Need some advice / fat tire folder

[outskirtscustoms]

I am starting mock up on a little bit of a face lift on a bike and I need some advice. If you remember my 22" folding bike I am now trying to make it kinda a chopper / bobber. But the back tire is just barely too wide to turn freely. what is the best way to widen the chainstays and seat stays without having to weld in new ones. I only need maybe half inch to maybe a full inch. I got the wheel in and it looks so awesome I can't not use it. I also plan to mod the back rack like the auction rat. We'll see where it goes from there.

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Need some advice

can you use the heat and beat method on the inside of the stays( peen hammer) to give you a little extra?

for example.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Need some advice

I might try that, I've got alot of clearance behind the chainring so it may work, I might be able to use a scisor jack and crank them out but I don't want to risk breaking the frame. You think it'd be okay?

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Need some advice

usually its only a small part of the tire that rubs.
i wasn't suggesting prying the stays apart. rather, peening a dimple on the inside of the stay
to make room for the fatest part of the tire.

similar to how i made room for the chainring in the pic's above (but on the inside stay)

stretching stays is tricky at best.

 

[Graylock]

Re: Need some advice

I might try that, I've got alot of clearance behind the chainring so it may work, I might be able to use a scisor jack and crank them out but I don't want to risk breaking the frame. You think it'd be okay?

Before you do that have a few beers in case something goes wrong and then you'll still have the beers....... :roll:
Moderation.....take it slow on the bending. I tried some on the frame bending once on a slightly crushed rear stays. As I remember I also put some sort of keeper in the dropouts holding the width where I thought it to be close. Good luck keep us posted.

The other thing is welding I suppose. Is this your bike?

Nice. Are you replacing those 22" wheels with a 20"er's or should I ask where did you find wide 22" tires? If you brought the whole wheel back does that help? You may be able to extend the rear dropouts back with new ones but that might take some welding.
Pretty cool idea to rat this bike out. I always wanted to try an extreme fat tired rat on a Raleigh 20 but I haven't the frame or fork.
I got afew other folders kicking around that could use some ideas on.

Graylock

 

[deorman]

Re: Need some advice

Extended drop-outs could solve the problem, of course you'd need to create a new brake mount as well. For example,

http://www.sheldonbrown.com

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Need some advice

Yep that's the one, I got a set of 20" wheels from my West coast chopper bike that I am parting out, the front isn't a problem because it's going to get the triple trees but on the back it barely fits with the wheel all the way back. But it looks awesome and gives the bike a whole new attitude. Also I have a few ideas and tricks up my sleeve as far as the paint goes but you'll have to wait to see those. Also it will be coaster brake so no worries there.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Need some advice

Here's some pics to give you an idea of the madness going on in my mind.

 

[icyuod2]

Re: Need some advice

after seeing the pic's, i'd just peen dimples in the stays where the edge of the tire rubs. quick and easy!

 

[Graylock]

Re: Need some advice

Wow....nice layout 8) I can see why your doing this. Some close to the stays, maybe that dimple with the hammer will do the trick. If not just releasing that kick stand plate and stretching out the stays would ease them out but that's going to take welding to get it back on :|

Graylock

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Need some advice

Wow....nice layout 8) I can see why your doing this. Some close to the stays, maybe that dimple with the hammer will do the trick. If not just releasing that kick stand plate and stretching out the stays would ease them out but that's going to take welding to get it back on :|

Graylock

Thanks, that gets me encouraged about the build seeing some of the cool bikes you've built. I've seen so many 24x3's stuffed in 26" frames on here and I love that look so when I got the chopper I got to thinking about the 22" wheels vs the 20 X 3's and the thought just popped into my head....I wonder if those 20 x 3's would fit in that extra space. It was a little snug on the back and not even close to happening on the front with those forks but soon as I saw the back in there and the stance with the front fork I knew it HAD to be done. Still undecided on weather to use the chopper fork with a 12-16" wheel or my bent springer with the other fatty. I like the chopper look but the lower front like the auction rat might look cool too. As far as paint goes I took a little inspiration from the original decals and I'm thinking of a red oxide primer color with checkered flag design underneath and making it look like the paint is ripping away at the front exposing it. Kinda like these but more ratty and less shiny.

 

[druggedonions]

FWIW I'd go with the ball peen hammer method or exteneded drop outs. I tried to widen the two stays to fit a 24x3 tyre in to a 24" frame and the hassle I had put me off using that method again. Keep it simple.

Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing more. Your intial thoughts looks ace!

 

[outskirtscustoms]

FWIW I'd go with the ball peen hammer method or exteneded drop outs. I tried to widen the two stays to fit a 24x3 tyre in to a 24" frame and the hassle I had put me off using that method again. Keep it simple.

Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing more. Your initial thoughts looks ace!

