DIY Fork Wind Deflectors

[Mr.T]

I just traided my 2014 Road King in for a 2016 Freewheeler. I have looked all over the net for Fork Wind Deflectors. JES wind defletors get good reviews but $170 is alot to spent. So I am making my own Fork Wind Deflectors. Started with 8"x24" 16 ga. flat steel. Cut in half to make two 8"x 12" pices. Drilled first hole 3/4" in from the top and side edge. The next hole 3/4" in from the edge on the 12" side. Next I made a rounded bend 2" in from 12" hole side. Then drilled a 1/2" hole 1 & 1/2" from the 2" bended side and 3 & 3/4" from the bottom edge. Made a cut 4" from the buttom edge on the 2" side to the 1/2" hole out side edge. Then made a cut 1 & 3/4" in from the 2" side from the bottom to the 1/2" hole out side edge. Rounded the edges next to the two mounting holes and at the bottom edge bend. See Pictures:







Tested them as you see them at 80 mph. to see if they would deflect the wind and they worked great no wind in the face from the tank area. I still have more to cut and bend but need to install engine guard and go from there.

[nucseal]

You do realize your cutting down on cooling for your engine. Thereby making it hotter for you as well. What would have been better is the cooling wings from DK Customs. Would do the same thing without cutting down on engine cooling.

Ride Safe

Nuc

[Free Bird]

Welcome to the forum Richard!

Interesting project. I assume the cutting you reference is edge profiling the shape for aesthetics. One thing you may want to consider is using the surface area to deflect and direct air towards the engine. A small NACA scoop would create ideal geometry to do this. NACA scoops leverage air flow over a shape and help capture and direct it where it is needed most. There are LOTS of places to buy preformed ones of various sizes, materials, and geometries (just Google "NACA Scoop". They even have some with articulating nozzels on the aft side to more precise exit control. Here is an example.



Anyway.... just a thought. Good luck with the project!

[Jack Klarich]

Interesting project

There has been a ton of testing by Kevin @ D K Customs on how to cool down a Twin Cam and M8 engine

IMO what you have designed is going to block the much needed air flow not only to help with the heat but also the flow to the already heated air cleaner JMO

[MDO]

Welcome from Missouri. Please stop by the New Member forum for a proper welcome.

I have 2 concerns with your air deflectors. 1 is no air flow to your air filter.

The 2nd. is I personally would need a good supply of tourniquets, as I would be slicing myself high, wide & handsome on those edges.

[radismukes]

To the Trike Talk Family! FROM SOUTH Angleton, TX

Howdy Richard

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Welcome to the Gang from Western Colorado.

As stated, you need to decide weather a little wind buffeting is worth over heating your engine.

[Mr.T]

Welcome from Missouri. Please stop by the New Member forum for a proper welcome.

I have 2 concers with your air deflectors. 1 is no air flow to your air filter.

The 2nd. is I personally would need a good supply of tourniquets, as I would be slicing myself high, wide & handsome on those edges.

As to air flow to the air filter. I took that in to account when I made them. See Pictures:

[rhino 2]

I just traided my 2014 Road King in for a 2016 Freewheeler. I have looked all over the net for Fork Wind Deflectors. JES wind defletors get good reviews but $170 is alot to spent. So I am making my own Fork Wind Deflectors. Started with 8"x24" 16 ga. flat steel. Cut in half to make two 8"x 12" pices. Drilled first hole 3/4" in from the top and side edge. The next hole 3/4" in from the edge on the 12" side. Next I made a rounded bend 2" in from 12" hole side. Then drilled a 1/2" hole 1 & 1/2" from the 2" bended side and 3 & 3/4" from the bottom edge. Made a cut 4" from the buttom edge on the 2" side to the 1/2" hole out side edge. Then made a cut 1 & 3/4" in from the 2" side from the bottom to the 1/2" hole out side edge. Rounded the edges next to the two mounting holes and at the bottom edge bend. See Pictures:







Tested them as you see them at 80 mph. to see if they would deflect the wind and they worked great no wind in the face from the tank area. I still have more to cut and bend but need to install engine guard and go from there.

Richard.........Welcome to Trike-Talk...........

[Mr.T]

Welcome from Missouri. Please stop by the New Member forum for a proper welcome.

I have 2 concerns with your air deflectors. 1 is no air flow to your air filter.

The 2nd. is I personally would need a good supply of tourniquets, as I would be slicing myself high, wide & handsome on those edges.

As to the sharp edges. I am not finished with the Deflectors and when finished there will be no sharp edges.

[Mr.T]

Welcome to the Gang from Western Colorado.

As stated, you need to decide weather a little wind buffeting is worth over heating your engine.

I did a test on the deflectors today and fount that by mounting them so that the deflectors are above the turn signals and not behind and extending below the lights as seen in first pics, the air flow to the engine was great, I could feel the air strongly on the bottom part of the gas tank and almost non on my chest and face. See new pictures:





I still have more to do on the deflectors and will post pictures as I make changes.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I did a test on the deflectors today and fount that by mounting them so that the deflectors are above the turn signals and not behind and extending below the lights as seen in first pics, the air flow to the engine was great, I could feel the air strongly on the bottom part of the gas tank and almost non on my chest and face. See new pictures:

If you could get the sun to cooperate, you could use an angle like this to mark the deflectors to mimic the windshield ... then maybe find some kind of vent that would allow you to angle the wind to the engine.

[MDO]

I was joking about the edges, I assumed your still working on it.

It's your project & as long as your happy, that's all that counts. Good luck.

[Mr.T]

I was joking about the edges, I assumed your still working on it.

It's your project & as long as your happy, that's all that counts. Good luck.

Finished the deflectors and they work well. I could have started with a 6"x 8" drilled the two holes and made a bend 2" from edge along the 8" length round the edges and my another bend at a angle at the bottom outer edge. See pictures:

[MDO]

Glad you got done, they work well & your happy.

[Mr.T]

QUOTE=MDO;668654]Glad you got done, they work well & your happy.[/QUOTE]

I think I can make better ones and I have.

[Mr.T]

I got a new windshield form

https://www.clearviewshields.com/

Found that with the new windshield I do not need the Deflectors that I made.

[Ronbo]

Finished the deflectors and they work well. I could have started with a 6"x 8" drilled the two holes and made a bend 2" from edge along the 8" length round the edges and my another bend at a angle at the bottom outer edge. See pictures:

Thanks for sharing your work in progress. It's interesting to see an idea take shape. I really missed my smooth roadking ride as well and settled on the JES fork deflectors, but you got my gears turning on other alternatives to the wind buffeting problem. I've got a power vision installed now so I can collect much better engine heat data as I play around. Thanks again, Ron

[MDO]

I got a new windshield form

https://www.clearviewshields.com/

Found that with the new windshield I do not need the Deflectors that I made.

Mr.T. What size windshield did you order?

[Mr.T]

Mr.T. What size windshield did you order?

17.5 inch tall light gray tent. The next one up was 19 inch and that put the top edge about 1/2 inch above my line of sight which I did not want. The wind go’s just over my helmet.