fixing a bent rearset

[isaac_]

I've got a woodcraft rearset that was bent during one of my several offs this year. I've been told that I can apply heat and bend it back in shape but I've never tried. So, do I just take a torch to it and hammer it back in shape or is there some trick to it?

[Petorius]

I was able to bend one of my woodcraft brackets back by putting the frame mounting bolts side of it into a big vice, then a big adjustable wrench on the other end and pulling hard. No heat needed. I did almost rip my dad's workbench out of the wall doing this. Had to find a heavy bench/vice

[Trouble]

Heat and a deadblow/vice work but you need to be very careful. The more heat you apply and the more times you heat it the softer the aluminum becomes. It never fully regains its strength. I'd recommend straightening it and keeping it as a spare.

[OreoGaborio]

HAMMER!

and if that doesn't work.

BIGGER HAMMER!

[isaac_]

^^

That's the plan John. I just want to have an "ok" spare rather than one that's all crippled.

[Kurlon]

No heat!

I'm fairly certain I was told that by Woodcraft directly, but I can't find the reference.

[Mustang]

Hammer. Lots of hammer. Bending it SLOWLY with a pipe/pry bar as a second option; but that's not been successful for me in the past.

[isaac_]

Thanks for the tip guys. I'll try my hand at it tomorrow. First without heat. The bracket might not be too much of an issue but that brake lever could be a bit more troublesome. Here's a picture of what I'll be starting with.

[carsick]

I thought they came that way on an SV???

[isaac_]

What irritates me the most is I think I had maybe 1 day on that rearset.

[nhbubba]

Good luck. I was not able to straighten the bracket on mine. No matter how much I hammered it.

[OreoGaborio]

Good luck. I was not able to straighten the bracket on mine. No matter how much I hammered it.

BIGGER HAMMER!

[nhbubba]

This one?

[csmutty]

For the lever Id put a deep well socket over the tip and then put on the longest extension you have while holding the bracket in a vice. Bracket doesn't look that bad. Shouldn't be hard!

[Jim]

that might distort the threads for the toe shifter when you bend it back. if it's just that arm, i'd plan on replacing it.

[isaac_]

This entire unit is my spare. But I suppose I can always have a spare for the spare.

[GingahNinjah]

ive had success just laying the bracket and levers on a concrete surface, bowed side up, and just hammering it steadily until they flattened back out or close to flat atleast.

[carsick]

I've raced with worse. At the risk of contradicting the bigger BFH stalwarts, that bracket would probably work as is, and the lever could be sawed (sawn?) off and another hole drilled for the lever end. The screw(s) may need some heat to release the Loctite. More pertinent to the discussion, is the pivot (dark piece) stuck on the peg? Every drop I've had, that peg needed to be pressed out and filed down because the end mushroomed and seized the pivot. Is this the one we had to Helicoil the mounting tabs for on your bike?
Alternately take it to the track and have some young lady ask for help with it, and a swarm of helpful lads will come to the rescue.

[csmutty]

that might distort the threads for the toe shifter when you bend it back. if it's just that arm, i'd plan on replacing it.

I seriously doubt that since the screw is in there while its being bent back. And the surface that contains the hole isn't bent...it's bent slightly further up the shaft. It'll be fine.

[isaac_]

I seriously doubt that since the screw is in there while its being bent back. And the surface that contains the hole isn't bent...it's bent slightly further up the shaft. It'll be fine.

Well. This is what happened when I took a pipe to the lever.



Better appreciate the picture. Took me 10 tries to get the phone focus correctly.

I will be cutting the end off and drilling a new hole. Before the pipe there was endless hammering. I needed a bigger hammer but did not have one. Should have listened to John and applied some heat.

[csmutty]

I blame the hammer.

- - - Updated - - -

My bike doesn't even have rearsets.

[nick5446]

Woodcraft advertises that you can bend their rearsets and parts back 90 degrees (maybe even 180) without breaking them. Might be worth a phone call for some free stuff.

[carsick]

Woodcraft advertises that you can bend their rearsets and parts back 90 degrees (maybe even 180) without breaking them. Might be worth a phone call for some free stuff.

I may not be qualified to respond, but I believe I speak for many when I say "WTF are you talking about??"

[Paul_E_D]

I knew that wasn't gonna work. Aluminum straightening is a one shot deal. If it's jut bent a little you have a better shot. But at 80 degrees or so it ain't likely.

I believe the engineering term is "knee". Aluminum doesn't really have one.

[Jim]

Woodcraft advertises that you can bend their rearsets and parts back 90 degrees (maybe even 180) without breaking them. Might be worth a phone call for some free stuff.

the part costs like...$20.
who cares?