bent steering head

I had great hopes for the 81 xj750 seca I bought. It was wrecked and the forks were mangled. I knew
I would need to replace the forks and tripple tree ( the front wheel was ok ) But when I stripped
the damaged parts off and sighted the frame, the steering head tube was tilted about 3/8"
out of alignment. This may be a stupid question but has anyone ever gotten a steering
head tube bent back into vertical alignment. The rest of the bike is in great shape and the
engine starts right up and runs smooth and strong.

 

Yeah---- for several hundred bucks at a frame-straightening shop. But it cost a whole lot less to get another frame.

Basically, if your frame is bent---your frame is junk unless you REALLY Want to sink a lot of money into it, or it has highly sentimental value to you

 

It can be done at home, but great care must be used to ensure that you don't bend it too far the other direction, and you'll have to do a lot of measuring, and build a fixture to hold the steering stem securely.
A new frame is a better choice unless you have exprience with bending steel tube, and inspecting for cracking.

 

Frame-straightening is the LAST thing I'd try to do at home myself, though------

 

I bought the bike last month as a parts bike for an "82" 650 seca project It looked great other than the bent forks, tripple tree and a banged up tank.
It even had a title. I thought I could put it back on the road cheaply but I guess that I'll use it for the "Frankenseca" project. I think there is even a thread
on swapping a 750 seca engine into a 650 seca frame.

 

You should have no trouble putting the 750 Seca engine into a 650 Seca frame.

 

I'm gonna go with brain surgery as the last thing I'd try at home.

 

The information overload hour has all the engine swap information you will need

 

i straightened my steering head a few years ago here.
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/bensalfs-4-year-caferacer-build.78581/
it can be done, at home , if you can find some way to hold the frame rigid.
only measuring needed is to rebuild the frame and wheels back up ,then check wheels for alignment.
stu

 

And I would recommend having the correct measurements for the correct angle of the steering tube so you have correct rake, and trail; no sideways deflection at all
So that your rear tire tracks directly in line with your front,, etc.......'

In my way of thinking, I'd want the frame to be -perfectly square again, and have the same structural integrity as before it was bent. If anything, I'd want it to be MORE square, assuming there's probably some inherent slight out-of-squareness that minor adjustments in fitment will be adequate compensation; and stronger, since now that the metal has been bent, has been made somewhat weaker..........

 

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And I would recommend having the correct measurements for the correct angle of the steering tube so you have correct rake, and trail; no sideways deflection at all
So that your rear tire tracks directly in line with your front,, etc.......'
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yes' I hear and agree, what you say "Hog", checking for good wheel alignment is essential, rake could be altered by dropping or raising the fork tubes through the triple trees.
stu

 

Just get another frame. There may very well be additional issues as you get it repaired

 

To get another xj750 frame in the santa Fe/Albuquerque area is difficult and and a titled frame is even harder to find. To get one shipped in costs about $500.00 +-.
There's only one motorcycle salvage yard in New Mexico and it's a mess.
When it warms up some, toward the end of February, I'm gonna strip that bike to a bare frame and measure everything and see how badly
bent it is. I'll look around and find out if the expense is worth getting it straightened.
I'll set up a 3D grid off a level platform and use framing squares, levels, string, and a straight edge to see how distorted it is relative
to center lines. If the Frame can be salvaged I have another set of xj750 forks and a compatable tripple tree. I'll clean, polish. or paint
everything as I put it back together. I could end up with a cool xj750. If it's a lost cause, I'll trade the title to Hogfiddles for something
and swap engine etc. from the 750 seca onto a good 650 seka frame I have.

 

Be on the lookout all over the US. Members on here constantly travel, meet up with other members, deliver parts, etc. I have seen people purchase bikes that have gone across the US by member A to member B to Member C and so on.... We all need those rare parts sometimes. Search and ask for favors.

 

Keee-rist, that's pretty expensive! This time of year you can almost get a complete xj for 500 bucks! Plus, with the snow everywhere, you have a few months to get it up to spec! at least canadian winter is good for something

 

Yup-- I can personally vouch for that. I have had:
900rk
Another 900rk frame
2 Xj1100's
Xj600 Seca ii
A couple 650 maxims
Xvz12 Venture
650 turbo
Etc.....
Either picked up, delivered, carried, taken to... etc, by Xj-community members. That's why I said in another forum, "ask". You never know who might be near, passing by, etc......

 

I found a frame on eBay for 200$ shipped. Keep looking...