advice needed

[""kb]

Hi peeps some advice needed from the pros , I have a steering stem for a motorbike that needs extending by 10mm and I was thinking along the lines of cutting it in half then making a plug piece that would fit inside the stem, 25/30mm either side of the join and the 10mm thats needed in the middle make the same diameter as the stem, weld prep the cut ends for welding round, what are your thoughts on this as to the integrity of it, would it be strong enough after welding.

 

[Robotstar5]

Also drill holes in the original stem and plug weld through?

 

[Badger1bear]

welding steering ? would this need to be inspected after its all been done ? if its done wrong and there is an accident and someone gets injured someones **** is going to be in a sling, American Chopper this isnt

Altering steering on a bike car or truck from a manufacturers tested design is dangerous ground, its a can of worms, if you want to open it you need to be prepared to accept the responability if things go wrong, sure people will say it can be done

But its your **** on the line when the brown stuff hits the fan

 

[""kb]

welding steering ? would this need to be inspected after its all been done ? if its done wrong and there is an accident and someone gets injured someones **** is going to be in a sling, American Chopper this isnt

Altering steering on a bike car or truck from a manufacturers tested design is dangerous ground, its a can of worms, if you want to open it you need to be prepared to accept the responability if things go wrong, sure people will say it can be done

But its your **** on the line when the brown stuff hits the fan

This is why I am asking the question to the pro welders on the integrity of the welding part of it, and not just doing it without expert advice.

 

[Fazerruss]

I would replace the whole shaft rather than cut n shut

 

[Shox Dr]

Is it a triple clamp. If so then there is little force on a steer tube. As the crowns transfer the force. It is there to adjust the headset bearings only.

 

[""kb]

Is it a triple clamp. If so then there is little force on a steer tube. As the crowns transfer the force. It is there to adjust the headset bearings only.

Yes I am swapping the triples but the stem is 10mm short for the headstock, I agree with you on the force being taken on the bearings, and yes just to adjust headset bearing pressure as standard.

 

[andy m]

You are better off changing the stem on the yokes. Don't cut the head stock.

 

[""kb]

You are better off changing the stem on the yokes. Don't cut the head stock.

I never mentioned about cutting the headstock and would not do that anyway, what I have proposed is the first and most simple solution, the second option is to have a stem made which I am hoping not to have to do.

 

[Shox Dr]

Hotrodder posted some time ago, a good link on how the correctly join two tubes together.

 

[hotrodder]

This one? http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=386818&postcount=6
My first thought was to replace the tube but i'm guessing it's complicated due to it being shaped/butted and/or pressed into the lower crown/yoke?
My second thought was changes to steering geometry/fork travel etc as a result of the extra 10mm, assuming of course the fork legs are being repositioned to reach the upper yoke/triple clamp

 

[""kb]

This one? http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=386818&postcount=6
My first thought was to replace the tube but i'm guessing it's complicated due to it being shaped/butted and/or pressed into the lower crown/yoke?
My second thought was changes to steering geometry/fork travel etc as a result of the extra 10mm, assuming of course the fork legs are being repositioned to reach the upper yoke/triple clamp

The headstock that the triples came off is 10mm shorter than the bike I am putting them on hence the need to lengthen the stem 10mm, no geometry will be disturbed as regards rake or trail.

 

[RichardM]

welding strength is not a problem, getting the bearings correctly aligned will be. If you have the original yoke/stem press it out, alter and fit it into the bottom yoke, alternatively if you know someone with a lathe just knock a new one up out of EN8 or 16

 

[SBK]

What bike are the yokes from ?

 

[""kb]

welding strength is not a problem, getting the bearings correctly aligned will be. If you have the original yoke/stem press it out, alter and fit it into the bottom yoke, alternatively if you know someone with a lathe just knock a new one up out of EN8 or 16

Keeping its straight and true isn't going to be much of a problem.

 

[""kb]

What bike are the yokes from ?

Cagiva raptor 1000.

 

[SBK]

Oh ok just thought it might be easier to use a longer stem from something else.

 

[Big Pete]

slugging the spindle on conventional yokes isn't a problem, as shox said all it does is preload the bearings. Even if the joint snapped completely nothing is going to fall apart. depending on how the top part is turned you could just cut it and run some threaded bar right through top to bottom to load the bearings, but it would look ugly.

 

[mybuttssplit]

Hotrodder posted some time ago, a good link on how the correctly join two tubes together.

How to 'correctly' join two tubes together? Why not make your cut then weld an over long piece to it. Let it cool, cut down to required size then weld the other bit on? Sounds easy enough to me, why the big fuss?