Topic: Rusted Frame... What would you do?

[Noddy78]

So, I've got a "small" rust problem in my frame, the PO bogged up the motor mount drain holes before painting it, so now it's basically rusted through the top of the bottom frame tubes, and obviously the motor mounts themselves:








Apart from "get a new frame" (which may not be a viable option given I'm in Tasmania), what would you do? My first thought is hacking off the whole motor mount sections and getting them re-made somehow (which I do't have the equipment of skills to do myself). Are there any other options you can think of?

Cheers!

[MoMo]

I had one worse than that,  replacing the frame was the only option.  Larry

[Noddy78]

New frame. Maybe Terry can still assist you with an early offer of getting a frame to you?

Yeah, new frame was about where I was getting to as well, I was just vaguely hoping someone might have a better idea! I'm really starting to regret not taking Terry up on his offer ! And who knows what lay in store for my inside the engine, but then if it was all easy I wouldn't learn much. Maybe it's the Gods of Old Motorcycles telling me I need to learn how to build a frame too... this list is getting long...

[dave500]

how about repair sections cut out of a bent frame,postage to tassie wouldnt be too bad then?

[PeWe]

Why not buy a complete bike in good shape and use your existing as part bike?

[Noddy78]

how about repair sections cut out of a bent frame,postage to tassie wouldnt be too bad then?

Yep, nice one! That could work.

Why not buy a complete bike in good shape and use your existing as part bike?

If only you'd seen the start of my build thread in its entirety you'd understand how funny that comment is...

[Old Scrambler]

Maybe a crazy offer.........if your desperate......I am shipping a bulky package to South Australia ( CB750K1 ebay customer).  I have several spare frames and could cut the pieces you need and ship together..............or complete frame.  That customer would have to agree to forward the pieces to you or wherever your getting the welding completed, or the frame. You would have to pay for any extra shipping cost and enough to pay for a cutting blade.

[P.abrera]

Dealt with the same problem myself. Spare frames just dont come easy in my part of the world...but skilled labor and ingenuity? we have in buckets We braced the frame extensively so alignment wouldnt shift, cut out the rotted portions, bent some new tube and slugged the ends before rewelding. Keeping things aligned and maintaning spacing was the tough part. 
I had the same problem area as your frame. We did the sheet metal portion one side at a time, cutting around the swingarm pivot, once that spacing and alignment was msintained, we cut out the rotted tube and replaced it with tubing of the same guage. Slug the joint with at least 1.5 inch on either end, drill the tubes and weld rosettes before full weld around the joint. ...youll need a skilled and experienced welder though.

[dave500]

thats great work p.abrera.

[Garage_guy_chris]

Im just wondering what is the frame for? where did you find this bike, i live in Canada which is known for cold and ice, road salt and RUST and lots of it but i never had or heard of anyone with such rust problems in a 70's bike

[MoMo]

Philly area   70k on a 74 750 ....Larry

[Noddy78]

Maybe a crazy offer.........if your desperate......I am shipping a bulky package to South Australia ( CB750K1 ebay customer).  I have several spare frames and could cut the pieces you need and ship together.

Mate, that doesn't sound like a crazy offer at all, it sounds like a bloody excellent offer! Would you be happy to get in touch with your customer in SA and see if they'd be willing? If they are, then maybe we can look at what sections I need (probably easier/cheaper than the whole frame, and that way I also get to keep my frame number etc for rego purposes down here) and what sort of cost it would add to the package you're already sending (and how much you want for the parts and labour as well obviously)? Thanks heaps for the offer, very much appreciated.

we cut out the rotted tube and replaced it with tubing of the same guage.

Excellent solution there too, looks like a good option, Did you replace the motor mounts as well, or just the frame tubing?

Im just wondering what is the frame for? where did you find this bike

It's from a K2 I purchased it from a guy in Mount Gambier (in South Australia funnily enough), not particularly known for its snow fall and salted roads... I think it's basically just because he left it sitting for years with water with no where to go but through, pooled in the motor mounts. It was going to be used in the hardtail project in my sig (you might need to take the afternoon off to read the thread though... ).

