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| Tank mount and rear frame cross member |
I was glad to get the grinder out for the first time in 13 years.
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| Frame rail removed |
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| Final drive attachment |
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| Good general idea |
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| Inner and outer tube marked |
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| I was an inch short with the arc, so I recut a flat surface to weld an extension to |
I had jacked up my swingarm in hopes to get it as level as possible. I have to trailer the bike to a welder as
stated previously, so I needed a way to keep the swingarm where I had raised (or lowered depending on how you look at it)
it to. I fabricated a small brace out of what looked to be 1/8" flat steel and you can see where that got me. So I upgraded
to a chunk of 3/16" angle iron that was actually an old steel bed frame at one time. I don't think I'll have any problems
with this one. Next is to transport her to a welder to keep things where they're going to be on the left side.
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I found top center of the tank mount to allow me to get it close to the right angle when reinstalling it. When
it gets reinstalled, it will be forward about an inch and circled 180° with a slight arc if need be. I cut off the
forward 'tab' on the mount because it will protrude where my seat is going to be. I also cut out the rear frame cross member
to essentially give me 2 halves. Not having a welder hooked up, it will be easier for me to trailer if I just do one side
at a time.
I cut the lower shock mount off the shock. It's going to be welded to the new frame rail like this and I'm adding
the extra tube inside for strength since you're vertually making it a rougher ride on your bike by doing this.
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| Detailed fabrication |
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| Ready for cutting |
As you do this, you're going to notice that the frame support tube going from the swingarm bolts towards the
rear isn't going to be flush with the route you're going to need to take with the new hardtail. It's going to be about 2"
from where your new downtube is going to go. There are several asthetic ways of making this happen. I'm going to try and go
for the strongest, which is straight, meaning I need to bend the formentioned tube in towards the tire that 2". (Which
I happened to cut short accidentally as you'll see in the pics below.)
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| tube bent in-line with downtube |
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| Ready for welds |
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| Too flimsy |
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