Installation Instructions:

Tools: Drill with a 5/16 or 8mm drill bit, a measuring tape or ruler, sharpie or pencil, and a 1/2” wrench. Center cutting drill bits are easier to use. A 1/8” pilot drill can also be helpful. If you need to cut tubing, a saw and something to deburr.

Step 1: For a crosstube, cut the tube 80mm shorter than you want the center to center distance to be (40mm per frame bracket, refer to the drawing above)

Step 2: Mark the tube 1/2 in from the end on each end that you want to install a bracket.

Step 3: Place your side tubes on a flat surface with any existing cross tubes installed towards the front and the back.

Step 4: Put the brackets on the end(s) of the new tube and assemble the new tube between the two side tubes and tighten the U-bolts. Verify the assembly is square, flat, and parallel. Adjust as necessary.

Step 5: Drill a 5/16” or 8mm hole through the tube and the bracket, using the line 1/2” in from the end for placement. If you prefer, you can mark the halfway point up on the tube to assist in lining up the drill.

Step 6: Bolt the first side together with the included 5/16” bolt, and tighten. Only after the first side is bolted should the other end be drilled.

Step 7: Go Rafting!

Details for those that love details:

Manufacturing Process: Frame Brackets are forged from 7075 aluminum and then heat treated to a T6 temper, machined to exact size, and then anodized to provide a tough, protective, and cosmetically attractive surface.

Testing: Frame brackets are tested both on the water for functionality, ease of use, and durability, but also in the shop for accuracy, chemical composition, and failure modes. Destructive testing allows us to validate the in depth computer aided design and analysis that goes into a well-refined product by verifying that the product fails at the same point as the computer predictions. Without this vital testing, we wouldn’t be confident that we are providing the best products that don’t compromise on strength, despite being half the weight of the competition.

Materials Strength: We use 7075 T6 which has a yield strength of about 70ksi. The best material we have seen in the rafting industry for bolted together frames is 6061 T6 which has a yield strength of about 35ksi. Most welded and bolt together frames use 6063 T6, which is 23ksi away from any welds, and about 10ksi near the welds.

Ultra Light Frames: It goes without saying that the components of an ultra light frame must also be ultra light. The 1.25”x1.25” bracket size weights 162g which is half of a well known competitors weight of 320g. While both of these might weigh more than a welded joint, the Better Mounts Frame Bracket can be used with far stronger tubing, and the process of bolding a joint together won’t ruin the temper of the aluminum, leaving the tubing on your frame at full strength.

Size Changes: Do you want to run some 1.25” accessories on a 1.5” frame? We provide frame brackets that connect to a 1.5” frame with a u-bolt and then have a slip fit to attach a 1.25” frame. Do you want to make a frame for a small raft with 1.25” side rails to fit standard size oar towers while using 1” tubing for all the cross bars to save weight? We have the perfect fitting, the 1.25”x1” frame bracket will get the job done without any expensive and time consuming welding!

Frustration Free Assembly: Tapered oval-shaped holes allow for frustration-free installation and removal of u-bolts.

Premium Hardware: Custom shaped u-bolts both distribute the load over a wider area of the tube, and provide a more seamless transition from tube to u-bolt, reducing wear and tear on your raft compared to the competition. We supply premium all in one nuts so you never have to keep track of washers. Our nuts are flanged to remove the need for a separate washer, and include a nylon locking feature to prevent nuts from loosening.