I Need HEAT

7662 Views 47 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Randall-in-Mpls, Dec 3, 2010

Randall-in-Mpls

Discussion Starter · Nov 22, 2010

Anyone in the Twin Cities have a portable torch kit, and interested in playing "Straighten-a-Frame?" I've got the vise and the levers. I just need a fire source.

This is the victim:

The right tube (left in the picture above) of the triple spine is bent, and the head tube twisted.

I believe that if we apply heat and leverage in the right places, the spine tube can be straightened, causing the head tube to untwist. I had resigned myself to leaving this for Spring, but after recently acquiring a front end, I'm eager to make some progress.

Any takers? If others want to help, too, we'll order a pizza and make a party of it.

R

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Allan

· #12 · Nov 24, 2010

I don't know if heat would be the best idea or not,,,the bend in the rail is a long gradual bend. If you heat it it will bend where it is heated,,even if you heat the whole rail until it is cherry red, it will bend where you pull from. This probably will not put the steering stem back into place, you will probably have to heat the stem and try to get it straight.

Another problem you may have is that if you get it hot enough to bend, it may deform the rail where you apply the pull. You would need some kind of half tube shape to fit over the rail so it would not deform or flatten the rail.

I think a hydraulic ram may be a better option,,I would be tempted to take it somewhere that straightens frames.

I guess you can try to do it yourself, if it works, great,,if it does not then you will just have to get another frame. Didn't David have a titled frame a while ago?

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Allan

· #18 · Nov 25, 2010

WayneDW said:
Pretty good, five deer on the meat pole from four hunters. Mostly young-uns though. Nothing with any antlers. David shot the biggest deer, a nice size doe.

At least we have some venison this year.

thanks for asking.

How many are you allowed per hunter? Here you only get one.

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Allan

· #22 · Nov 26, 2010

WayneDW said:
Wisconsin is a perfect storm for deer populations. The whole state is excellent deer habitat. The state has the largest herd of whitetails in the nation and every year hunters shoot the highest number of deer.

Of course, this is why most of us are scared to ride there after the sun goes down...

Here you have to apply for an antlerless tag and only so many are allotted,,if your name is not drawn you can only get a license to shoot a buck.

Not many people around here ride at night for the same reason,,About 15 years ago I hit 2 deer one night about 20 minutes apart in my car.

Randall-in-Mpls said:
Well, I made the attempt yesterday, and I only succeeded at scratching the paint.

Know any firemen? One of the "jaws of life" rigs they use would bend that rail like it was made of play dough.

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Allan

· #28 · Nov 27, 2010

RAGBrian said:
That seemed like a lot of work, so heat and bending of the '78 would be simpler.

There was a guy on here a few years ago that cut the frame tube where it connects to the headstock so he could rake the frontend. If I remember correctly the CX frame at that point has another tube inside it for extra strength. I don't remember his name but he posted a lot of pics of the build, I think it was a 79 custom, he really stretched it out.

If you were to try and heat the frame you would only be heating the outside tube.

edit; I found the thread I was thinking of,,after re-reading it I am not sure about there being an inside tube, here is a link to the thread

http://choppercharles.com/cs/forums/1/14889/ShowPost.aspx#14889

In the 5th post from the top he says

"And about the neck stuff, yeah, I cut it up from the bottom, re welded the inside tube, then re-enforced the outside with I think 1/8" steel."

That is what I remembered but it may not mean there is a double tube.

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Allan

· #40 · Dec 1, 2010

I have the small mapp/propane and oxy kit(small hand held size bottles). It works alright for small applications but probably would not work for straightening a frame, I find it useful for heating rusted nuts on old cars etc where it is not easy to lug the larger gear to. If you were using it a lot, it would be costly, the oxygen in the small tanks does not last too long.

I also have an oxy/propane setup, I was going to get acetylene but here you have to get a contract, and I figured I would not use that much to make it worth while.

The propane works fine ,it is a bit slower than acetylene but other than that I find it almost as good. I can use it for cutting too.

Also(like Brian) I have a mig welder

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