[P.abrera]

We replaced 2 sections/junctions of Tubes and a section of the pressed metal that supports the swingarm pivot. The motor mounts stayed as is. We cut around the pivot mount itself, one side at a time so technically the pivot itself stayed in place and never moved.

The solution of cutting out and replacing the whole section of motor mounts as a whole seems easier "on paper" but be very careful about maintaining alignment and spacing.

[Stev-o]

Philly area   70k on a 74 750 ....Larry

Was that the "Red Rider" bike, Larry?

[P.abrera]

thats great work p.abrera.

Thanks mate. Had a hand from a welder who knew his stuff.


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[grcamna2]

thats great work p.abrera.

Thanks mate. Had a hand from a welder who knew his stuff.


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I've heard from an customer of mine who lived 6 months a year around Manila that they're a lot of quality repair/craftsman over there who like doing custom vehicle work,is this true?

[Garage_guy_chris]

Interesting, I guess for a change my bike is a lucky one. I just had it sandblasted and it came out perfect!

I remember seeing this stuff a while back and this reminded me of it.  anybody used it? if you have did you do it before or after paint/powder?

http://www.eastwood.com/internal-frame-coating-w-spray-nozzle-qt.html

[P.abrera]

thats great work p.abrera.

Thanks mate. Had a hand from a welder who knew his stuff.


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I've heard from an customer of mine who lived 6 months a year around Manila that they're a lot of quality repair/craftsman over there who like doing custom vehicle work,is this true?

Lotta skilled craftsmen doing "custom" jobs. A lot of it out of neccesity as spares arent easy here. You just need to guide them on the "aesthetics" part to get what you want out of them. A few up and coming bike builders too who ive been asking advice from. You might be surprised how much of the custom bike accesories out in the market are actually made here ...sad part is we cant buy them direct from manufacturer here.


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[Stev-o]

thats great work p.abrera.

Thanks mate. Had a hand from a welder who knew his stuff.


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I've heard from an customer of mine who lived 6 months a year around Manila that they're a lot of quality repair/craftsman over there who like doing custom vehicle work,is this true?

Lotta skilled craftsmen doing "custom" jobs. A lot of it out of neccesity as spares arent easy here. You just need to guide them on the "aesthetics" part to get what you want out of them. A few up and coming bike builders too who ive been asking advice from. You might be surprised how much of the custom bike accesories out in the market are actually made here ...sad part is we cant buy them direct from manufacturer here.


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Why is that?

[PeWe]

All these corroded frames. Caused by a leaking battery?
My swingarm got drops of acid that penetrated the really god industrial 2k paint and caused corrosion. Not that deep though. Maybe an openeing in frame where acid can enter, then eating the frame from inside.

[P.abrera]

thats great work p.abrera.

Thanks mate. Had a hand from a welder who knew his stuff.


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I've heard from an customer of mine who lived 6 months a year around Manila that they're a lot of quality repair/craftsman over there who like doing custom vehicle work,is this true?

Lotta skilled craftsmen doing "custom" jobs. A lot of it out of neccesity as spares arent easy here. You just need to guide them on the "aesthetics" part to get what you want out of them. A few up and coming bike builders too who ive been asking advice from. You might be surprised how much of the custom bike accesories out in the market are actually made here ...sad part is we cant buy them direct from manufacturer here.


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Why is that?

Most have a non-disclosure aggreement. Cant even say theyre making stuff here, much less sell directly to locals.


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[Old Scrambler]

Noddy78...............I will contact my customer............He bought a luggage rack.................

I will take a pic or 3 of a frame with suggested cut marks for your approval.  Give me a day or so as I have a few other things to accomplish.

[eigenvector]

I don't see why you couldn't get a machinist or welder to repair that.  I don't even think it's a loaded component, more something to relieve the stress concentrations at the lugs.

Probably wouldn't even be a difficult job to do.

[Don R]

The sad part is you are only seeing the rusted through areas. Much of the rest is probably badly rusted too. I bought an old front engined dragster once, my buddies said it's too old rusted on the inside and stressed. I didn't listen. We raced 3 times, I got a runner up at a big nostalgia race and the chassis failed on trailer during the drive home.

[eigenvector]

I think you misunderstood me, but I'm not going to clarify - he has what he needs at this point it sounds like.