Cracked Steering Tube

[biggywebb]

When i got the 79 GS750 the right shock was slightly bent, looked like he could of had a minor drop/snagged something. But over all appeared to be in excellent condition for 35year old bike and local bike shop said it was not uncommon for these old forks to bend easily.

Found a donor front end off a 90's knight Hawk and when ripping off my front end to do the swap i came across this crack which was previously concealed by wires and tubes.

Has anyone ever fixed or know how/where to get this fixed?? The bike was bought with the intention of being a Rat Tat. something to puts around town/get me back and forth to work. No long cross country/Interstate treks.

The bottom bearing as it stands now has just shy of an 1/8th inch play.

*I know majority of people after reading posts from other sites are going to say scrap it, your SOL, but 1: They suck and this site rocks (people actually help each other to find answers here) and 2: as majority of you probably know, old bikes like this one are titled off the frame (and the number just so happens has to be on the steering tube). Finding an old replacement frame that comes with a title and is not an arm and leg is extremely few and far between (unless i have been looking in the wrong spots).

** ANY help would be much appreciated. Thanks. (If more pics are needed/angle please let me know)

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

The only way you could fix that would be to have a machine shop fabricate a new bearing cup. Cut that cup off, and weld the new one on.

The new bearing cup could be made to have a sleeve that goes up into the stem tube with a snug fit, so that it will be in alignment.

Now, having said all that, I would probably scrap it.

 

[teazer]

Agree totally. That's the only way to repair it and then the frame will still most likely be twisted and tweaked.

Get a replacement frame and scrap that one.

 

[Bozz]

Yes, frames are hard to come by, but will still likely be less than fixing that the right way.


An impact strong enough to cause that rip probably tweaked some other things out of alignment as well.
If you had access to a frame jig you could probably get it back to rights but it would not be cheap or quick.


I wish I had a better answer for you, bud!

 

[xb33bsa]

scrap it,even trying to weld in a new cup you cannot get it straight enuff the bearings will bind, it needs to be perfect

 

[VonYinzer]

Agreed on the scrapping it. That said...

You don't need a new frame WITH a title. You COULD get a new frame, and restamp the title matching VIN number into the neck. I'm not saying this is the RIGHT way or even legal... But it has been done. Your call on whether you'd be comfortable doing such a thing.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

restamp the title matching VIN number into the neck

Felony.

 

[gijoe13844]

A impact that bent the fork and did that did other damage too...scrap it. A new frame would t be that pricey....surely cheaper than fixing it.

Sometimes the obvious solution is the best.