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

[Solved] Headlamp frame - Can this be welded?

sburns

sburns

Well-known member
My front end developed a chatter and I found out my headlamp inner frame is cracked. I doubt I can get a replacement part from Kuryakyn
Looking possibly to get it welded? What does GTAM say?

The inner frame does come apart from the rest of the assembly.
(BTW it is not bent I am pushing it down to show the issue more clearly)

IMG_4031.jpg
 
Aluminum or steel?

Steel...easy peasy. Aluminum, perhaps not so much, as if it's a really crappy grade of aluminum (IE, "White metal") it can near impossible.

You could try something like JB Weld. People laugh about the stuff....but it does actually work in a lot of situations.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Aluminum or steel?

Steel...easy peasy. Aluminum, perhaps not so much, as if it's a really crappy grade of aluminum (IE, "White metal") it can near impossible.

You could try something like JB Weld. People laugh about the stuff....but it does actually work in a lot of situations.
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I didn't even think about the material. Will have to look into that.
JB Weld? Googling - bonding agent / glue?
 
I would say the first one has enough for your repair @sburns.

You’ll know better when you see it in person at CT.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My bets are 90% on the JB weld doing the job. The stuff really is amazing - read about some of the magic it's accomplished online - heck, people repair cracked engine blocks with the stuff and it's lasted for years.
 
Did it break from vibration? Great big ugly fat hot melt glue fix would hold it all together.
My guess is any repair that is not stronger then the original is going to break again.
 
Hot glue in hot summer baking in the sun heat is almost liquid again. Won't do the job.
 
My guess is it's aluminum. If so, it can be soldered using low melt aluminum alloy rods and a propane torch. You can puddle the stuff back 1/2" off the crack to build a little extra strength.

The secret to working with these rods is super clean aluminum. Get a cheap Stainless Brush from Dollarama to clean the aluminum immediately before soldering -- it has to be brushed raw. Any oxidation or grease will make soldering incredibly hard. I have repaired a 2" hole in a GL1500 valve cover, same on a Hayabusa clutch casing cover, cut in an aluminum fishing boat and some pretty bad boat props.



JB Weld might work -- I find the marine version (same price) works best for motorcycles.
 
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PrivatePilot said:
Hot glue in hot summer baking in the sun heat is almost liquid again. Won't do the job.
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:LOL: definitely an on again off again fix when it exceeds 110 degrees centigrade
or basically waaay too hot to touch. I think he might need to buy a new one if you can't braze it.
 
Like I said, I'm 90% sure JB Weld is going to do the job.

Can it be TIG'd or brazed? Possibly. But JB is a lot easier.

The suggestion to splint it a little bit beforehand is also a good one.
 
Excellent, I will plan to go get some tomorrow, thanks everyone for the assist! (y)
Jayell said:
Buy the small one.

Try to fashion a splint of some sort before applying the JB.
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I did! So I used a couple of clamps to both keep it level and push it together, well see...
 
Trials said:
Did it break from vibration? Great big ugly fat hot melt glue fix would hold it all together.
My guess is any repair that is not stronger then the original is going to break again.
Click to expand...
No way to know, but too many potholes around Toronto and these krinkled ashfault, sorta like mini speed bumps, that you can't see until you hit them, jar's the entire bike.
 
Kuryakyn advertises it is made from "silver stainless steel construction"
So basically they really don't have a clue what's in it, but they know they threw some chromium in there with the steel, and it ended up being mostly silver in colour.
 
Looks like "white metal" (that really crappy grade garbage that a lot of things are cast out of) to me. That stuff is all but impossible to repair using any traditional method of welding or brazing as it's a mish-mash alloy that can be all over the map in what it actually contains.
 
Any results to share?
 
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