Topic: Can fork covers be bent back in shape?

[denward17]

The fork covers on my CB550 are bent, apparently the bike went down on both sides from PO.

Can they be bent back to shape?

[rotortiller]

You can take them off and hammer them back into shape on a block of wood but they will never look like new. Then again neither is the bike.

[beemerbum]

You might want to paint them after pounding

[Deltarider]

[...] but they will never look like new. [...]

+1 It's very hard indeed, I never managed. Also has to do with that piece on the inside which makes it almost impossible.

[BenelliSEI]

I just did one on my K6. I have a canvas bag, filled with lead shot that sits on a solid, steel bench. The trick is to settle the part nicely, so it is well supported and won’t take more damage when you work the back side. A box of sand works well too.
 
Use a piece of wooden dowel (8” cut off a broom handle will do) and shape the end to fit what you are hitting. Soft wood is great, so as not to “poke” and create more damage. As stated, the reinforcement pieces on the back can mess you up. Give it a try, you haven’t got much to lose!

[denward17]

Good points, Thanks guys.

[ekpent]

I've worked on them before with a couple blocks/pieces of hardwood and a c-clamp to bend and flatten them back out while still mounted on the bike and headlight bucket removed but the one in your picture is pretty severe.

[jlh3rd]

 basic metal collision repair involves "reversing the hit".
If it was my bike. I'd begin by pulling forward and out on the blinker stub gently, using little tugs.
See the pushed up metal along the top edge? You want to tap that down in between tugging gently on the blinker.
It's not a quick process and pulling or tapping too hard can bend the metal in a different direction.
At a certain point, the cover would need to come off to try and finish "pushing" the hit out and straighten that reinforcing bracket.
that bracket makes it harder, blocks of wood, clamps , pushing on the metal more than hammering, all techniques to use.....

[jlh3rd]

back side..easier said than done....

[RAFster122s]

The only way to really do it is to cut away the reinforcement on the backside, leaving enough of the original metal to weld to when done reshaping the cosmetic chromed side. Then you can a new brace when finished the straightened fork cover and weld that to your cover working slowly and keeping the heat transfer to the chrome in check. Grind welds smooth and treat the back side piece to a good rust preventative coating for paint.

Den, you have the big turn signals, but that is first time I noticed or seen a setup with the big turn signals and early fork covers...must be thinking about all the later 550 that had a big fat tube down where the reflectors are on the early bikes and your fork covers.

[bryanj]

Anything can be repaired its just time, cost and sentiment decides wether its worth it or find different ones

[Stev-o]

I've attempted repair on them, seemed impossible to get perfect.  You have nothing to lose...

[Don R]

 A sandbag for a backer and a lot of small hits with various shapes or types of hammers. A hundred small hits are better than a few big ones. I have a plastic hammer with the red and green ends that I rounded off. It works well on chrome to avoid marring the finish. I have an old bank bag full of lead shot that works pretty well as a backer and a lead hammer made from copper plumbing fittings filled with molten lead.

[Mark1976]

   I've got a couple, but I don't really think they're that much better than your current ones. Not bent but there's some rust developing on the inside. Not terrible but its there nonetheless. Let me know.

[denward17]

Thanks Mark, will be in touch in a couple of weeks,  out of pocket right now.

[RAFster122s]

Electrolysis can remove the rust, then spray some silver paint where they were rusty, polish the chrome, and they should be good to go...
They are far better than most I've seen or purchased on eBay that I thought were on better shape than reality...

[RAFster122s]

Long cheater pipe on the hole for the collar that the signal bolts through... That will give you leverage, then a post you can slip the for cover onto secured when wrenching on it. Fastening the front down so it doesn't spin...
If you can lock it down securely in some kind of jig you can apply pressure in the direction the stem hole collar needs to go and tap on the backside moving the metal bit by bit tweaking it back into a horizontal plane and forwards or backwards as required. Might need two people on on your 4 ft long rod applying pressure on the collar helping getting it moving in the right direction and plane...

[grcamna2]

basic metal collision repair involves "reversing the hit".
If it was my bike. I'd begin by pulling forward and out on the blinker stub gently, using little tugs.
See the pushed up metal along the top edge? You want to tap that down in between tugging gently on the blinker.
It's not a quick process and pulling or tapping too hard can bend the metal in a different direction.
At a certain point, the cover would need to come off to try and finish "pushing" the hit out and straighten that reinforcing bracket.
that bracket makes it harder, blocks of wood, clamps , pushing on the metal more than hammering, all techniques to use.....

I like this approach;I never removed the flat support in back but I'm sure it can be straightened w/o that piece in the way on top of a piece of soft Pine wood?
You can use SS wire? and tig weld(in small spots to keep the chrome nice)the back-side piece back on when you're finished,imo. I would like to see this way done because I suppose it would be quicker?

[RAFster122s]

I would buy Mark’s and then get some hammers and tools as have been mentioned and learn what you can playing with your bent forks…cutout the back side support stiffener and then slowly work the metal back into its original form. Watch some YouTube videos on metal working for dents and dings out of fenders and chrome parts and invest in some shop instruction time this winter chilling out to some good music learning to work on these forks. If you are patient with yourself I bet you can do a pretty good job. Take some photos and I wouldn’t be afraid of dusting a light coat of primer on the cleaned chrome exterior so you can see the metal contourseasier. Chrome can trick the eye and is a bear to photograph because of reflections. When done you can polish or chemically strip the primer easily…just don’t use a high build primer, you are just looking to thinly coat the chrome and don’t want to potentially scratch it from primer abrasives or contents, alternatively use a color that isn’t glossy or a white or tan shade as they can be too reflective.  Lighting your part while working it from the side and at an angle helps show you low and high spots.
You have to think about the dents and imagine how they got there and how many there are, there are several. The buckling caused a few bends and waves I am sure. That fork cover took a hard hit or two…

The lead shot filled heavy canvas or Jean bag is a classic tool used in metal shaping, a wood form could be useful but I would tend to rely on the shot bag more…
Good luck!

[jlh3rd]

and hope the chrome doesn't crack or lift....