Does anyone here have the ability to straighten fork tubes?

gammatg

gammatg

#1
#1
I picked up a Montgomery Wards Trail bike over the weekend and it has some high speed forks that need pressed back into shape. Does anyone on here do that or know of anyone who does? 20170605_212234.jpg
 
W

WLB

Active Member
#3
#3
That looks like a fairly straight forward job for anyone with a hydraulic press and blocks to hold round tubing. If you were within driving distance I would be happy to do it for you. After straightening, since the bend is at the heat line of a weld, I would recommend driving a tight fitting tube or solid rod into the area to reinforce it.
 
manchester1

manchester1

#4
#4
I use to go to a body shop until I bought my own press.:wink: Try a couple body shops or garages. [MENTION=5969]markus[/MENTION] uses his truck weight by jacking up the truck and using blocks.:laugh: See if he chimes in and explains it. I tried it and it didn't work. :laugh:
 
C

control4userguy

New Member
#5
#5
Yeah, that's not safe and didn't work for me either. A controlled application of pressure in the right place is proper. Happy I bought a (cough, cheap) press- use it for a variety of things...
 
Tom S.

Tom S.

#7
#7
My Fimco mini had hi-speed forks, though not as severe as the OP's. We clamped the fork tightly to my buddy's very heavy welding table so it was nice and stable, then applied little manpower and, voilà, they straightened out just fine.

On my Lil Indian the fork tubes had been pulled inward because someone tightened the axle w/o any spacers. We used the same process again and it worked great.

A cheater pipe in the right hands is a wonderful thing.

 
manchester1

manchester1

#8
#8
I straightened forks like that in a vise. Stick a bar up inside to the bend and yank away.lol. I put the pipe in 2 pieces of wood that was rounded out in the middle.
 
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Havasu Dave

Moderator
#9
#9
It's funny how those with PROPER shop equipment get all snooty about safety and accuracy when us garage hacks use Ford F250's, blocks of wood and hydraulic jacks to straighten our forks. :laugh: Yes indeed, we've heard this a few times on the ol' mini bike forum!

I'm looking forward to when I get a press, so I can start some finger pointing at all you unsafe assholes! LMAO!!!! Tom, that is a GREAT photo!
 
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Havasu Dave

Moderator
#10
#10
And by the way: If I "did" have a press, I would fabricate a new set of those fork lowers, because they're so simply constructed. I'd use the crimping plates Pat, Karen, and a few others have demonstrated elsewhere in the threads.
 
capguncowboy

capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#11
#11
I did a set for a 68 rupp a couple of years ago. I clamped the strut to a long 1x3 of oak, using bricks as spacers (it was just what I had laying there at the time). I tightened the clamp down until it warped the long oak board. Then when the board took the shape of the strut, I propped it up between two supports and pressed with down with my own weight. It was surprisingly easy. I had to make some adjustments and press them a second time to get them exact.






 
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Aircooled

Aircooled

Member
#12
#12
My fork also had a bend in it. I straightened it out using a hydraulic bottle jack and a few 2x3's. One for the jack to rest against the frame, the other across the fork tubes. It worked fine.
 
B

boggie

Member
#13
#13
I had a fork that was bent enough to kink the tubing so the inner spring loaded tubes would no longer work. Pressed it pretty straight then I machined a two inch long piece of cold roll just to clear the inside of the tubing. Drilled and taped to fit on a big slide hammer and rounded the nose. Heated the tube to a cherry red and drove it through the kinked area and slide hammered it out a few times. In looking back maybe I could have made a new fork quicker.
 
S

Sunnyknoll

Active Member
#14
#14
Capgun, great idea on straightening. Just wondering if it wouldn't be smart to place a short piece of wood (or something a bit forgiving) where the clamp comes in contact with the fork. My concern is the possibility of the clamp creating a divet in the tubing.
 
capguncowboy

capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
Sunnyknoll said:
Capgun, great idea on straightening. Just wondering if it wouldn't be smart to place a short piece of wood (or something a bit forgiving) where the clamp comes in contact with the fork. My concern is the possibility of the clamp creating a divet in the tubing.
Click to expand...
It probably wouldn't hurt to put something in there, but my biggest concern was the clamp slipping off. The tubing walls are pretty stout, so I wasn't too worried about it, but perhaps I should have been.
 
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Hyeoctane

New Member
#16
#16
Maybe a muffler shop the bends tubing and pipe every day or an electrician the bends conduit can do it
I have a bent tube too and need to figure it out as well


Sent from my iPad using OldMiniBikes
 
FOMOGO

FOMOGO

#17
#17
Guys its this easy.....



Don't be scared of it. Just grab it and put it back where it was.......... Didn't even take them off. The frame adds leverage to pull them back.

Doug
 
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PAP

Member
#18
#18
I've done a few forks with Doug's method, but for single tubes, I chuck them in my lathe and push on the high spot with the tool post.
 
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