range of sizes. I used aircraft nuts so I wouldn't have to screw with lining up flat/lock washers in tight spaces.
Dry fit the bracket. If the holes line up, mark with a sharpie where you want the bend to be. Then place the piece in a vise for the bend. If the vise is not wider than the piece, you will need to sandwich the piece between two pieces of steel. This will help you get a straight bend. Get medi-evil and beat on it until you have a nice square right angle.
Now mount it on the bike again. This time you're figuring out where the fixtures will mount on the shelf you just created. After you have them where you want them (probably an inch + from the front edge), mark their position with a sharpie. ** Be sure to keep plenty of clearance in front of the brake lines. These lights get hot. ** Remove the bracket and mark across it with a sqaure. Cut off the excess. Like the first holes, use a hole punch to mark where you want the hole. Drill the holes. Remove the brackets from the fixtures and mount them on your fabbed bracket. Be aware that there are rubber washers on either side of the fixture bracket.
The rest of the assembly is evident. I suggest applying anti-seize to the stainless mounting bolts. Let me know if you have any questions. I probably can't answer them, but it can't hurt to ask.