Thanks, Yeah a 24 x 3 is a tight squeeze in some 26" frames let alone a 24". Mine's not far off just enough to be a pain in my buns. I'm going to try the ball peen first and if not I'll try putting an old hub in there then crank it out with a jack to finish it off. If at first you don't succeed get a bigger hammer.... :mrgreen:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Before you use the ball pein hammer....Vice Grips makes a tool that is supposed to be a one size fits all wrench type thing. Made just like regular Vice Grips, but one jaw has a "V" and the other a protusion that locks on a nut. I have used this before to dimple chainstays. Put the "V" on the outside and the protusion part where you need more width, then gradually start making tighter and tighter "squeezes" until you have the clearance you need. It gives you a lot more control of exactly where to make an adjustment and if you put a rag on the tubing it doesn't scratch paint or crush the outside of the frame. The results look factory made! Sorry I don't do pictures so I can't show you what the tool looks like, but they are available at Lowe's and Home Depot. Good luck with it!

Actually you just gave me an idea, I have a home made C-clamp that has two pieces of angle iron welded in, one with a point and one with the open angle that I modified a long time ago. I bet that would work. I'm not really worried about paint as it's going to be re-painted anyway.

 

[yoothgeye]

I break things when I swing a hammer and swinging one on the inside of the stays just frustrates me thinking about it, haha.

I'm not knocking hammering it, but for me, just like you already said, I would bolt in an old hub and use a scissor jack, but look how the chainstays are attached to the seat tube, YIKES! Use 1 or 2 c-clamps to tightly keep those there or the welds could break away. Of course, if they do break away then the problem has solved itself, bend them where you need them and run into a muffler shop during lunch or when they don't have a full bay, usually for about $5 they will run couple beads.

I got tired of that welding method and put out a wanted ad on Craigslist for a cheap welder, picked up a Lincoln gasless wirefeed for cheap.

Oh yeah, with the hub in place that will put extra strain on the welds on the chainstays, so leave off the hub, when it's bent out far enough, leave jack or wood spacer in stays and use a clamp or ratchet strap to bring the dropouts back where they need to be.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I break things when I swing a hammer and swinging one on the inside of the stays just frustrates me thinking about it, haha.

I'm not knocking hammering it, but for me, just like you already said, I would bolt in an old hub and use a scissor jack, but look how the chainstays are attached to the seat tube, YIKES! Use 1 or 2 c-clamps to tightly keep those there or the welds could break away. Of course, if they do break away then the problem has solved itself, bend them where you need them and run into a muffler shop during lunch or when they don't have a full bay, usually for about $5 they will run couple beads.

I got tired of that welding method and put out a wanted ad on Craigslist for a cheap welder, picked up a Lincoln gasless wirefeed for cheap.

Oh yeah, with the hub in place that will put extra strain on the welds on the chainstays, so leave off the hub, when it's bent out far enough, leave jack or wood spacer in stays and use a clamp or ratchet strap to bring the dropouts back where they need to be.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[yoothgeye]

Thanks for the tip.

Move your pile down here and you can come use my welder whenever you please.

Been a long time since I've been to Indiana, have friends that live in Dugger or Sullivan and a newer friend that lives in Martinsville. Had a few fun summer weeks cruising the square in Dugger.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

outskirt,
I voted for the triple tree with 20 x 3 tire, mostly because 'the bigger and fatter, the better'.

To create space on my Fatbelly Bobber build, I used the hammer method to make a 24 x3 fit the rear. I made a 'tool' by using 1" pipe and fittings. I used a 'T', a piece of 8" pipe and a cap. It was easier to reach the seatstays and chainstays that way and you can focus the 'blow' better. I laid the frame on a piece of carpeting to prevent the outside of the stays from getting deformed.

If this method doesn't instill confidence, then Sheldon Brown has a method:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Cheers,
Dr. T

 

[yoothgeye]

If this method doesn't instill confidence, then Sheldon Brown has a method:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Great link. [thumbsup]

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Thanks for the tip.

Move your pile down here and you can come use my welder whenever you please.

Been a long time since I've been to Indiana, have friends that live in Dugger or Sullivan and a newer friend that lives in Martinsville. Had a few fun summer weeks cruising the square in Dugger.

Thanks for the offer but i am staying in Indiana, my girlfriend's family is from here and same for me, plus I'm stuck in a mortgage here. Seeing as you have a lot of Indiana friends you could move your pile up here....lol. There's a nice place right down the road with a huge garage that's on the market.... :lol:

Dr. T: thanks for the link. You've been a great help on all my builds since i joined the site. If memory serves me right you even gave the bootlegger it's name. :lol: This one I already have a name for. "Fat Bob 500" I'm going to swap the front end and get some pics when it warms up so i can make a final decision on the front end setup.