broken frame

[KYmxracer52]

I just traded for an 87 R. Stock, non-gusseted frame w/ Houser +2 a-arms, and Houser 88-89 length swingarm, w/ Works shocks all around. I noticed that the frame is cracked where the subframe meets the main frame, lower motor mount, and also right behind the swingarm pivot bolt. That crack starts right above the pivot bolt in the flat stock area, and starts to go around the front of the square tubing part. All are just "hairline" wide. I plan on tearing it all down this weekend and installing gussets and a fresh powdercoat. My question is, HOW bad have some of you guys broken your frames and how much can you weld these things? What is a good way to gusset the pivot bolt area, without bulking it all up, and without making it just look bad? I basically want to make this frame bullet-proof before I powdercoat it. Give me some ideas.

[KYmxracer52]

anybody?

[elbine69]

you could do somethin like this
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e104/elbine69/86Rproject1.jpg

[250R-Dee]

What type of welder do you have? ARC and MIG are going to be very messy so if you do ot have a TIG you might want to take the frame and gussets to a welding shop.

Place a good weld over the hairline cracks and then add gussets in the proper areas.

This search (http://www.exriders.com/vbb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=1306265&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) contains threads with gusset info.

[atvmxr]

after the rounds of welding on my 88 frame, I have decided you cant make it bullet proof. I race mx, nothing to crazy as far a big air/landings and every season there are more and more cracks. After about 6 seasons I switched frames. I went to get four cracks welded and by the time we were finished we found 23! In previous years of fixing the cracks, we almost always welded up the crack, ground the weld down smooth and then added a metal plate over the crack. The frame had shifted enough that the front sprocket had started rubbing on the swingarm. That was when I decided that the frame was religated to casual trail quad service.

[KYmxracer52]

Thanks for the ideas guys. A welding buddy of mine will do the welding for me. I had him do another one a while back and the MIG he used made very nice smooth beads. I don't plan on actually racing MX with it. I'm trying to get a Flattrack season going soon, so there shouldn't be much stress on the frame as far as hard landings. Keep the ideas coming. I will be doing the gussetting this weekend.

[86 Quad R]

i doubled the thickness of the swinger gusset...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid190/p729b80dd08675466d9b36c667c3e97d2/f1e70162.jpg

finished results

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pa395e8dbb7b799c7919023a6259076c9/ee9a7bf7.jpg

[KYmxracer52]

Thanks for the pic 86 Quad. I may try to do that for that area of the frame. Seems to look sturdy and good. Not too noticeable.

[86 Quad R]

i found and added a pic of the finished gusset------^