Another "would you ride it?" Frame damage thread

[GrahamG]

Gutted to unwrap my wife's long haul trucker frame to find a down tube adjuster boss has taken a massive hit and dented the tube. I'm only 80% sure this was at the powder coaters as I dropped it in the garage just before taking it in. But.... Would you ride it? Not sure if I should not worry because it's a tank of a frame and alignment appears ok, or to just replace given that it's used for full on kitchen sink touring duties and not worth the risk.

[Brucey]

practically speaking

a) it will crack before it breaks so you could just keep an eye on it and

b) it might be useless now anyway, in that I'm not sure you could bolt anything to that boss now; most things come up flush against the frame.

The damage is so severe that I would expect the powder coat to have shown signs of strain locally if the damage had occurred post-coating. Thus is it possible that the frame was damaged before it was coated?

Regarding repair options. CrMo can either soften or become ridiculously brittle when heated for brazing, depending on the thermal cycle. I'm guessing at the former, else it wouldn't have deformed like that.

It may be possible to pull the worst of the damage out (eg using a slide hammer) but then again such treatment may just pull the boss clean off the tube.

One way of helping the repair along would be to drill and tap the M5 thread all the way through one boss and then to use a long M5 bolt to apply load against the other boss region (which is relatively solid). This could maybe be used in combination with a slide hammer or other puller of some kind.

What a pain!  If you want to be perfectly confident in the bike probably a new frame is the best option.

cheers

[Blodwyn Pig]

I wouldn't want my wife riding it. You only get one,( that you like!) unlike frames of course.  I also wouldn't give it to wife damaged,  I'm sure she wouldn't give you something that was damaged. 

[GrahamG]

Thanks folks, I hadn't even though of practicalities such as alignment of that boss. It's got sentimental value so I think we'll have to get a repair. We're convinced it happened at the powder coaters whilst in the queue so she's going to see about getting it refinished by them to make up for it one we've stomached the cost of a replacement tube from Argos cycles.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I have seen a Crosscheck with a far bigger dent than that in the top tube being ridden without, apparently, any cracking. But then I doubt it got laden as heavily as a Trucker would.

[adenough]

I'd ride it. I don't see there is any particular pressure in that area. I'd maybe hacksaw the adjusters off and put a band-on just above the damage. I have that system on my Harry Hall that does not have brazed on bosses.