Bent nipple holder!

[rogerzilla]

Mate has bought a s/h S3L and didn't notice the threaded stud holding the handlebar stem catch nipple is bent.  Quite a lot.

I was just going to thread a long brake nut onto it, to protect the threads and keep the end straight, and use a spanner to gently bend it back.  Odds of it snapping?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

If it is low strength steel (likely), it should be fine. Higher strength steel might be marginal.

Try to get it right in one or maybe two attempts. Work-hardening is a real thing and you don’t want it.

If it breaks, are you worse off than where you are now? Just some brazing needed and a recoat.

[rogerzilla]

He'd probably end up paying £200 for a repair at Argos, although the cost could be reduced by getting it powdercoated elsewhere.

It still sort of fits into the catch (which must be very misadjusted) so my guess is that the previous owner bent it to make it line up.  He may not have had an allen key to adjust the catch.

I expect to discover more horrors.

[rogerzilla]

Success!  It must have taken a real whack to bend it, as it was not easy to bend back.