Cracking frame mate...[Pace Content]

[Wold Ranger]

Pace

The frames were deffo not re heat treated after welding, which is why they were fragile. Most of the breakages occured just above the weld, as this was where they were softened by the heat from the weld. Another point worth mentioning at this point, is powder coating! If the oven temperature gets to 200 deg C, the aluminium will be softened & likely to crack, so beware retrobikers!
As I said earlier in the thread, steel frames are fine with seatpost shims and the post well down the tube, its with Aluminium that the real problems kick in.

 

[Rich]

Updated photos on my site...pretty pleased with the weld, not pretty but functional...

Just needs a respray and it's game on...

Cheers for everyones comments and interest

Rich

 

[clunker]

You going pink again Rich :?:

 

[Rich]

Always in the pink my brother!!!

Nah, going for a different colour this time, scratching my head on which one to choose, have one in mind, just going through some decal choices and designs...my favourite bit!

Rich

 

[shovelon]

How do you plan to heat treat it after welding? If you dont you have just introduced a stress area that will probably break? Are pace frames 6000 or 7000 series aluminium I cant recall. Good luck, personally I would not trust it especially in that area.

Don't worry that is why they cracked in the first place, they were never heat treated post welding anyways, that was their big failing. favourite place was behind drive side BB/chain stay junction or the seat tube as you have found out! they needed a really long seat post to minimise that one!

On the other hand NEVER EVER use a shim in an Aluminium frame! too much flex ALWAYS a cracked tube. Why do folks do this, its basic engineering folly.

If true that really is very poor and an excellent reason for not buying a pace! Very bad engineering practice, and I always thought of them as a quality product that they seemed to take a great pride in the engineering aspect :roll: Barge pole comes to mind.......

7005 alloy frames do not require heat treat if welded correctly. That is why Easton devoloped the alloy. The fact that the frame lasted many years indicates that it was done correctly. It probably was the short post shim that caused the crack.

From the look of the repair, and returning to a long seatmast, the frame will last a long time more. I think Pace made a high quality frame here.

 

[Lid]

Always in the pink my brother!!!

Rich

Ummm thats a sexual joke.....right?

 

[cherrybomb]

7005 alloy frames do not require heat treat if welded correctly. That is why Easton devoloped the alloy.

I always thought it was t'other way round and it was 6000 series that didn't need heat treating as it air hardens which is why all the small U.S. builders used it and 7000 series did need post welding heat treatment hence it's use in the Far Eastern factories.? :?

 

[Dr.Robotnik]

I've been following your repair thread for a while as I like to see repaired and saved bits.

I found the picture a little difficult to find so to save everyone searching, here's a direct link to anyone else looking for the pictures. Click the picture to get to the site and read the story.



I think it's going to look great with a bit of smoothing and then some paint.

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Love this thread. Well done for fixing it. Looks great!

 

[missmyfat]

How do you plan to heat treat it after welding? If you dont you have just introduced a stress area that will probably break? Are pace frames 6000 or 7000 series aluminium I cant recall. Good luck, personally I would not trust it especially in that area.

Don't worry that is why they cracked in the first place, they were never heat treated post welding anyways, that was their big failing. favourite place was behind drive side BB/chain stay junction or the seat tube as you have found out! they needed a really long seat post to minimise that one!

On the other hand NEVER EVER use a shim in an Aluminium frame! too much flex ALWAYS a cracked tube. Why do folks do this, its basic engineering folly.

If true that really is very poor and an excellent reason for not buying a pace! Very bad engineering practice, and I always thought of them as a quality product that they seemed to take a great pride in the engineering aspect :roll: Barge pole comes to mind.......

7005 alloy frames do not require heat treat if welded correctly. That is why Easton devoloped the alloy. The fact that the frame lasted many years indicates that it was done correctly. It probably was the short post shim that caused the crack.

From the look of the repair, and returning to a long seatmast, the frame will last a long time more. I think Pace made a high quality frame here.

I hope so, would be very disappointed in pace if this was the case and I would be suprised TBH,as i said they always seemed a company that prides itself on their product. Found this........
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=238999