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General Category >> Technical >> Crack
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Message started by johnnybent on Apr 14th, 2017, 4:48pm

Title: Crack
Post by johnnybent on Apr 14th, 2017, 4:48pm
Well a couple of weeks ago I discovered a crack just below the cross member where the front wheels and boom connect.  I pretty much thought the frame was toast. Well I looked for a good welder that had experience with this stuff.  I called Al Lamb's Honda and asked who they used and they said Precision M/C Manufacturing out of Wylie. I got a hold of Chris Gartman and we arranged a look/see of the 700. I took it up this morning and He looked at it and we discussed our options. I left it there with the knowledge He knew what he was doing and also with the thought the frame would still be toast at least he tried. Well he called me back around noon and said it was done. I was not expecting that. What he did was to form a gusset in front of the cross for support. Much different then what catrike is doing and looks much stronger. looks a bit like a bash plate.  So I'll be back on the road again.  By the way, Chris worked with the frame that Al Lamb's used in their Bonniville salt flat bike.

Title: Re: Crack
Post by Action Lad on Apr 14th, 2017, 11:30pm

johnnybent wrote:
Well a couple of weeks ago I discovered a crack just below the cross member where the front wheels and boom connect.  I pretty much thought the frame was toast. Well I looked for a good welder that had experience with this stuff.  I called Al Lamb's Honda and asked who they used and they said Precision M/C Manufacturing out of Wylie. I got a hold of Chris Gartman and we arranged a look/see of the 700. I took it up this morning and He looked at it and we discussed our options. I left it there with the knowledge He knew what he was doing and also with the thought the frame would still be toast at least he tried. Well he called me back around noon and said it was done. I was not expecting that. What he did was to form a gusset in front of the cross for support. Much different then what catrike is doing and looks much stronger. looks a bit like a bash plate.  So I'll be back on the road again.  By the way, Chris worked with the frame that Al Lamb's used in their Bonniville salt flat bike.
Do you have any photos?  The very first 700s were gussetless, but for the past several years they've had 'em, and in front of the crossmember.

Title: Re: Crack
Post by jayg on Apr 15th, 2017, 4:10pm
Several Catrike Forum threads concerning frame cracks here: http://catrike.yuku.com/search/text/forum/1?q=700+frame+cracks&submit=Search+Forum#.WPKKVtIrKUn.

Title: Re: Crack
Post by johnnybent on Apr 15th, 2017, 6:57pm
Sorry I have hardest time getting photos of this site. Facebook yes.  It may appear I have a frame that was not heat treated. It really doesn't matter, the trike's been around the block and keeps on ticking. I Looked for a person who had a lot of experience with this stuff and trusted him to tell me go or no go. He would not have wasted his time or my money if he did not think it would work. plus He did it without me having to take the trike apart.  It was a gamble but still better then another trike for now. And Jay doesn't have a 700 or Ice for sale anyway. And It gives the rest of us a source to go to if needed. As far as cost, since he has the templates now around $250.    

Title: Re: Crack
Post by johnnybent on Apr 15th, 2017, 6:58pm
Sorry I have hardest time getting photos of this site. Facebook yes.  It may appear I have a frame that was not heat treated. It really doesn't matter, the trike's been around the block and keeps on ticking. I Looked for a person who had a lot of experience with this stuff and trusted him to tell me go or no go. He would not have wasted his time or my money if he did not think it would work. plus He did it without me having to take the trike apart.  It was a gamble but still better then another trike for now. And Jay doesn't have a 700 or Ice for sale anyway. And It gives the rest of us a source to go to if needed. As far as cost, since he has the templates now around $250.    

Title: Re: Crack
Post by jayg on Apr 15th, 2017, 8:12pm

johnnybent wrote:
Sorry I have hardest time getting photos of this site. Facebook yes.  It may appear I have a frame that was not heat treated. It really doesn't matter, the trike's been around the block and keeps on ticking. I Looked for a person who had a lot of experience with this stuff and trusted him to tell me go or no go. He would not have wasted his time or my money if he did not think it would work. plus He did it without me having to take the trike apart.  It was a gamble but still better then another trike for now. And Jay doesn't have a 700 or Ice for sale anyway. And It gives the rest of us a source to go to if needed. As far as cost, since he has the templates now around $250.    


Looks like your welder independently came up with the same solution to the problem that Catrike's owner/engineer came up with.

Title: Re: Crack
Post by MrWizard on Apr 16th, 2017, 1:33pm
After ripping the bottom bracket off the front end of my P38  (repeatedly)    Thats basically the same solution I came up with.    

Years later I noticed the P38s all have similar welds;  I suppose all bike companies go through something similar in the way of weld and joint evolution  


jayg wrote:
[quote author=johnnybent link=1492206535/0#4 date=1492300711]Sorry I have hardest time getting photos of this site. Facebook yes.  It may appear I have a frame that was not heat treated. It really doesn't matter, the trike's been around the block and keeps on ticking. I Looked for a person who had a lot of experience with this stuff and trusted him to tell me go or no go. He would not have wasted his time or my money if he did not think it would work. plus He did it without me having to take the trike apart.  It was a gamble but still better then another trike for now. And Jay doesn't have a 700 or Ice for sale anyway. And It gives the rest of us a source to go to if needed. As far as cost, since he has the templates now around $250.    


Looks like your welder independently came up with the same solution to the problem that Catrike's owner/engineer came up with. [/quote]

Title: Re: Crack
Post by reever on Apr 16th, 2017, 5:51pm
Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit smoking crack!

Title: Re: Crack
Post by johnnybent on Apr 16th, 2017, 7:23pm
Well if he wasn't able to fix it I guess I coulda made a lawn chair outta it.

Title: Re: Crack
Post by MrWizard on Apr 17th, 2017, 8:35am
Or a BBQ ..   . at least thats what my welding instructor used to say   "IF you screw it up badly you can always weld 1/2 of a 55 gallon drum to it and call it a BBQ  "  or " Put two notches in it and call it an ashtray"




johnnybent wrote:
Well if he wasn't able to fix it I guess I coulda made a lawn chair outta it.


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