Hello to all. Kid didn't listen again. Pulling wheelies in the back yard and he put small kinks in the forks just below (1 1/8") bottom tree. Does any know of a bolt on set that would work on this mini. We tossed the 2.5 hp and put a 5hp flat head. I see you can't buy MBX11 front end yet which would be great. Thanks for any help.
I'm no great fabricator but I have saved a few race cars. There appears to be a dogleg in the forks so that complicates things but if a friend came over at 3:00 in the afternoon on Friday (they never bring them to you the Monday after the race) and said I need this fixed so I can race tomorrow I would take it apart bend it as straight as I could on a hydraulic press and TIG weld in the areas dented in and dress them down. If I had more time I might find a piece of solid rod that was a snug fit inside the tubes and heat the dented in part cherry red and then drive it into the tube to force the dent out.
That said, I think Jeep2003 had the right idea. Pull it out to where it tracked straight and use it. Kids being kids, likely it will happen again.
That said, I think Jeep2003 had the right idea. Pull it out to where it tracked straight and use it. Kids being kids, likely it will happen again.
Which part Buckeye, just pulling them back into alignment or the first idea. I'm no expert on minibike front ends either, just saying what I would do. I have straightened a hundred or so fork tubes over a 20 year period on motorcycles if they weren't kinked or bent to far but they have a lot thicker wall tubing and at the expected speeds most of the stuff I worked on I rejected straightening anything that I thought would put the rider in danger. I couldn't see any cracks in the photo but if there were cracks they would need to be fixed properly: that is replaced or welded up with a tight fitting tube rosette welded inside.
It looks to be kinked on both sides to me but I couldn't see a crack. If you squeeze it from the sides with blocks shaped to the tube a lot of that kink should come out. No question it would be weaker than a new one or one properly fixed. I could certainly be wrong but I think (as long as there is no crack) if abused again it would just bend rather than snap off. If a new replacement could be found that would be the best choice.
Thanks to all, found some 24 galvanized pole bolts at work. Cut of square head and threads, a little heat and a hammer and all is well. I left the rod in the tubes so I fell better that they won't collapse on the kid. I think I'm hooked, just found a Manco tbird not running on craigs list fpr $75. All I can say is i'm sorry dear men need hobbies.