Rust holes in frame. Serious?

[gerrits]

So I have my '71 CL 350 completely torn apart. Cleaning the frame with a scour pad on the grinder and I uncovered some rust holes in the bottom of the frame. The rest of the frame seems to be solid, just some surface rust. I'm wondering how to tell how serious this is. Is it affecting the strength of the frame? Pictures below. Thanks for the help.

 

[Tune-A-Fish]

Not too bad from what I can see, I would just drill it to expose some good edge and weld it shut then cut a nice clean patch panel for both sides to match, you could cut it from tube so it fits right up and weld them in or have it done. cost should be minimal if you do all the prep.

 

[runmikeyrun]

what tuneafish said. I definitely would not ignore that.

 

[interceptor]

Hey guys, there are a couple of questions I have in regards to your advice. I believe that the 350 is notorious for this problem. Water finds it's way down the inside of the tube, and has nowhere to go. There are no weep holes in the frame. It collects there and begins to rust away. While I believe that you can remedy some situations, it looks like his tube has actually rotted away from the inside, and is very thin. So thin, that I don't think there would be that much meat to hold a weld. While I believe that you could put a patch panel on the outside and weld it on like some have recommended, I don't feel that is an approach I would take. The rust has already formed, and you can't stop rust once it's started. In a matter of time its going to weaken somewhere else. Am I off on my thinking, because I actually want to know. Not trying to be a dick, just want to know if this is something that is done all the time and is safe?

 

[Tune-A-Fish]

I hear you loud and clear.

I would asses the situation by drilling s series of holes to see what you have, if the frame is salvageable you can proceed with plan A and add the weep holes for future drainage and air circulation to dry it out when it gets wet. you can stop or at least slow the rusting from continuing with inhibitors and some forward thinking maintenance if you plan to keep it.

These frames have some meat to them, but yeah if its gone its gone and you can find a donor fairly easily.

RD

 

[interceptor]

Ok, thanks. I guess I always error on the side of caution

 

[grcamna5]

I've been using a rust inhibitor called 'Fluid Film' which has been used since the early 40's and it really hangs in there in all types of weather;made by the Eureka Chemical Co. in San Fransico,CA. www.fluid-film.com

I always spray it into a M/C's frame when I first get it:it's good 'preventive medicine' for vintage frame tubes.
I think you can fix yours because the water usually sits in that one spot only;I hope your test holes confirm that.

 

[gerrits]

Excellent, thanks for the help guys! I will drill some test holes and see how extensive the damage is. For the patch piece I'm thinking tubing with an ID equal to the OD of the frame tubing would work. What are your thoughts? Might be a pain if I have to make a bend.

And if I have to buy a new frame someone on here has already offered to sell me one. Gotta love this forum.

 

[Tune-A-Fish]

Excellent, thanks for the help guys! I will drill some test holes and see how extensive the damage is. For the patch piece I'm thinking tubing with an ID equal to the OD of the frame tubing would work. What are your thoughts? Might be a pain if I have to make a bend.

And if I have to buy a new frame someone on here has already offered to sell me one. Gotta love this forum.

Sounds good.. to go around the bend, just tack it at on one end and bend tack bend tack you may need to notch cut if it pleats on the edge.