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I've managed to bugger up my frame! What's the chances I can machine the hole a bit bigger and then fit a bush either side to get it all nice and tight again?
Sounds like a long shot, but there are a few things in my favour. It's a GT Fury frame and the pivot is the one that hangs the weird bottom bracket arrangement off the rear triangle. The axle doesn't pivot in it's hole and because it isn't actually part of the suspension movement it should be subject to lower forces too. The area is surrounded by about 5mm of aluminium and 5mm of carbon, so there's decent scope to lose some metal to make way for a bush. There are spacers between this pivot and the bit that hangs off te axle, so there's room for the top-hat of a bush to be accommodated.
The more I look at it the more I think it should have been made this way in the first place and I can't think of anything that will mean this won't work.
I don't have a great deal to lose giving this a go as the rear triangle is stuffed anyway, but is this the best way to go? Does anyone know of any places in the Greater Manchester area that can do this for me? I suspect I'll need custom bushes machining too.
Thoughts?
Probably cheaper to get a new frame 🙁
How oval used are we talking here? Bearing Retainer might do the trick to take up the slack
It's not cheaper to get a new frame, but it's not a cheap job to replace the rear triangle. I've not ridden a better bike, so I won't be getting a new frame I don't think.
It's not massively oval, but the effect is that if you rock the cranks side to side they'll move about 5mm. What's bearing retainer?
Use the search function - this problem was covered fairly comprehensively in a recent 'ovalised headtube' thread.
Thanks, will have a look.....
The problem with using any sort of compound to take up the slack is that it would have to be done as the frame is built up. If it doesn't work not only do I need a new rear triangle, but I'll then need the iDrive lump that holds the bottom bracket as there's no way to separate the two if the axle is bonded in place.
The frame would then be limited to the lifetime of the bearings, which may easily get damaged by the compound as it'll get everywhere when installing. Although the bearings only need to be able to rotate a few degrees and it would be possible to remove seals and replace balls and regrease.
High risk approach I think.
My other thought was to drop a billet of steel inside the axle, assemble the frame then drill through the frame to the billet, tap the billet to allow me to bolt the axle solidly to the frame.
