[Solved] Headlamp frame - Can this be welded? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

[Solved] Headlamp frame - Can this be welded?

Hey I didn't mean to abandon my thread. I have been dealing what appears to be a belt squeak, which I thought was a wheel bearing...

Anyhow I did managed to do the JB weld a while back, and finally got a good run out today. But it didn't hold up. It came apart where I glued it. I going to try again to do the JB weld and contact the manufacture to find out if I can get a replacement part or find out exactly the makeup of the part.

Looking at it further, this is part of the suspension for the main headlamp. I found the bolts are not all the same lenght and might have been part of the problem, which was part of my doing, as I lost one screw because of the Harley shake and didn't replace it with a longer one. Which might have caused it to be a bit tighter or more pressure to the side where it cracked, if that makes sense. I have new screws to replace them all now to help relieve that pressure and level it better in the frame.
 
sburns said:
Hey I didn't mean to abandon my thread. I have been dealing what appears to be a belt squeak, which I thought was a wheel bearing...

Anyhow I did managed to do the JB weld a while back, and finally got a good run out today. But it didn't hold up. It came apart where I glued it. I going to try again to do the JB weld and contact the manufacture to find out if I can get a replacement part or find out exactly the makeup of the part.

Looking at it further, this is part of the suspension for the main headlamp. I found the bolts are not all the same lenght and might have been part of the problem, which was part of my doing, as I lost one screw because of the Harley shake and didn't replace it with a longer one. Which might have caused it to be a bit tighter or more pressure to the side where it cracked, if that makes sense. I have new screws to replace them all now to help relieve that pressure and level it better in the frame.
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Thanks for the update. Not surprised. Small surface area and bending is pretty much the worst situation for JB Weld. I haven't been following every post but if you can't get that part replaced but you can get that ring out and it is made of metal, I would probably braze it.
 
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I didn't think JB would hold, it's good stuff but it needs a pretty big contact area to create a durable bond. You could try to stitch and glue, this involves drilling 2 small holes in each side, then stitching it together with a solid copper wire. Once you're done stitching, coat the whole mess with JB, adding small layers every 3 or 4 minutes until the stitching is enclosed.

I still think your best bet is low melt aluminum solder. It the material is aluminum it will work.
 
Jayell said:
That's why a splint is necessary.
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I think you mentioned that previously, I miss understood, for some reason I thought you meant a jig, not sure how I mixed that up. ?
But yeah the splint seems worth another try at least.
 
did you confirm what material we are working with?
 
sburns said:
I sent a message to Kuryakyn, just waiting on a reply.
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Ill bet it's a low grade aluminum. To tell the difference between aluminum and zinc take a sharp pointed object and scrap along the surface of material til you get a thread strand of the material 1/2" long. Heat with a lighter, it its aluminum you will see it melt and puddle if it is zinc it will give a puff of smoke.

I have a stash of low melt Aluminum rods, you can solder with a propane torch. PM me if you want one - buy me a 2 Old Milwaukee Ice if you want me to weld it for you.
 
try i small hose clamp before you put the jb weld on it
 
sburns said:
Just got a reply back from Kuryakyn they might be able to replace my defective part. Stay tuned!
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That would be the best base scenario.
I'm sure you would be thrilled.
I would be if a company offered to replace it for me.
 
Kuryakyn is sending me out a new part, no charge! (y)

In the meantime I tried JB welding it again with a splint thing I hacked together. Just waiting for it to cure a bit more. Post pic's later.
 
Ok here is my hack splint job. Don't laugh. Just what I had around the house, actually it is a piece of metal from a hook off a pegboard. Didn't have anything else around to use, but the metal was good and stiff and right size. I was hoping to wrap some wire around it just in case but you can see there is no room to do that. Might go for a test run later. ?

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IMG_4053.jpg
 
When gluing stuff together MORE is better.

If you can; drill some small holes around your splint, through the plate, them SMEAR the epoxy on, so that it covers everything and hopefully oozes through your small holes.
 
If the glue has started to cure, let it finish.
When you add more glue; rough the smooth surface first.
It will adhere better
 
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