...any of you on this site straighten your own frames?

No!..... i sent mine to Bob's Indian.

 

yes, partially. I've replaced sections of rusted out main frame rails. Special size stuff!!!!!!!  Brazed too. Also Bill Miller  in Ohio has frame jigs. Miller4frame@woh.rr.com   419-666-3375 site won't let pictures download again tonight so can't show anything.

Hi,
   Frame straightening can be performed by almost anyone but one must ask:  Should the tubing be straightened cold or hot?  From what I have read, the tubing is best bent cold.  On a badly bent piece of tubing where there is something of a 'kink', the tubing cannot be fully restored.  In this case if frame geometry can be preserved by straightening, the 'kink' can be soldered with lead to return the tubing surface to relatively straight.  On the 1940 and later models that have the rear spring suspension, the rear frame casting can be cracked if too much stress is put on it.  If it is absolutely necessary to pull or push on the rear casting, install the inner spring strut to reinforce the casting during a 'pull' or 'push'.  I had a rear frame casting cracked by an amateur frame straightener so be very cautious around the castings.  Any of the frame castings will probably break if too much stress is put on them.  A professional frame straightener may be the most reasonable option with a badly bent frame.  A frame that has been 'pretzeled' is probably best replaced.  Front crash bars lower attachments usually do the most damage to a frame.  On my bike the frame was bent somewhat and rather than try to staighten the frame, I tweaked the crash bar to fit.  Sincerely, Steven Bailey baiste@sgu.edu

The idea is to use heat to draw bent parts to position while keeping the outermost areas cool with wet rags as the metal cools it will draw back to the original shape sometimes you need to persuade things with leverage.

Use braising rod not solder to fill in voids and blemishes on your frame some people send frames to the powder coaters and solder will melt.

Hi,
   Good point about not using lead solder if you are going to powder coat.  Powder coating bakes at between 350 and 400 degrees.  Most lead solders tend to become pasty above 350 degrees.  I've always used lead solder because it is so much easier to work than brass and I paint my parts with traditional air dry or chemically hardening products.  When straightening a frame it is always difficult to tell when things are really right.  Professional shops that have a frame jig can probably do a good job as the jig is a way of checking the frame for proper geometry.  If you want to check your own frame to see if it is close, a pair of straight rods about 6 feet long or so can be used.  One rod is centered in the neck bearing holes.  The other  rod can be positioned at the rear axle location or if rear frame springs, across the top of the rear frame castings.  The length of the rods will visually accentuate any deviation from perpendicular.  This method is also very good for checking how straight your front end is.  For the front end, the rods are placed at the extreme upper and lower ends of the fork, using the shackle, axle, or some other method to hold the rods in place.  For the front end, the rods should be parallel.  Sincerely, Steven Bailey baiste@sgu.edu

Yes -- frame straighting is best left to the pro's all the major shops have this capability i think.

Hi,
   A neck that is tweaked 5 degrees may or may not be a problem. Once the bike chassis is assembled, see if the front and back tire appear to be traveling in the same plane.  If you cannot visually detect that the two tires are not in the same plane the bike will probably track O.K. down the road.  Assuming that you are going to drive the bike, be very careful during the first test run as a 'speed-wobble' can come in at low speeds as well as high speeds.  The 'speed-wobble', which is the uncontrolled left-to-right violent movement of the handlebars, can be very dangerous.  Should it happen, it is best to try and accelerate out of it.  A wobble is usually speed-dependent and if it happens at a slow-enough speed, accelerating will usually make it temporarily go away.  Once control is achieved, then slow down gradually and search for the cause.  If you experience a very bad wobble and cannot accelerate, prepare for dumping the bike.  Bad tires are a common  cause of wobble but in the case of a known bent frame, the frame is probably not straight enough.  If the wobble is not too bad, and the rider knows at what speed it comes in, some wobbles can be tolerated.  Just avoid the speed at which the wobble occurs.  Many of the old machines out there have frames that are not perfectly straight and are used regularly with no big problem.  Good luck with yours.  I will add that usually a machine with a wobble will only have it at one particular speed.  There is nothing saying that a machine that wobbles at a low speed cannot have a second wobble at a higher speed also, so until you know your machine well, be very careful.  Sincerely, Steven Bailey baiste@sgu.edu

thanks yellachief, that sounds kinda like what I was planning. I've got new tires, wheel bearings, and brakes and planned on some serious test running between 10 and 70 mph with the fresh chassis, tanks, and powerplant- no fenders, chainguard, horn, lights, generator, etc. That way it's easy to strip and redo. Thanks again- need to change my name to black335- anybody know how?