The craziness continues

[wrenchin 4 fun]

Cut down a path through the woods during my ride this morning and got beat to a pulp. My Suntour fork just didn't cut it. Got off and adjusted the pre-load but that didn't help. I started thinking about how well the springer front end on my old Whizzer smoothed out bumps and that's when the craziness set in. As soon as I got home I started hacking and welding. I'm a little low on parts, but was able to come up with a lower tree by welding two junk disc brake pad backs together. I have a piece of 4" wide 1/4 plate that will serve as the upper tree. I'll use the smaller rear brake pad backs for the wheel links and I'll use either the front fork from my Raleigh frame or the handles to an old Sears rototiller for the push forks. The threaded steering tube from the Raleigh will be welded onto the bottom tree. I have a box full of springs for the uppers and lowers, but might have to pick up replacements if these are too stiff. One inch DOM tubing from Lowes will serve as my primary fork tubes. Everything will be painted satin black using Krylon. Didn't get very far today because I was frozen from my ride.

When I've made Springer forks in the past, I took the easy route by modifying a triple tree front end from a Schwinn OCC. All of those parts are long gone, so I'm starting from scratch using junk from my shop.

 

[michael whiteman]

This will be fun to watch! It's nice you have all the tools and experience to do this. Good luck.

 

[DAMIEN1307]

I'm starting from scratch using junk from my shop.

Don't think of it as "junk", think of it as buried treasure you have found...lol...lol.

 

[robe]

Looks like fun. I'm curious to see what you come up with.

 

[wrenchin 4 fun]

I enjoy turning scrap into something useful. That's why I seldom throw anything out. When appliances or equipment is beyond repair, I always break it down to salvage nuts, bolts, and spare pieces. It's amazing how parts will go together if you just let them talk to you! Right now I'm thinking about dogbone risers made from MTB goosenecks. Mmmmmmm.

 

[wrenchin 4 fun]

Life gets in the way of every project. Had a little surgical procedure yesterday, so I haven't gotten very far on my springer front end. Was able to chop out two 1 " holes for the forks on my bottom tree made from two disc brake backing plates. You would think two holes would be easy, but it wasn't. My threaded steering tube is 1 1/2 inches too short, so I'll have to splice a section in to fit my head tube. Found a nice section of thick-walled one inch tubing for my forks. As soon as my pain lets up, I'll be back in he shop sorting the rest out. Meantime, two chrome springs are on the way.

 

[wrenchin 4 fun]

Got the 1 1/8" hole cut in upper tree for the steering tube today. (like cutting a hole in granite with a bamboo chisel). Also welded threaded mounting points for fork tubes. Chrome springs arrived from Ebay, typical Ebay bait and switch. They were supposed to be 8" long and 2" in diameter. Instead, they were 3" long and 1" in diameter, way too weak to support a fork assembly. Will weld more tomorrow if I feel up to it. Meantime trying to decide what to do about handlebars and risers. Photos coming.

 

[Chainlube]

Got the 1 1/8" hole cut in upper tree for the steering tube today. (like cutting a hole in granite with a bamboo chisel). Also welded threaded mounting points for fork tubes. Chrome springs arrived from Ebay, typical Ebay bait and switch. They were supposed to be 8" long and 2" in diameter. Instead, they were 3" long and 1" in diameter, way too weak to support a fork assembly. Will weld more tomorrow if I feel up to it. Meantime trying to decide what to do about handlebars and risers. Photos coming.

You can make life a whole bunch easier if you get a series of step drill bits. Mine only go up to 1", but that is because my exhaust pipes are all 25mm.

 

[wrenchin 4 fun]

The step bit I used goes up to 1.5 inches. It's the first time I used it, so it was sharp, and it still struggled to get through the 1/4 inch high carbon steel plate.

 

[Chainlube]

The step bit I used goes up to 1.5 inches. It's the first time I used it, so it was sharp, and it still struggled to get through the 1/4 inch high carbon steel plate.

I make all my manifolds from mild steel, even a machinist would struggle with carbon steel.