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English => Parts & Bikes => Topic started by: dethtrk17 on January 22, 2013, 07:39:00 PM

Title: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 22, 2013, 07:39:00 PM
So ive always wanted to try this. Take a cheap set ot fully offset forks and cut the dropouts to make them zero offset. Im a pretty good welder as ive built backhalves for truck fames and built full suspension setups for that matter. Any ways i attempted this yesterday with the only forks i have. Lol. I got it done and cut out some tapers in both the legs as the legs were taking up about 3/4" of the pegs. It turned out ok. And so far strong enough.

What i started with
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21130417.jpg)
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21130405.jpg)

Cut the dropouts and found out i could just switch sides and flip them. If you notice i added a piece under the dropouts to make up for the amount of steel that was cut out by the cuttoff wheel so i didnt have a headtube angle change
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21131836.jpg)
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21153049.jpg)
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21131932.jpg)

Then i cut the tapers. Realized i could take the cut out pieces and trim them a tad and recess them to get what i wanted
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21140703.jpg)

I tested them to check headtube angle.
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-21155330.jpg)
I didnt get any of the welded pics cuz it was starting to get dark and i wanted to get them finished and painted as well. So they are now bolted up.
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-22105120.jpg)
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-22105230.jpg)
 (http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-22105141.jpg)

They didnt turn out as pretty as i hoped but functional and strong.
 
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: Phatman on January 22, 2013, 07:56:27 PM
They sure as hell aint pretty but mad respect for taking the time to do all that. The end product does what you wanted it to do & i guess only time will tell how well they hold up!
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 22, 2013, 08:02:09 PM
Yea theyre pretty rough looking. I just wanted to share anyways. For anyone considering this.....just save some money  and buy some forks. It got done like was said,  but damn. I gave it a shot. The legs were where the problems happend. I use a 175 lincoln mig and the tubing is pretty thin.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: londonflat on January 22, 2013, 08:43:57 PM
Good idea dude,thanks for sharing :beer:
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: Rad255 on January 23, 2013, 01:34:13 AM
Idk I'm impressed.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: K.Wong on January 23, 2013, 01:52:57 AM
mad props for trying and succeeding.
my friend sent his cracked ares frame for rewelding with tig, only ended up with big holes - the welder says the tubing is too thin...
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 23, 2013, 05:35:05 PM
Thanks guys. Tonite is the first real session I will have on them. If im not in the hospital, I will update this thread with how it went.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: londonflat on January 23, 2013, 06:22:16 PM
Let us know what theyre like dude and how get on with them :beer:
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: Flatism® on January 23, 2013, 07:40:07 PM
He who dares...
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 23, 2013, 07:42:09 PM
He who dares...

huh"?
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: Flatism® on January 23, 2013, 07:43:27 PM
Wins!!
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: Flatism® on January 23, 2013, 07:44:00 PM
Crazy mod; but wins!
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 23, 2013, 07:53:33 PM
lol I dont know yet. the concerns I have are the legs. the dropouts are solid no doubt. the tapers in the legs are the stressors.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: londonflat on January 23, 2013, 08:25:19 PM
Wins!!
Damn it bmxism i was going to post that then i scrolled down and its already been posted,lol
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: londonflat on January 23, 2013, 08:27:29 PM
lol I dont know yet. the concerns I have are the legs. the dropouts are solid no doubt. the tapers in the legs are the stressors.
how much weaker would that make the forks dude? Isnt that how tapered forks are done anyway? Forgive me i know nothing about building bikes only riding them,lol,i think what youve done is very ingenious,im still amazed at how good theyve come out.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 23, 2013, 08:42:27 PM
In almost any situation involving materials that are under stress:

A part is only as strong as its weakest points.

Yes, the dropouts are 3/16" thick and the upper parts of the forks are still factory, but in the middle the tubing has been cut and heated up by the welding...idk.

Yes, the way I did the legs are how its normally done. Odysseys, and the older St Martin champagnes come to mind.

This only makes the second mod I have ever done to a bicycle part. I lowered the cross bar on a set of 4 piece bars a couple years ago. Again, got the job done but they bent after 3months. so i am no bike builder either, just a backyard fabricator i guess.

We shall see...

Thanks again though everyone, quite suprised I actually got a response. I was waiting for "holy sh*t your an idiot" im sure its been said regardless. lol
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 24, 2013, 03:23:15 AM
Im proud to say they took a beating. Not a crack seen or flex felt. The only problem is the top of the base of the pegs are hitting just a tad of the new welds. So the pegs arent bolting up all the way on the dropouts. Thats an easy fix. Im really quite amazed this project worked as well as it did.

By nites end...
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-23204145.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-23204109.jpg)

I finally had enough of the brakes.
Title: Re: Modified my forks yesterday..
Post by: dethtrk17 on January 24, 2013, 03:25:33 AM
My spot by the way
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh257/tacon19s/2013-01-23190744.jpg)