Rooster Racing Radiator Guard Installation on a Honda CRF450X

First off, let me preface this by saying the supplied instructions are horrible! The Product is nicely made and finished, and the install was not too difficult.

1. Remove stock radiator shrouds. (I removed the seat and gas tank as well, not necessary but easier.)

2. Remove stock louvers from radiators.

Use needle nose pliers to pinch plastic tabs together and pull out.

3. Remove two stock radiator mounting bolts.

4. Mount two of the internally threaded rods to the Inner Mounting Bracket. The top one uses the long bolt and elastic stop nut.

After testing for fit, we determined it should be about 24mm out from bracket.

Then install the other threaded rod to the bottom hole. We installed a lock washer as periodic tightening would be difficult.

Finished assembly looks like this.

5. Install the Inner Mounting Bracket with elongated tab at top and lip facing inward. Use stock mounting bolts.

6. Reinstall stock louvers in between the radiator and the rods.

7. Install Rooster Guards and thread in lower Button Head screw.

The upper screw had quite a gap.

We decided to put a couple flat washers in to keep from putting too much pressure on the radiator.

Rooster guards in place.

8. Remount the Stock Radiator shroud using the middle bolt to secure the back portion of the brace.

The bottom hole was spaced 1/2" from the nut.

We could have forced it, however a spacer made more sense. We got a 6mm X 35mm metric cap screw and a #10 Nylon spacer X 1/2".

We installed the screw with the spacer between the Shroud and the radiator.

We then tightened all shroud bolts.

The other side is done exactly the same.

Nice product.

CRF's Only "How-To" By CRF's Only member 'AgentSmith', October 2006