mikeekim89
Old School Grand Master
hmm, The die thing sounds interesting. how would i go about that?
Should i ride my LE?
- Thread starter mikeekim89
- Start date
GT is a frame that is over built, i had a cannondale killer v and some bird decided to take a saucepan to the top tube and it left a dent just like yours if not a bit worse, i was gutted and just put a onza sticker over the dent and rode it for many years. the thickness of a GT is way over the top for ali so you can ride her with a passion, all you have to do now is find a sticker to cover the dent.
Also note where your dent is there is no force.
thanks andy
Also note where your dent is there is no force.
thanks andy
- Feedback
- View
I dented mine four weeks after purchasing it.
its still going.
its still going.
Dr.Robotnik
Senior Retro Guru
- Feedback
- View
mikeekim89":112n6jjc said:
By die I mean as in mold and die, so you are trying to mke a negative image of the tube in a piece of material, metal (softer than the frame ally) or ideally hard wood.
You are basically going to make two half cricles the diameter of the tube to clamp round the dented/deformed tube section to mold it back into shape and pop the dent out.
Basically confirm that the tube is round and not oval in an undented spot and that the tube is the same diameter all the way round.
Drill said hole in your die material. The thickness of which should cover your dent completely obvioulsy. Cut in half, so each half can straddle the tube. Drill holes in each half of the die top and bottom to use bolts to reconnect it either side of the tube.
Then you rotate it back and forth to mold the tube into shape gradually tightening the die to reform the tube into shape, this should pop out some if not all of the dent.
Go slowly, heat the alloy,use lots of lube.
I've seen similar Al dents in the top tube last a very long time, so I'd throw so parts on it and ride it keeping an eye on it as others have stated.
Trying to remove it will make it weaker, so don't waste your time and effort.
In general dents in the down tube are more of a concern than the top tube.
Trying to remove it will make it weaker, so don't waste your time and effort.
In general dents in the down tube are more of a concern than the top tube.
LeeDevelopment
Old School Grand Master
- Feedback
- View
I reckon it's fine, I had the same type/year of Zaskar LE with some dents, never had any problems with it.
Will just echo the other crew, ride it and keep an eye out for cracks over time.
Will just echo the other crew, ride it and keep an eye out for cracks over time.
This sort of heat treated Aluminium will work harden very quickly - trying to fix this without heat treatment will most likley cause more damage - maybe even to fracture and tear depending on the method. Unless you know what you are doing I would avoid interfering with it.
It will fail at some point - the non-uniform tube profile wil be a stress raiser and will most likely fatugue crack (just like most aluminium frames will in the end) - this is unlikley to be catastrophic though so you'll know when its best to get off an push! when this will happen? - who knows - my guess is you've got plenty of life left in it yet.
Consider it a minor flesh wound and get it back on the trails - just keep an eye on it from time to time - it would probably be best to polish back the area of the ding so that a real crack isn't obscured by the anodising or laquer.
Cheers
It will fail at some point - the non-uniform tube profile wil be a stress raiser and will most likely fatugue crack (just like most aluminium frames will in the end) - this is unlikley to be catastrophic though so you'll know when its best to get off an push! when this will happen? - who knows - my guess is you've got plenty of life left in it yet.
Consider it a minor flesh wound and get it back on the trails - just keep an eye on it from time to time - it would probably be best to polish back the area of the ding so that a real crack isn't obscured by the anodising or laquer.
Cheers
Similar threads
