| Author | Message | ||
     Fahren |
'96 S2T, one of the pannier rack mounting points under the rear is snapped off. The break was clean, and has some light rust (no idea how far back this happened). Sad to say, I am not knowledgeable about welding. It looks like a small job, not visible once the bike is back together, but how bad will the paint in that area be messed up by the welding? Any general suggestions for me to pass on to a welder? Any specific type of welding needed for this type of job? If I get really ambitious, I might work out a frame as well, stealing Joe (Ratbuell's) idea for a pannier stabilizer frame. But first things first - just get the bike back in shape. | ||
| Ebutch |
Chris pics would Help! | ||
| Ebutch |
If brake is in tube aria I put and join piece to-gather with solid round stock and weld to-gather and flat stock usely reinforce space permitting. Clean down to mettle and have some-one weld. | ||
| Fahren |
One of the four frame tabs for mounting the pannier rack broke off, and needs to be welded back on. No damage to the tube frame. This is the least conspicuous place on the bike to have to weld a piece back onto the frame. Just wondering about how much and what type of prep to do before bringing it to a welder, then I guess it will need to be touched up with some suitable primer and paint that won't totally mess up the surrounding paint on the frame. I've never had to deal with welding on a frame, so I'm glad this is a small job in a concealed place - still, any guidance and tips are appreciated.  | ||
| Spiderman |
1, clean the paint off about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch from where the weld is, I would just remove it around the area by an inch, heat will bubble about 1.5 inches I'd say. 2, Disconnect the battery 3, If you are doing it I would suggest bolting the tab to the tail, setting it on, and doing a spot weld to hold it in place on the bottom of the tab, then finish weld the top. Some one else I'd make a bracket of a piece of bar stock to mount to the opposite tab, that stretches across the frame to the other side with the broken tab mounted to the stock so the welder knows where to weld the tab. 4, paint and enjoy! | ||
| F_skinner |
The frame I picked up was missing the same tab. I made one out of a piece of steel I picked up at Lowes and had a local welder weld it on for me since I do not have a welder. I was in his garage so I could tell him the correct placement. It was a little off so I made the hole a little bigger and everything lines up. I like the idea of making bar stock so it goes across across to the other tab... | ||
| Spiderman |
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| Fahren |
Fortunately, the tab that sheared off (how the heck do you get enough forces on this to shear off a thick steel tab?!?) stayed with the bike, bolted onto the pannier rack. So it can be welded back on. Honestly, though, is there that much stress on the pannier mounting system that it would snap steel? | ||
| Gowindward |
Vibration equals fatigue even on steel. Not one large stress, but thousands of small ones add up. | ||
| Ebutch |
Yes,but not on my S2T Yet.The saddle-bag frame Brakes and on going in improvements.130,000+++++ Miles!!!!!   | ||
| Fahren |
Yeah, but you have that fancy testicular vibration-damping system installed off the back.................. | ||
| Spiderman |
Yeah the side effects of said system, though are not worth it...  | ||
| Jramsey |
2,Disconnect the battery. May I ask why you said this? | ||
| Ebutch |
And the only one there with.  | ||
| Spiderman |
May I ask why you said this? May be an old wives tale but grad-pa always said if your gonna do any welding on a vehicle to disconnect the battery so you don't short anything out. But then again grandpa worked on card in the 40s an 50s so... | ||
| Ebutch |
Chris you could run flat stock drilled each side under frame to to hold down tail section and Blue lock-tight,no welding.  | ||
| Ebutch |
Also I,d put some tube rubber to sandwich flat-stock and frame. | ||
| Ebutch |
http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Clamps_Hose_Tubin g_s/61.htm These would would work FINE!!!!!! | ||
| Ebutch |
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| Road_thing |
2,Disconnect and remove the battery This was excellent advice back in the days of batteries with vent tubes. Lead-Acid batteries generate hydrogen gas, which is quite flammable. A vent tube filled with hydrogen gas makes a dandy fuse, and there's enough H2 in the top of the battery to blow it to pieces, violently, if a spark travels up the vent tube. I personally witnessed such an explosion on a Triumph 650 back in the day: muffler mount vibrated and broke, we stopped at a service station (remember those?) with a welder. Dude struck an arc without thinking about the battery vent tube and it went off like a bomb. It was a miracle that the welder, my buddy and I were standing on the opposite side of the bike from the battery tray. Probably not such a big deal with today's sealed batteries, but I'd take the battery all the way out before welding anywhere on the bike. rt | ||
| Spiderman |
I did some reading on it, and opinions vary. I'm not rich so I'll disconnect the battery, it is quick and a good JIC  | ||
| Fahren |
Thanks to all for good suggestions. I may go the non-welding route once I get to the point of putting the bike back together, just out of impatience to get it rolling. | ||
| Spiderman |
You have to know someone with a small portable welder... Even I have one of those cheapo harbor freight flux MIG welders, that would be perfect for this. The clamp is a great temp fix. But if that weld broke just under normal use, what do you think is going to happen to that rubber lined thin piece of tin? | ||
| S2pengy |
"rubber lined thin piece of tin" has lasted about 30,000 on mine | ||
| Spiderman |
well there ya go! LOL |
