Bent Sub Frame

[LiftdT4R]

Ok, so I'm supposed to be going away tomorrow, and my elbow is feeling better, so I figured I'd change out the stem, and the plastics on my 02, since my little incident last week. As soon as I dropped the trailer door, I noticed that the back fenders were way way off, and the exhausts looked fucked up too. So I pulled everything off, and I got 2 measurements on the end of the subframe, one at 34 1/2" and one at 35 1/2". It is definately bent. I was wondering, should I just try to beat on them with a hammer, and get it back in spec, or is it basically useless. I was also thinking about slipping a long length of steel pipe over the end and trying to torque it down. It looks like shit from the back with the plastics on, and I don't want to keep it like that. So I guess my question is:

 

Can I make it right, or should I just say fawk it?

 

If it can be made right, how would you suggest going about that? (I don't have any fab skills, so cutting it off and building a new one is not an option)

 

Does it even matter other then appearence purposes? (I do try to take good care of my shit, and I do plan on selling this bike in the coming months, so I would like it to look good, and be safe)

Edited September 22, 2006 by LiftdT4R

[EastCoast Banshee]

I think everyone has done it at one time or another. Pick yourself up a good tourch turn the shit cherry red and i mean red and use a pipe to bend it back up untill its straight. Thats how i did it maybe someone has another idea but hey it works for me.

[LiftdT4R]

Hmm, cool shit dude, I hadnt though of that. I have an oxy acetaline torch that I use when I do plumbing shit. I'm not sure if that burns hot enough, you think it will ruin the shitty factory powdercoat? I'll probably ride it like this for the weekend, it handles fine on the streets, but I'm gonna fix it once I get back. Any other ideas?

Edited September 22, 2006 by LiftdT4R

[EastCoast Banshee]

yeah itll kill the shitty stock powder coat just sand it up and hit it with some spray paint. Just watch out with that oxy acetylene tourch thats enough to melt it.

[Yamahammer]

I would not heat it you can but i would not....

 

I use tie downs and a floor or bottle jack tie the swinger to the frame and place the jack between the frame and swinger and slowly push it back into place you can make small moves to it this way.

 

my 0.02

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chop the subframe and weld in a aftermarket drag one , woot

[Justintoxicated]

I rode mine like it was untill I crashed it again, then I just got a new frame... I heard it is nearly impossible to bend them back perfect...

[EastCoast Banshee]

I didnt think it was to hard i was within an 1/4 inch or so when i was done not perfect thats for sure but it was better than being bent down 2 inchs.

[LiftdT4R]

(I don't have any fab skills, so cutting it off and building a new one is not an option)

 

 

chop the subframe and weld in a aftermarket drag one , woot

 

Everyone else, thanks for the info, :yelrotflmao: I actually did think about cjopping it off and building a new one, but I would have to trick someone here into doing that, and I don't want another project. I like the bottle jack idea. This is probably going to be a next weekend project, so I'll let you know what comes of this.

[Hollister_Hitman]

Everyone else, thanks for the info, :yelrotflmao: I actually did think about cjopping it off and building a new one, but I would have to trick someone here into doing that, and I don't want another project. I like the bottle jack idea. This is probably going to be a next weekend project, so I'll let you know what comes of this.

 

Yeah let me know how it goes. Mine has been like this for 6 months

[LiftdT4R]

Yeah let me know how it goes. Mine has been like this for 6 months

Hmm, looks familiar. Mine's not quite that bad, but I would think if I could straighten mine, that that would be doable also. I do a lot of plmbing and gas work, so I have 10 foot sections of 1 1/2" steel gas pipe here, this is the best stuff for cheaters bars and stuff. I was going to slip like an 8 foot section over the end of the subframe, and try to torque it up, or else the bottle jack sounded good too. I might give it a quick shot today, I leave at 6pm, but I have to stop into work and shit.

[FireHead]

:baseball_mitt: GEt a big long steel pipe and stick it over one of the subframe ears, have a friend weight the bike down, then you can push the pipe around and get ti bent back to whaterever you want.

 

On a different note, I would be hesitant to add heat to the equation. It could potentially weaken the frame evean more in the area that you are working on.

[Yamahammer]

i have used a jack many times and it works great, and you are not making the frame weak by heating it,

 

i use some different length 2x4 and a 2 ton car floor jack it hard to deal with but works, if you look at it from the side i bet you it is bent right at the flat triangle brace on the frame connect tie downs in front of that point remove cdi and jack it up from the flat part of the frame or one side.

 

i use a a tie down ad a telephone pole to pull out the front steering loop. wrap it aroun connect it ratchet it and then use body weight.

got to use what you got on hand

[FireHead]

i have used a jack many times and it works great, and you are not making the frame weak by heating it,

 

People apparently heat treat metal for no reason then, I learn something every day.

[Bansh-eman]

I would not heat it you can but i would not....

 

I use tie downs and a floor or bottle jack tie the swinger to the frame and place the jack between the frame and swinger and slowly push it back into place you can make small moves to it this way.

 

my 0.02

 

using tiedowns and bending the metal will make a weak spot in the all ready weak banshee frame... the welds arent exactly the strongest by any means.

 

you always want to heat metal when bending it to keep from having that weak spot. of coarse tabs to hold plastics and shit dont matter but something like your chassis youd be a fool to shortcut it!