Powder Coating The Chassis

[Ji Gantor]

Others like me have come up with a clever solution that solves this problem.
Take a trip to your local bolt supplier and pick up an M8 coupler nut.
Clamp the coupler nut in place so you can measure where it has to be cut.
This also allows you to see how much pedal adjustment the new bracket will produce.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

After you have measured where the nut needs to be reduced take a hack saw and burn some calories or if you have a lathe part the nut don't bust a gut.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Grind down the old weld and remove some paint to provide a good earth.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Clamp the nut onto the frame and melt some filler rod.
Set up the adjustment bolt and lock nut and test.

Another job done.

To prevent splatter you can purchase an anti-splatter spray from your welding supply guy or use CRC or the spray that stops food sticking to your fry pan. Don't let this stuff get in the welding zone or it will contaminate the weld.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

The steering head stiffener plates on my bike are a bit sad. Some brain surgon took to them with a hammer or something.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

First I used a large shifting spanner to align them as best I could.
Then I employed a large diameter rounded end drift to push out the dent further down the plates.
Last of all I used a dolly to straighten out the mild ripples. I had to weld a small amount to fill in a piece that was missing.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

For some reason only konwn to the person that did it the frame had some drill holes with alloy rivets installed. I drilled out the rivets and cleaned up the area.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

With the welder humming fill that hole.
Remember to spray some anti-splatter or you will be cleaning up all those little balls of filler rod that stick to the job.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Wire brush the welded surface and grind flat to suit.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

I will be using a 1974 CZ swingarm on my 1973 frame. The 74 swingarm was stiffer and is a legal modification for pre 75 class.
That said now is a good time to check its fit and the wheel travel.
Pre 75 wheel travel is only 102mm or 4 inches measured at the axle.
Install the shock minus the spring and measure the distance from the axle to a vertical spot on the frame. Compress the shock and measure the distance from the axle to the same spot on the frame. Subtract the two figures and it should be 102mm or less.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

The 1974 swingarm I imported from the States had some tell tail modifications, plates that had been welded on and semi removed. These have to be removed before paint.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

The weld to be removed is in a tricky place, not much room and we do not want to damage the original weld. The air die grinder was my first tool to hand. Use the small collet stones so only the foreign material is removed.

I ground the valley where the two pipes joined so it looks correct. I had to take my time so I did not remove any of the original weld.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

To straighten out and level all the surfaces use sand paper and or an abrasive flat disc.
Don't use an angle grinder as they cut to deep and leave marks in the metal that have to be removed.
Hand sand the area so all the metal grains line up so you can see if the surfaces are true.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

After some hand sanding it is looking good.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

The 74 swingarm was set up in America for me by a well known restorer. Unfortunately he welded imperial nuts on the shock mounts. This bike is all metric and that is the way it is going to stay.

Ji