$*#7% up wheel mount.

#1
So.....I'm kind of at a loss here. I have no idea how this could happen/get this bad. That must have been a ROUGH ride for whoever owned this bike.





I don't know how I didn't notice this before now, but now I need to fix it. My only thought is to weld a 5/8" spacer into a thick washer and then weld that onto the frame flanges there.

Any other ideas?
 
#2
Clamp a piece of brass or aluminum to the backside and use a mig or stick welder to fill the unwanted portion of the hole. Use a round file to dress the hole to the proper size ... use a disc sander/grinder to grind the flange flat to make it pretty.
 

JKautoFab

Active Member
#3
just grind the paint off and weld up the hole and redrill. you can reinforce with a washer on the outside if your axle bolt is long enough
 
#4
My axle bolt is long enough. Both sides are hosed. I only have a mig, but it's a millermatic 140. Do you think it will actually fill that? How should I let it cool? Slowly? I'm pretty new to welding.
 
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#6
That machine will fill that no problem. The weld will not stick to the non-ferrous backing plate. Just lay down some short beads in short bursts...letting it cool for a few seconds in between each. Don't have to be pretty, when you get done grinding it and painting it it will be invisible.

The reason I didn't suggest filling in the whole thing is you may find it tough to drill the weld when your done.

Harbor Freight sells a cheap backing tool that will also do the trick:

Welding Spoon

You can even find some that are held on with magnets, but just a scrap of copper or aluminum with a couple clamps does the same thing.
 
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buckeye

Well-Known Member
#8
I have seen this discussed befor.
Gerry answered it right then and now. :thumbsup:

I love the knowledge from valued members like KKK on this forum.
Just great folks.:thumbsup:
 
#9
Another option might be to out-size the hole and weld in a bushing...it could be spot tacked for alignment adjustment before welding it in...
If you fill weld it and it is really cold...warming the area prior to welding will allow the first puddle to penetrate a little better...

Good Luck...
 
#10
Sandcracker, that was caused by loose hardware riding. My welder is about the same size as yours, and like KKK said, no problem to fill. Filling is the easiest of the welding jobs IMO. From one novice to another:

Get a slightly smaller diameter brass or aluminum rod that spans both holes across the frame. Set it in place and level, then weld around all of it. Then drill out to required diameter.

Don't get a rod the exact axle diameter, because you cant get the MIG weld all the way snug against the non-ferrous metal.
 
#12
KKK, Thanks for the advice. I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Angelo, I bet you'd just love that! Lucky for me, I never throw anything away! (Much to my wife's dismay.)

Tom, you are definitely right about that. I don't know what I'd do without you guys.

slash_pine, That's not a bad idea. I'm just leery about not being able to align the axle properly.

Dave, that's a really good idea. Thanks for the input.
 
#13
You can buy chassis tabs (used for race car fabrications) from Summit and elsewhere.
They come in various shapes and thicknesses. If yours is supposed to be a 5/8" axle hole
you could get on of their chassis tabs that is predrilled with a 5/8" hole or a solid one
that you drill for your needs.
It would be a simple matter of cutting off the offending piece and welding the tab on.
These are cheap … a few dollars for a pack of 6 or 10.
 
#14
Alright, so I hopefully have this remedied. Be warned. I'm an incredibly novice welder (it's not good enough for government work). There was a lot of great suggestions here. I actually went with a combination. It turns out the original shaft inserts (?) pried right out with vise grips. I took the old wheel bearings apart and used the center. I just ground it down and it worked pretty well. I welded them in then filled in the holes. I ground down my terrible welds, so you guys wouldn't be subjected to the full monstrosity. I made sure to have good penetration, so it should be structurily sound.


 
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brown boonie

JUST REMEMBER-EXPECT IT WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!
#15
The welds dont look to bad for a novice welder. There is plenty of "meat"left if you want to grind down if you want to have "pretty". Looks good anyhow.
 
#16
Yeah use a flap disc on your grinder and you can bring that down smooth and flat. Take your time. The bearing race is hard so it will take a little more effort to grind it down than the mild steel around it. Any little pinholes left just fill with body filler, sand and prep for paint :thumbsup:
 
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#17
The welds dont look to bad for a novice welder. There is plenty of "meat"left if you want to grind down if you want to have "pretty". Looks good anyhow.
Thanks! I was going to continue grinding, but I ran out of daylight.

Yeah use a flap disc on your grinder and you can bring that down smooth and flat. Take your time. The bearing race is hard so it will take a little more effort to grind it down than the mild steel around it. Any little pinholes left just fill with body filler, sand and prep for paint :thumbsup:
I got a bunch on clearance at Lowe's right after new years. Thanks for the advice!
 
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