Sportster Cycle Wing Brackets

[Patrick]

Can't argue with that logic - welding puts a lot of heat into the metal. Bikes certainly last a long time.

The new wing stays I built have only a single weld each side now where they join to the flat plate that bolts them to the uprights. Everything else in bends with the help of a MAPP torch. The swap from mild steel to stainless will hopefully help too long term.

The original Marlin wing stays failed as they were very thin wall tube, from what I can remember it was about 5cm away from a weld, although that was a long time ago I don't recall the specifics.

They replaced them with solid rod versions, they did have a weld at the end of the rods where they move under the wings. I modified the replacements to work with the carbon wings I got at the time.

Those eventually broke due to rust which is it why I made the stainless ones: https://www.msportster.co.uk/2020/05...nt-wing-stays/

[ChrisS]

Patrick

Thanks for this. I didn’t get anything back from your blog. So much appreciated.

Would you have used thicker bar if you had been using the heavier original wings?

Chris

[Mitchelkitman]

Stainless can suffer even more c/f mild steel from heat embrittlement and vibration, so worth keeping an eye on them. One great mod I saw at Stoneleigh years ago was on a lotus 7 type car (IITR it was a Dax, but I may be mistaken) - It had a 'support pair' of stays on the outside of the wing which went to the hubcap of the wheel, incorporating a shielded ballrace! A neat idea to reduce the 'waggle'

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by ChrisS

Patrick

Thanks for this. I didn’t get anything back from your blog. So much appreciated.

Would you have used thicker bar if you had been using the heavier original wings?

Chris

Possibly, but I figure if 1cm thick stainless can hold an exhaust up it'll probs work fine for the wings. However the originals are substantially heavier so they'd probably benefit from bracing / thicker material. I dont really know much about metallurgy so I've not got data to backup my assumptions.

Originally Posted by Mitchelkitman

Stainless can suffer even more c/f mild steel from heat embrittlement and vibration, so worth keeping an eye on them. One great mod I saw at Stoneleigh years ago was on a lotus 7 type car (IITR it was a Dax, but I may be mistaken) - It had a 'support pair' of stays on the outside of the wing which went to the hubcap of the wheel, incorporating a shielded ballrace! A neat idea to reduce the 'waggle'

Thanks - will keep an eye on it. I'm a bit paranoid anyway and inspect them fairly often given the problems I've had with them.

The sounds like interesting solution adding support on the other side.