slim #002Z08 - cracked! ;-(

MikeNZ

New member
Bad News: I found a crack at the bb/seattube junction of my 58cm (serial # 002Z08) slim chance. It starts at the weld and migrates up into the seattube.

Ideas on what to do with it? Hang it on the wall? Open heart surgery by someone qualified?

**** I'm seriously distraught!

Mike
 

Yo Eddy!

Member
Mike,

It is steel and about everything can be repaired. Some reputed framebuilders overhere can probably tell you more.
 

I-ROBOT

Active member
Mike,
Take the seatpost out and look down inside the seat tube and see if the bottom of the tube is corroded. If it is, then the bottom section of the tube can simply be cut out and replaced. This was a fairly common occurence on mountain frames and I did several tube-ectomies.
If the tube is not seriously corroded, the crack can be stop-drilled and welded or brazed. It would be prudent to put a small reinforcement patch over the repaired area.
None of these are a cheap fix, of course, and both would require re-painting.
Another suggestion would be to just stop-drill the end of the crack with a 1/16" (1.5 mm) drill and wrap the cracked area with tape. Remove the tape and inspect after riding to see if the crack propagation has been halted. If you ride in wet conditions, remove the seat post after each ride and dry the inside of the seat tube. Coat the interior of the tube with some good grease to increase the corrosion protection.
Good Luck and keep me posted
Scott Bengtson
 

MikeNZ

New member
cracked

Thanks for the advice. Yes I plan to take it my local frame builder who is pretty good with tig, fillet brazing and lugged frames so will see what he suggests. There is no or very little rust.

There are three filing marks on the frame right where the crack starts on the weld so suspect that somehow corrosion started there right on the joint.

I'll let you know what the verdict is.
 
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