FRAME CATASTROPHE!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!

[THE_SHRUB]

Guys i need to kno if my frame is salvagable... I was just in the process of priming the underside of my frame when i noticed this!!!!!

DOES THIS MEAN MY FRAME IS GARBAGE??? CAN I SAVE IT?? HELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[locOleoN]

wow.. that looks fucked...

 

[tobiism]

While I'm curious to know how that happened, I think it'll probably be just fine to run, as long as there aren't any accompanying cracks in the area. Does the neck still have a tight fit to the bearing race?

 

[CanadaDan]

That had to be a hard slam of the fork clamp against the steering stop... I would be VERY thorough about checking the rest of the frame, the forks and clamps for damage, warping and stress cracks.

The force of that crash would have been pretty powerful, it's unlikely that was the only damage to the frame.

 

[THE_SHRUB]

ya the bearing race is still in there tight from what I can tell... Well it looks to me as if someone locked the front steering column and either somebody tried to steal the bike or the owner lost the keys and tried to break the lock, but instead he just mashed the locking mechanism up against that metal tab and bent the tube... so lame... If it was a crash (and I still havent changed over the ownership so im assuming the title is clean) then the only signs of a crash were the gauge mounting bracket was bent, the seat pan was warped, the kickstand was snapped (not bent) clean off about halfway down and thats about it I cant tell if this is from 35 years of abuse or one crash... I cannot find any stress fractures in the frame... I think the next step is to get the title changed over... man what a bummer. If the title isn't good then I guess I will be looking for a new frame or someone who will buy the parts I've got and buy something to ride for the summer...

 

[Rocan]

id say its usable. long as the race is in there tight and flush, i wouldnt worry about it to much.

 

[DrJ]

I wouldn't ride the frame like that. There will be a gap between the bottom head bearing seal and that flare in the steering head tube. Eventually, dirt and water will get into the bearings and mess things up. I suggest cutting off the steering stop, heat up the head tube with a torch and try banging the flare back into shape as best as possible. Then braze or weld back the stop. That's what I'd do.

 

[JRK5892]

i would hammer that back in and put it together... as long as the rest of the frame is strait that is not going to create an issue the race is solid (looks at least) so you are fine.