83 frame winter project

[Venturous Randy]

For those of you that are doing some major repairs on your 83, such as transmission repairs or whatever, I suggest you think about doing what I did as a frame repair, even though you have not experienced a frame breakage as I did 4 1/2 years and probably 35,000 miles ago.

Even though I don't feel it is a common problem of frame breakage, I do feel that if you are serious about keeping your bike on the road and having the structural integrity it needs, this is something I think you should seriously consider.

RandyA

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1521

Edited December 27, 2010 by Venturous Randy

[Condor]

Great reminder Randy. Sometimes over time we have a tendency to forget what we've learned thru experience. Preventive Maintence would be a lot easier and quicker than after it breaks. If I remember correctly this used to be a problem on the '83 MKI's.

[Flyinfool]

Oh the indignity of it.

Not only did your venture have to ride on a trailer, which is bad all by its self.

But then to add insult to injury, it had to ride upside down.

And the final indignation it had to make the trip out in the wide open spaces totally naked for all to see its most private parts of it s undercarriage.

 

This is a good reminder for those that are doing major projects this winter, so your bike does not have to suffer this horrible embarrassment.

[Venturous Randy]

Oh the indignity of it.

Not only did your venture have to ride on a trailer, which is bad all by its self.

But then to add insult to injury, it had to ride upside down.

And the final indignation it had to make the trip out in the wide open spaces totally naked for all to see its most private parts of it s undercarriage.

 

This is a good reminder for those that are doing major projects this winter, so your bike does not have to suffer this horrible embarrassment.

 

You are absolutely correct Jeff, but given the alternatives, I feel my bike has forgiven me and has made me proud.

RandyA

[Marcarl]

Now I need a reminder, is this an 83 only issue, or does it extend to the 84 and 85 as well?

[Venturous Randy]

Now I need a reminder, is this an 83 only issue, or does it extend to the 84 and 85 as well?

 

Carl, I have heard only 83 and that is from rust, but mine was not from rust. I think it would be good to strengthen any of them the way I did mine, but it is probably not necessary.

RandyA

[Freebird]

I agree that it was just the '83 models. I think it is more common than you might think though. I know of at least 4 myself.

[Venturous Randy]

I agree that it was just the '83 models. I think it is more common than you might think though. I know of at least 4 myself.

 

Don, do you have any idea whether they were rust related or just cracked and split like mine did? I personally am not aware of any others that I have seen and I don't remember any specific posts on here about someone's frame breaking but I know they have. I seem to remember someone talking about replacing a frame to a later model, but I don't remember the details.

RandyA

[Freebird]

To be honest, I've never looked at one of the cracked ones up close. What I've been told was that they were built in a way that water could get in but couldn't drain out and that they would corrode from the inside until the tubing was eventually think enough to crack or break.

[Yammer Dan]

I have one.

[SaltyDog]

I too have a '83 venture and when I checked my frame last year I found a crack starting on the left side of the frame above the center stand mount. My frame didn't have a spot of rust (more oil on the bottom so it was protected) and when the tube when cleaned up it was easy to see. Since it hadn't opened up, I sanded the area to remove all the paint and welded up the crack and then over-welded the area.

 

When I compared the right side and left side where the centerstand mounts and took some measurements, I found that the gussets on the right side almost touched which strenthgened the cross tube underneath. ON the side that cracked, the gussets were farther apart and left a section of the cross tube uncovered and therefore weaker.

 

The center stand, the lower shock mount and the rear engine mount all connect on this cross tube. It has to carry alot of weight and stress from the lower shock forces. On my bike, it came with the all air rear shock (no outside spring) and sat noticeably lower and was harder to put on the center stand. With this shock, the lower shock relay arm puts a horizontal pull on the cross tube. I have since put the later shock from a Royale version with the additional spring and this makes the bike sit higher and the angle of the shock relay arm is below horizontal and has to rotate first before it puts the same type of pulling forces on the cross tube.

 

I would be interested to see how many of the bikes with the frame failures had the non-spring shocks from the factory. I added additional plates along the crosstube on both sides after I welded up the crack to help carry the twisting load from the shock and center stand. So far I can't find sign of the frame cracking. I will do a careful inspection this winter when I replace all the wheel bearings and have the bike up on the lift.

[SaltyDog]

I too have a '83 venture and when I checked my frame last year I found a crack starting on the left side of the frame above the center stand mount. My frame didn't have a spot of rust (more oil on the bottom so it was protected) and when the tube when cleaned up it was easy to see. Since it hadn't opened up, I sanded the area to remove all the paint and welded up the crack and then over-welded the area.

 

When I compared the right side and left side where the centerstand mounts and took some measurements, I found that the gussets on the right side almost touched which strenthgened the cross tube underneath. ON the side that cracked, the gussets were farther apart and left a section of the cross tube uncovered and therefore weaker.

 

The center stand, the lower shock mount and the rear engine mount all connect on this cross tube. It has to carry alot of weight and stress from the lower shock forces. On my bike, it came with the all air rear shock (no outside spring) and sat noticeably lower and was harder to put on the center stand. With this shock, the lower shock relay arm puts a horizontal pull on the cross tube. I have since put the later shock from a Royale version with the additional spring and this makes the bike sit higher and the angle of the shock relay arm is below horizontal and has to rotate first before it puts the same type of pulling forces on the cross tube.

 

I would be interested to see how many of the bikes with the frame failures had the non-spring shocks from the factory. I added additional plates along the crosstube on both sides after I welded up the crack to help carry the twisting load from the shock and center stand. So far I can't find sign of the frame cracking. I will do a careful inspection this winter when I replace all the wheel bearings and have the bike up on the lift.