How To: Riserless "Z" bars on the cheap!

[KG]

Built a quick set of Z bars and figured I'd post a how to.
I didn't have any risers/clamps, so I made these with risers welded on.

1st step. Use poorboy lathe to turn 1/2" connector nuts down to slip inside 1" .120 wall tubing.

I drill holes through the 1" to plug weld the nut into the tube. Don worry about geti g weld hot and distorting the threads, just chase them with a tap after it cools.

All the pieces cut, almost ready to weld.

[KG]

At this point don't forget to clean up the inside of tubes with a rat tail file. If u don't it will be nearly impossible to do rout internal wiring, not to mention the damage it would cause long term.

I wanted some pull back an the grip portion of the bars so I used a piece of 2" box tubing to keep them on plane horizontally and put the ends of bars on pieces of 2" box tubing. Effectively give me a comfortable angle to grip. (Sorry forgot to take a pic)
Tacked up.

To find the placement of weld on risers I installed them in damper bushing, in tree. Fish notched them on bar side. Tacked them on the bike and pulled off to weld.
I wanted internal wiring vs dimpling bar for wires. Tryed to get them to make second bend and both exit in middle of bars. Wouldn't happen. Ended up drilling a hole ant bottom of uprights for wires to exit.
A trick to starting the internal wiring process:

The rest is pretty well self explanatory. Hope it helps someone!
KG

[KG]

[Spade115]

Looks Real sharp, I have some bent road king bars I want to cut down and make into Window bars. Will have to give this a try.

[jonnyoz]

Looks good, I'm also very interested in the details of your poor boy lathe, as that's something I've been thinking about lately.

How exactly is that 1/2" connector nut being held in the chuck? This was my problem, trying to figure out how to hold on to something that is too big to fit right into the chuck itself.

thanks

edit: never mind. must have been having a slow day.

[Guest]

wow how u do that

[KG]

Looks good, I'm also very interested in the details of your poor boy lathe, as that's something I've been thinking about lately.

How exactly is that 1/2" connector nut being held in the chuck? This was my problem, trying to figure out how to hold on to something that is too big to fit right into the chuck itself.

thanks

edit: never mind. must have been having a slow day.

Sorry been a while since i checked this.

Cut the head off af a bolt! My press has a 3/4'' chuck so can fit big stuff! Also a press vise with a notched center it s must for drilling and taping bungs ect. My bro got a lathe so now we do it legit but drill press worked for years!

[bbcommo]

those bars look great! nice thread.

[DirtyCurtyNorthwest]

hahahaha