Repairing Alu frames, is it worth it and pictures please

[jimihendrix]

Well reading all this i'm glad i did'nt go for the cracked Manitou FS frame that was on here a while back :shock:

I was very, very tempted too, brain in neutral heart in fifth gear :roll:

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

Well reading all this i'm glad i did'nt go for the cracked Manitou FS frame that was on here a while back :shock:

I was very, very tempted too, brain in neutral heart in fifth gear :roll:

Those come up often...I've been temped as well

 

[daj]

Just re-opening an old thread rather than starting a new one ...

Are we saying never take a chance with a cracked frame?

This week for example, A klein and say for example that RTS on ebay ... would you say it should never be ridden or trusted once a repair is made?

I know some very very good welders that I have been tempted to pick up a cheap frame to get repaired?

 

[stu]

I had an RTS that cracked round the bottom bracket shell, never entered my head to repair it, stripped the decent bits off, flogged them and sent the front triangle for scrap

Cheers
Stu

 

[Tallpaul]

Third thread i've read today that's mentioned the words 'cracked' and 'RTS' in the same sentence... Good job i'm not superstitious :?

 

[jimihendrix]

This week for example, A klein and say for example that RTS on ebay ... would you say it should never be ridden or trusted once a repair is made?

I know some very very good welders that I have been tempted to pick up a cheap frame to get repaired?

If you are talking about the RTS with the cracked seattube i'd maybe take a chance with that as that has probably been caused by the frame being run with too much seat post exposed, (i think Kleins are prone to this too) especially probable since it's a 14.5" frame, i'd get it repaired and run a long seatpost down into the frame to take any strain off the area, but then i'm a fairly light rider who does'nt jump, probably would'nt be a good idea for a 15 stone rider landing 5 foot drops all day

 

[dyna-ti]

if it was mine i`d weld it my self and use it for work,no use keeping it and not using it ,it`s worth doing your self but not worth the expense to get someone else to do it :cry:

How I wish i could weld aluminum...

or steel for that matter

Aluminum fails in a nasty way...wouldn't chance it unless you're a great welder or willing to pay one.

Do an eve or weekend course at college cost about £70
Anyone can learn to Weld
T'aint brain surgery

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

if it was mine i`d weld it my self and use it for work,no use keeping it and not using it ,it`s worth doing your self but not worth the expense to get someone else to do it :cry:

How I wish i could weld aluminum...

or steel for that matter

Aluminum fails in a nasty way...wouldn't chance it unless you're a great welder or willing to pay one.

Do an eve or weekend course at college cost about £70
Anyone can learn to Weld
T'aint brain surgery

Haha, don't have enough hours in the day as it is...doubt I'll be able to fit that in...but maybe one day

 

[cherrybomb]

if it was mine i`d weld it my self and use it for work,no use keeping it and not using it ,it`s worth doing your self but not worth the expense to get someone else to do it :cry:

How I wish i could weld aluminum...

or steel for that matter

Aluminum fails in a nasty way...wouldn't chance it unless you're a great welder or willing to pay one.

Do an eve or weekend course at college cost about £70
Anyone can learn to Weld
T'aint brain surgery

Humm? :?

Anyone can learn to make a half decent job of welding steel maybe (and I mean maybe) but doing a reasonable job on aluminium is a whole different sack of kippers.

 

[Carsten]

here's a nice thread on this topic. the guy who welded that manitou frame is an experienced frame builder and assumes that the frame can now be used again without any worries

http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?t=272086

Carsten