My new problem

Hello all. So I just bought a frame for the 550 and had it shipped to me. In transit the frame was dropped. Hard! Right on the bottom of the steering neck. I don't really mind the scratches but the "fold" where the race and bearing sit in is the problem. Im not really sure how bad it is. I was thinking about heating the area and trying to straighten with a hammer and a socket. Im not really sure how to go about this or if its even that bad. I also have new tapered bearings. The damaged area is where I think the bearing sits. I just don't remember. Let me no what everyone thinks.

Thanks
Jim

 

Bummer! But it doesn't look that bad...if you Got it through eBay and used PayPal, you could most likely get your money back.

If that isn't an option, I think where the race sits has another step inside then the lip to stop it from going any further, not positive though. Try taking that old race out first and sees what's what...may not be too bad.

For the dent, heat it up and use a ball end hammer or use a rounded end punch (metal fab tools, harbor freight or make your own if poss.) and hit with a hammer. It doesn't look that bad and I know I could bang it out with some patience, but the head tube is crucial so be careful. With that said, heating it up will burn the paint and the head tube is thicker then the rest of the frame. Being able to clamp the frame down will help as well. Just take your time and be careful not to go too far.

Anyone else have more info on heating up the headtube?

 

Heat it cherrry red to do the work. Let it cool slowly after. If you can bury the headstock in a bag of lye for a day or two that would be best. Also go slow and easy with the hammer work. You wnat to ease the bore back into being round.

If it were mine to do I'd make a die out of hardwood to clamp around the OD of the headstock, and use an old bearing race that was welded to a length of steel rod as a form to put it back into shape. It can be done free-form though with a tool that has a small enough radius.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will post the results when i find time to work on the bike.


Jim

 

what's this do?

 

It slows the cooling of the steel so it hardens a bit and won't be as likely to bend again. Heating it to reform the headstock will leave it slightly annealed if it's allowed to air cool. Not a big deal either way, but given what the headstock does I prefer to slow the cooling as much as possible.

 

Mine stuff goes right into the firepit. Bury it there and wait a day or two.

 

Ok, I didn't connect lye with the post heating.
Lie? Did you mean lime

 

I did mean lime, I was posting from my phine

 

..if anything like a bicycle headtube ..which seems to be ..can be popped out and replaced on its own...bearing cups{i think they are called.have a section of smaller diameter tube connected to bearing cup this extra inside tube brings all the strength without a welded piece..they sell tool for removing and replacement..i always used either another bike fork for leverage and inserted little after lip of cup{inside tube and most times just popped on out...put back in with a rubber mallet n a 2x4..
might work..?

 

..then again looks like maybe not..sorry

 

The bearing cups (races) are seperate from the headstock. yes. But it's the headstock that is damaged here.
You are not far off in your thinking.

 

..felt kind a silly after long post to go back.only to really view ..n it seems as though stamped in there when making frame...
....oops./

 

Well I was finally able to find sometime to fix this. Took about 5 mins. Next up is stripping the paint and repainting this frame. Ill post my progress in a new thread once I get this going.

 

Looks really good. Nice work. Have you ever considered blacksmithing as a hobby?