bent subframe

[sirthumpalot]

I've bent my subframe. ? The only good news is that I only bent it about 1/2 an inch. What do you guys recommend to bend it back? In the past I've used the old lay over the bike and jump on it trick but I'm curious to know if you guys have any better ideas.

Thanks!

[Elan]

How the hell did you manage that?

[Boit]

I've heard of some guys using a strong pipe such as those used for a cyclone fence post. They wrap a rag around the pipe where it will come in contact with the frame and then use leverage at differnt points to move it back into position.

[nozzlejockey]

I've seen one in MXA that white bros. sells. It looks like a triangel with parallel sides.

[Beeno]

Mine was bent about the same amount (.5 - .75 inches). I took off the seat, parked the bike up next to that mysterious 3' tall, concrete- filled pole that sticks up in front of my hot water heater in the garage (what in the world is that thing about, anyway?, but I digress), wrapped a tie-down around the pole and hooked it to the subframe, and let the bike "fall" to be stopped by the tie-down. It yanked the subframe back into alignment in about 3 trys. It works best if you have the bike fall away from the pole, and have the pole on the side opposite the displacement of your subframe. Hah! I crack myself up.

[bjscheel]

The best trick for me is to throw it down against a hay bale and jump on it. It's fast and easy and i can keep riding sense i allways tend to bend it to the left so the muffler rubs the tire.

[Tim]

I have straightened them before by using tie downs wrapped around a tree, place the hooks where you want the sub frame to bend, then take a come-along hooked up to the truck (with stratigically placed hooks)to bend it back into shape. It is a little more controlled than jumping up and down on it...

[Scott_F]

A conduit bender works sometimes.

[WR_Jason]

Good time to buy a Ti subframe? ? .

[IBWFO]

Check out BBR's web-site and look under Garage Sale. They are parting out several YZ's.

[sirthumpalot]

Thanks all for the tips. Fortunately it's not very bad. I didn't even notice it until the end of the day when I was washing the bike and took a look from behind it. Wish me luck. ?

Elan, to answer your question... it was very elegant. I was unloading from the truck (didn't even have my gear on yet) and as the bike started down the ramp backwards the front wheel hit a piece of 2x4 in the truck bed which I had forgotten about. About that time the bike took off like it was on ice skates. I managed to stop it just as the front wheel hit the top of the ramp, but I was way off balance. I teetered with it for a good 5 or more seconds before it finally got the best of me and started to fall the other way. To save myself I did a superman over the bike only to hear it THUMP on the ground behind me. It landed almost upside down, square on the sliencer. Good thing it was soft ground! I'm actually surprised that it didn't do more damage. So lesson learned; when removing the 2x4 from the front tire (used to keep the forks from compressing due to the tie downs) do not leave it lying in the back of the truck!

[EK314]

It has happened to all of us. My favorite was when I was unloading in my driveway after a race day. I forgot to put my milk crate below the tailgate. As I tumbled over backwards and landed on my head, I could see the bike rolling into the street. Fortunately, the passing car missed the bike and all I had to replace was a broken lever.

Ernie