Bending bent forks into shape

[Cap'n kanuckles]

What the best way to bend bent fork straight?If you use heat does it weaken the forks?Any help would be great.

 

[Neck]

I try to straighten them cold in a press between two supports on the bottom side and something on top to keep the press plunger from crushing the tube on the top like a piece of angle iron, but you have to watch it to make sure your not kinking it.

 

[Bonanza Bryan]

Do not use heat. Try what neck suggested.

 

[george3]

heat makes the metal brittle. how bent? where is the pics? learn to ride and this on going prob. will be solved. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[Tom S.]

...how bent? where is the pics?...

Yeah, the degree of damage will help to define the cure. The fork on my Fimco had an obvious bend, but it wasn't kinked. We clamped it to a flat surface and just used muscle to work it back into position. No heat needed, but it did take several tries to get it right. I've fixed frames that way, too. When we were working on this fork, a Harbor Freight c-clamp broke and nearly tagged me on the noggin. Should have been wearing my safety glasses.

 

[george3]

Yeah, the degree of damage will help to define the cure. The fork on my Fimco had an obvious bend, but it wasn't kinked. We clamped it to a flat surface and just used muscle to work it back into position. No heat needed, but it did take several tries to get it right. I've fixed frames that way, too. When we were working on this fork, a Harbor Freight c-clamp broke and nearly tagged me on the noggin. Should have been wearing my safety glasses.

why do you guys buy that crap. one day.

 

[cheezy1]

What the best way to bend bent fork straight?If you use heat does it weaken the forks?Any help would be great.

Just take them to TPS and have Bill straighten them. If they are wasted..he will let ya know. He does real good work for a very small fee.:thumbsup:

 

[oldfatguy]

the hydraulic press works the best and is safer then clamping and prying on a bench. If your tubes are dented or kinked I fixed mine by making a die from two metal blocks about three inches long, just clamp them together and drill a hole the size of the tube on the seam . Then just put the blocks on the tube and squeeze in the press or a big vise. This worked great to fix dented and oval shaped fork tubes. A good flat surface is needed to check the forks for straightness and if they are twisted.

 

[jeep2003]

i just put them in the bench vice and use a cheater bar to bend them back one side at a time. easy peasy

 

[Tom S.]

why do you guys buy that crap. one day.

Wasn't my clamp, it was my buddy's. He usually does buy the good stuff, so it was surprising he had this item on hand. I didn't know it was a cheapie until it snapped. Then he got out a good one and we proceeded w/no more problems. He declined my generous offer to run up to HF and get a replacement for the broken one. :laugh: