Frame bending

[panwars]

Hi all, here is another fine mess I have gotten myself into
It appears that my stock 49 frame is a little tweaked in the back. My rear sprocket is almost one gear width to the left of the trans sprocket, and I have to jack the right side of the axle forward to get the gear straight. Trans is aligned with engine perfectly. Are these old frames mild steel tubing? Can they be tweaked 1/2 inch without cracking, do I need to heat the tubing? Or...should I just keep running it with the gears offset? All I want to do is ride, I should quit looking so close at this thing

Thanks for the help.

[mbskeam]

hello, the first thing I would do is to make sure that the parts in the wheel assy are put togethor right. It sounds as your bike is put together, so if you cant send it to a frame staightener. This would also cost $ im sure . so the next step is get out the torch. Yes I know some of you are freaking out about now."its all good" The rear tubes will bend very easily.but you need to be sure that this is where it is bent at, it might be in the middle as mine was.the engine an trans lined up also. I think it was wraped around a tree or something. also it was a streched and raked frame. So Out came the torch I then cut off the upper back frame 4" from the seat post hole, and the 3" in the down tubes. I went by the frame print that gives the measurements. and went to town . all with a torch , cut off wheel , welder and time. it can be done this way. it tracts and goes down the road staight. And no frame problems 12 years later.
Mbskeam

[57stroker]

If you look around in here: http://64.172.168.34/neatstuff/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will find a lot of info about checking frames for alignment. There are plans for a simple jig to build your own frame.

[Cotten]

NO HEAT!
NO HEAT!
NO HEAT!

ALL tweaking MUST be done COLD!
Metal has memory. It will return to conformity easier than you think. Just don't screw it up with a goddam torch!!!

PS: Did I mention NEVER USE HEAT?

[panwars]

Thanks guys for the info.
I found some sites that mentioned that these old frames were low carbon (mild) steel thick wall tubing. So I made some custom fit hardwood blocks, did some triangulating, and pulling with redi-rod and nuts and cold bent it. It went well and now the rear wheel is basicly straight, and the bike handles much better. Thanks again.

[Cotten]

Rewarding when it comes straight, ain't it!
Your patience is to be applauded.

[VintageTwin]

Thanks for the chopper handbook link '57 stroker. Lemme' read youses some figures from the latest PowerSports Business News..."China is the worlds largest motorcycle market, with sales of 12 million units and exports of 2,783,800 in 2003, up 50.6% over the previous year, mostly to the Middle East and Africa. Wuyang-Honda Motors produces up to 1,750 motorcycles daily. A 50-50 joint venture betwen Honda and Guangzhou Motors produced a record 412,000 vehicks in 2003 and aiming for 500,000 this year. The point being that there are alot of people being introduced to motorcycles. I don't believe in the "numbers game", meaning that because 500,000 people live in El Paso, we could build a boot factory and be successsful...because everyone will buy at least one pair of boots. Not going to happen. But, there will be a trickle-down effect into Re-pop Knuckle and Pan. Or "build 'em cheap bare bones suicide choppers". People are going to keep a scoot for the rest of their lives. Men know that family and profession are ALL based on the man of the house having a Big Twin resting 6" off the ground, on a Bestway hydraulic lift, just waiting for action. Then, and only then, can family can have the attention they need. The days of having to sell the motorcycle to buy mom a new washer and dryer are over. Dead and stinking. Mom wants a new washing machine these days, it will be her and the kids out scrubbing clothes on a rock and hanging them in the sun to dry. My advise is to get your kids into a trade or medicine or law early-on so they can afford to build a scoot. Remember, in these modern times...it's motorcycle-mental health first....family second...and quit drinking and smoking. None of those leeches ever paid you a nickle in dividends. You need that money to be able to return parts to V-Twin, until things stabilize.
Glad your frame got straightened.