Topic: Can I straighten a bent brake rod?

[evanphi]

I was removing my rear wheel and I forgot to completely remove the brake rod from the arm. I was rotating the wheel to get the chain off the sprocket and bent the threaded part of it. Can I just unbend it? Will it lose any structural integrity?

[John Eberly]

I would say yes. Maybe warm it up with a torch just - not red hot, but enough to soften it and keep it from starting to fatigue.

This rod is in tension in use, should be fine as long as you don't bend it back and forth too much.

[Duke McDukiedook]

It looks like you only bent it about 15 to 20 degrees. Should be okay to cold bend if you are in a pinch.

[pjlogue]

Yea, I would heat it a bit and put it in a vise with some aluminum over the jaws to keep from mucking up the threads.  It's not bent badly.

-P.

[evanphi]

I've got the whole winter to straighten it, so I'll heat and clamp it.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

[540nova]

Run a nut on it, up to the bend, and clamp it by the nut in the vice.


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[754]

Dont do that it will hurt it, use aluminum or heavy cardboard to cushion it in vise.
And try to find a other.
The bend is gradual , if it were sharped big chance of a crack starting in the root of the thread.

[AlabamaCB750]

I can't imagine it would hurt to bend it back into shape.

[AlabamaCB750]

I am basing this on 20+ years of fab shop experience, so I'm not just guessing. If you had repeated cycles of bending then yes, it would affect the integrity. But bending it once, less than 30 or 40 degrees, then bending it back... you should be fine. But, if you really have any doubt, just replace it and make yourself confident. We can offer advice all day long, but the best advice is to trust your gut feeling!

[Don R]

 I've bent some gnarly ones back into shape. I'd cold bend it like Frank said, in a vise go slowly.

[PeWe]

This rod seems to be hard to find. 43451-341-000 / 43450-405-000
I have seen NOS a few years ago.

EDIT: vintagecb750 has a rod   Custom Rear Brake Rod Assembly  Part #: 73-1071 for "only" US$114.95
Where are all Honda NOS rods?

[BomberMann650]

Looks like it could benefit from a little spit shine once it's back in ship shape!

[evanphi]

Well that was easy. Cold bend in the aluminum jaws. Ran a nut down after to clean up the threads.

[AlabamaCB750]

Nice job!