Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods New Battery Relocation Bracket and Airbox Removal

I had been wanting to remove the air box and add pod filters too my 2004 Speedmaster for sometime. I just finished it up this weekend. I removed the air box without damaging it, added K&N pods, rejetted the carbs, (put in 150 mains) and designed my own battery box. Took me 3 or 4 weeks, would have been much quicker if my garage was heated!

I had originally planned to buy the battery relocation bracket from the guy on here that sells them, but I got to thinking, I am a mechanical engineer that designs conveyors and special automation. Probably 90% of what I do is design brackets to attach something to something else, so basically, I am a professional bracket designer! And I have access to Solidworks, steel, a laser, a CNC press brake, welders, and a powdercoating booth.

So I designed my own from 14ga (0.075") mild steel. (Future version will have the back plate from 12ga (0.105") to give it a little more strength)



And a carb brace. (This is revised from the actual one so that it can be hooked over the aluminum rod on the carbs without having to take it off)



Parts before installation. (Note some of the bends have cutouts on the bend line to allow it to be hand broke. We did this because the brake operator was having a hard time getting all the bends right and I didn't want to take the time to tweak it in)



After installation. (Future versions will have slots in the two mounting holes to allow you to offset the battery box about 5mm to the right so that you have a little more room for the wires coming out of the fuse box, and I will probably drop it down probably 8-10mm to give more room for wires on top of the battery.




The only part of the original bracket that was used was the part that mounts the fuse box and the key. I cut a piece of 1/8" rubber to fit in the bottom of the bracket for the battery to sit on.



And the completed project. I also added progressive rear shocks, new rear turn signals, and a crankcase breather. It runs great and seems to have more power.



If there is any interest, I could make some for sale. I could do the completed bracket, welded and powder coated black with 1/8" rubber for the bottom, and the carb brace for $100 plus shipping. You can keep your old bracket.
PM me if anyone is interested.

Did you leave the area behind the battery open on purpose? Seems like a lot of road gunk would accumulate in there. I think you did a great job all around and that's coming from a journeyman conveyor installer. Who do you work for Siemens?

Yeah, I put the holes in there for looks and to lighten it a little. Thought about dirt getting in there after I installed it. Don't think it will be a problem but if it is, I can make one with a solid back just as easy.

I work for a company called Spantech. Here is our website. http://www.spantechllc.com/

We have just started a youtube channel and you can see some of my work there. http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8G--EPqd_xY2YqOrSfuRQ

This morning I went ahead modified my solid model and removed the holes in the back so that dirt can't get in. I was asked about rust and I have 3 options to make them. First would be mild steel and powder coated black. Second would be stainless steel. It comes in a #3 brush finish, but you could polish it to a shine if you wanted to. And third, stainless and powder coated black. Probably the best so it will not rust even if the powder coat chips off.

If your going to start selling them, may I suggest you post in the vendors thread?

Figured I would if I think there is any interest. Thought I would just show my handy work first!

are you leaving that all open behind the box ?

I have already changed my model and drawing to eliminate it on the next one. I don't think it will be a problem on the one on my bike, but I will keep an eye on it and see.

Suggestion... don't recall if the seat pan is metal or composite but if metal, suggest you put rubber on the bottom over the place where the seat is on top of the battery terminals. If the seat touches the terminals and it is metal, it will fry your cable from battery to solenoid at a minimum when it shorts and blow your main fuse... could do worse but will do that as a minimum. I have had it happen when sticking the battery under the seat. You may ride nicely for many miles but hit a pothole and BOOM... sparks and a dead bike.

That's a good idea. I think the bottom of my seat is plastic but I will make sure it can't short.

Thanks

I would like to suggest real welds be placed on it instead of the little spots intermittently tacked. "Welds" such as that are not for permanent weldments.

Those are not welds. The box part was cut out on a laser in one piece. There were slots cut into the bends to allow it to bent by hand. The back was welded on and the gussets were welded to the bottom after it was bent.

I don't think there was a fender shield other than the airbox. Is that what you are talking about?

oh! good idea.

Here is what the flat pattern looks like before we add the bends. Where the slots are, are bends that were hand broke. The bottom of the gussets were welded the the bottom where the battery sets.