The bracket that attaches my home made (half) front fender to the fork crown had finally become victim to aluminum's terrible fatigue strength (in other words, it broke). So I decided to do it the right way and use steel this time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZAgzAfiSVpk9VDaN5i1tFrfkLH5-cGQV8Z__y3jA8tUzxjdtpirrO816xcO-ZJfRBt2XfW_iRU3gFZhQStgPYA2EOI9quO1kUHGZ35X2Q5VGYP_NgQyTOBVRmHyriZUtjDihP5k_j0o/s640/PICT0557.JPG) |
"mud brake" |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspPcUr311P7COz8JpZF1u6aU1zQcF-vqa5_-DzOpwqtFSNTQwYyT8VdVEgOpK-MwwB1BP6IjwWuJQuti3JXjh7dIUlFMoz7BeeGm05xz1hJF0t-JZyek4YUFPK9lxXVFZMkb2gX6pjro/s400/PICT0584.JPG) |
What was left of the original bracket |
The material came from a drawer slide which was conveniently the perfect width and also had a conveniently placed hole. It's like it was meant for this purpose. This steel is also twice as thick as the old bracket.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypgtNnTz62gd-L45Vu6tEKKvmG9IuZk4lXxKYU917d1V01IBMKN8Q8WhktRsD2u5lt21E5n6-NGlvH-WQ9NzRLxzBLpknb5tmT-mU6cFFTr28H8lrTCfuN4RQBukCrObsxIR9F32Y5pY/s640/PICT0586.JPG) |
Cutting the drawer slide |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYF2gINnPj13dNsWHAYUm8_5yahPA4BUhEhrchL-U1FqDnycQXEg-OBc6yuIPqHNG1MbXSgAOkRr0YeJ-GbBhJ8LnC-_5hLNOj4iCYbxgpa5yy-MKjiPOUz_ValG8PRlf1IbU1HLieBPg/s640/PICT0587.JPG) |
This fancy new pivoting vise made the job easier |
After hack sawing off my peice, I was able to use aviation snips to cut off the unneeded angle parts to obtain a flat piece.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFXOB6rmHjbM5hadze28BFP5Ke9gZ1Pf3KDs9BHUnpW7vyJNp8aWQLStcmA2jGzNbWX_lC3x8A_N81oUdc2W__-CNBTLXYa-hULumEa6dXuKy8sBTV1_Bs6-7ZJyxISlB2h_lcg6b44I/s640/PICT0588.JPG) |
Some layout work |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg0SkA4fBh6NorEorA_jt93nmwFNGdd3BUVlL-9Jt62jZHf4jWEllUa94NW4GfoggwpN0AxJ-mQZBPGSW2UOdz_V9xqtVxttRZBWeo3bCD4xRsS3Xad0BWIYtgMiasJphY9XUMOCRfsk/s640/PICT0589.JPG) |
1/8" holes for pop rivets, 1/4" to mount to bike |
I drilled holes for the corners because I was taught a radius corner is 10 times stronger than a sharp one. The original bracket had sharp corners which probably contributed to its ultimate doom. That, and I had to bend it a back and forth a couple times to get it in the right position, a big no-no with aluminum sheet metal. Also, mud.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTHdulgXo9wWw0VCnamnrZnHFez93hCVq8t7Gk-40s4urVjCLZCfPcj8Bq2huFm5GQV3UYxa6xteL9wjSGwo_ehpaTKHfuRtNLy2KmlRUJpEakkLVyhcFPxefnqgc8Dz3ebVCKPC6pTk/s400/PICT0590.JPG) |
The new bracket completed |
Some snipping, a lot of filing and some bending later, the piece is complete. The new one has less distance between the 1/4" hole and the fender so it effectively increases the wheel clearance... I still don't think all that mud would fit through though.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XIp2tLhbEG_fFMgLxM54k-M4x34HhT0l7jwjkwNCmeN_HY4kMiG2QP0x1j_FNHZbdkB-h38CDr6s4aDzoUS0I8HRz0PJ7I0NujW7MWhCUgIrLJI0pS4tgwSxRKuDkdcAwmogHctZYZ8/s640/PICT0591.JPG) |
Back in action, now all I got to do is make the rest of the fender! |
One of the rear fender mounts is already cracked, but luckily it has a mount on either side of the seatstay bridge so the other one is keeping it from moving.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNRsR88tWi6BSJiJlObmSCNGGADkis2DFFNXmaY3s5CDVbpc6O8kS7olymLxxgVyH6u_fDSZ2fzlpbo29skKTSBy6pM-xXW0vOcMifamg-vZwPnxd1ZIcr4Vx-RbBRnrzqKFZVGPN50o/s640/PICT0594.JPG) |
This is how the end of the fender attaches to the fork ends. |
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