Quantcast

Just found a Dent/Possible Crack in my frame. Options?

mattmatt86

mattmatt86

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2005
5,347
10
Bleedmore, Murderland
I was cleaning and tearing down my bike today and noticed a nice size dent right near the BB shell, it seems to be from a rock getting kicked up. It's a decent sized dent but its hard to tell if it's all the way through the downtube.

Pics:







if you click on the pics to make them big it looks like there are tiny cracks but I'm pretty sure it's just the paint cracking from the depression, but I'm not 100% sure :confused:

One of the other guys at the shop is a machinist and welder and said he could take it to work, strip it and spot weld it. His brother also said he could powder coat it for free. Is that my best option? Anything else I should consider? Leave it alone?

Thanks guys!
 
big-ted

big-ted

Danced with A, attacked by C, fired by D.
Sep 27, 2005
1,400
47
Vancouver, BC
Is there access to the inside of the tube from the BB shell? Could hammer it out if so, but yeah, ride it.
 
thom9719

thom9719

Turbo Monkey
Jul 25, 2005
1,104
0
In the Northwest.
I've done that to the last 3 DH bikes I've had. Don't worry about it and just ride it. I just check it everynow and then to ensure cracks aren't developing (none of them have).

Downtubes are usually thick, especially at the BB. Just keep riding!

-KT
 
dump

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,225
4,480
Also had a dent in a similar location. Ride it and check it on occasion to make sure it doesn't get any worse. The cracks you see are the paint.

I would definitely NOT weld it or anything in the current state.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Yeah, don't weld it. Just keep an eye on it and ride the snot out of it.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Nah. And it would be good to get the paint off there and see what it looks like anyway.
 
thom9719

thom9719

Turbo Monkey
Jul 25, 2005
1,104
0
In the Northwest.
mattmatt86 said:
Thanks for the input guys. If I did decide to get the frame PC'd, because I was thinking about it even before i found the dent, would that make it any worse?
Click to expand...
If you do decide to powdercoat the frame, You can fill the dent with some Bondo just to clean it up if the asthetics bother you, or leave it there as a battle scar!

-KT
 
Uncle Cliffy

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
thom9719 said:
If you do decide to powdercoat the frame, You can fill the dent with some Bondo just to clean it up if the asthetics bother you, or leave it there as a battle scar!

-KT
Click to expand...
You can't powdercoat Bondo. It can't take the oven temps. There are high-temp fillers out there...

You're never gonna notice that dent where it's at anyway.
 
ALEXIS_DH

ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
ride it.

dont weld it. welding a flat/round surface will create stress risers around the spot, which will eventually crack and fail sending you into an atomic faceplant.
 
buildyourown

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
Welding will make it worse.
Just ride it. If it cracks, call about a crash replacement.

That is actually a very low stress area and I have seen much worse dents go without issue.
 
S

sbabuser

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2004
1,114
55
Golden, CO
I put a way bigger dent in the bb shell of my Sunday - rode it another season with no issues. Each of my 2 Jedi's have dents in that approximate location - no issue. Put a downtube guard over it if you don't want to look at it, but I'd bet it's just cosmetic.
 
drt_jumper

drt_jumper

Monkey
May 20, 2003
590
0
Manassas Va
If you are worriend about it that much, sand the paint off around and in the dent, then get some JB Weld, smooth out dent....have powdercoated.....have peace of mind.......have fun getting another dent!

JB Weld will take the heat of PCing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom