So where did we leave off? Ah yeah, the fitting of the hardtail on the frame. So As you can see I left the engine in the bike so that the frame would not spring When I cut off the rear end. If you are attempting to make your own rear end there are several ways around this problem, but as I purchased my Hardtail from Kansas Kustoms, http://www.kansaskustom.com I had to remove the very bottom of the back bone where it joins the swing arm pivot.
So I cut everything not needed off and began the cleaning up so the frame would fit and be square. The first time I have ever use an angle grinder was on this project, and it is also the first mistake I made on the frame. I had never cut metal off and so I figured I would just make a plunge cut to break the weld and pry the bracket off, mistake.
I have now become more careful with my cuts. Using a motto I learned in my drafting and design classes,
"never draw more in the morning than you are willing erase in the afternoon."
"never cut/grind off more in the morning than you are wiling to weld back on in the afternoon."
painted so you can see the cut better.
There were some cutting issues that I inherited from the previous owner.
I imagined that the center stand was just cut off, to make it a lighter bike for racing purposes, and the bottom rail was a casualty of this. As I just previously stated, I know exactly how this happens.
Luckily the cuts I had to make extended past this point so it was not a problem.
So after several fitting sessions, and cutting and grinding 1/16" off at a time the frame fit up quite nicely, now it came to the back bone extension where it meets the bottom support of the new hardtail section.
I used this measurement to gauge how much of the bottom 2 rails I need to cut off, and I squared it from the neck just to make sure.
one cut on the extension peice (it was about 4 inches long- removed 1 3/4") and it fit exactly!! First time. I felt very proud of this.
So the welding began, very poorly I might add, but as it turned out it wasn't entirly my fault. The wire spool on the welder was running out, and just as it did, My dad showed up, and helped me replace the spool, and dial it in so it would make much better welds. Oh it is his welder, I borrowed it, so that is why he was the right person to help me with it. Thanks Dad!
well the frame welding went as well as it would for anyone who has never welded anything in their lives! and it was finally together. I could now release the engine from it's metal dust filled tomb. I unbolted all the bracket and turned the frame on it's side and literally shook the engine out.
I really have no idea how I am going to get it back in.... Who knew that something that looks so small, would weigh as much as it does!
I no longer had to lug the frame around the garage floor, I could now put it up on it's stand and work from there. But I didn't, I still have been working on it out in the driveway. grinding cutting and welding it all up. I still only consider the frame tacked up, I am going to have the welds redone by someone who knows what they are doing, so it don't break, and looks pretty.
Next to get welded up was the seat mounts.
The posts, supplied by chopperheadscustoms off their E-bay store, anyone building a triumph should pay them a visit, and the cross member was some welding stock I picked up from Menard's, and cut and shaped myself.
The posts were milled for a 1" cross tube but my hardtail is made of 1-1/4" tubing, to better match the existing frame rails, so I had to get them re-milled. I asked the guys in the shop at my work to help me out, but after waiting for a month or so, I just took them home and ground off the difference with the angle grinder.
The seat mounts and the cross rail are mounted up, and I have cleaned off all the un-needed brackets. and now I have started to wire wheel the frame to remove all the paint, dust, and grease.
I really like that the seat looks like it is floating on the frame, because of the cross bar set under the seat.
nice seat.
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