 |
| | One Less Ute needs fairly drastic repairs - the main frame
tube is cracking at both ends, and I suspect I'll need to replace it. This is
going to be so tricky to do that I suspect I'll simply build a new bike instead.
This has made me a bit sad, so I've taken some more photos to remeber the bike
by, and remind me of the thinks that I want to do differently next time. |
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On the left side. |
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The right hand side - the crack is in a very similar position. |
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Full size photo shows the crack under that small brace - it's slightly forward of the other bits of the crack I think. |
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At the front end there are also cracks both sides. This joint is welded rather than brazed, also
post-heat treated by bringing it up to dull red with an oxy torch. But it still cracked... |
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On the other side the crack runs the other way. I've got no idea why. |
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High stress area that I expected problems in. I TIG welded the joint in the small tube, but thinking
more I suspect that the supports are flexing under it, meaning that the main tube flexes more than it
should and that's why it has broken. |
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The headset has been completely trouble free. I haven't touched it. Vertical seems to work for me. |
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The top front is fine, even though I feared that the brazed butt joint on the small upright tube would
pull off. It hasn't, probably because this is actually a relatively low stress area of the frame. |
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Looking up into that area. Oh, the quick release is on an old front axle, and allows me to carry
another bike by removing its front wheel and clamping in in there. |
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I repainted this side a while ago to see if it was actually a crack in the weld or just paint problems. |
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A long seat post, giant bike light and oversize clamp. This all works really well. |
