FT: Frame (Twin) Straightening Footrest Hangers

timetraveller

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The footrest hangers are lead bronze, cast by a 'top quality foundry' (no connection to me but I know the manufacturer) and so should stand any normal treatment.
 

Nulli Secundus

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I think you need to re-machine the tapers, as they should routinely tighten to the point that you need to remove with a mallet. You haven't got brass hangers have you - these would be more 'slippery'?
No the hangers are not brass. Thanks for the tip on the tapers.
 

clevtrev

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Regulations and oxy acetelyne: Did I dream seeing it for sale in Bricolages in France and Harbour Freight in USA?
I belive the USA has it on offer you have real freedom there but if France has it then where is the EU level playing field?
MAPP gas methyl acetylene- propadiene propane is the one to use if you want a good heat. Readily available on ebay.
 

clevtrev

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So how did the chrome look afterwards? My right hanger is a bit bent too and I have Oxy-Acetylene but have been reluctant to address it because of the chrome. The bend hasn't been a bother in riding but somehow does bother me when off the bike.
If your part was chromed before it bent, it will now be delaminated, as you would find out if you try to put it back to original. Chrome is not malleable.
 

Pushrod Twin

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Mike, I have a yellow metal footrest hanger. I inherited it with the project parts I purchased. I dont think it came from VOC Spares, it was too badly machined, they would not have let it through the quality system. It was during re-machining that I discovered the yellow under the zinc plating. In all fairness, it's not my favorite material for that job either, but it keeps my foot off the ground and provides a place for the brake lever to pivot.
I made alloy spacers because I have weight fetish & they are non standard length on my special. The tapers bite adequately, the pegs dont come loose and move at all.
Clearly, heating & straightening the original steel hangers has no deleterious affect on their metallurgy, they can then be safely re-plated.
What I haven't worked out with foot rest hangers yet, were the originals cast or forged?
Not that it matters, my next pair will be fabricated from steel machined ends welded to tube so I get some extra length.;)
 

Mikethebike

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The footrest hangers are lead bronze, cast by a 'top quality foundry' (no connection to me but I know the manufacturer) and so should stand any normal treatment.
Thanks timetraveller - good news, though I understood that lead bronze is a bearing material. Surely Aluminium bronze would be a better material
Mike
 

Mikethebike

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Mike, I have a yellow metal footrest hanger. I inherited it with the project parts I purchased. I dont think it came from VOC Spares, it was too badly machined, they would not have let it through the quality system. It was during re-machining that I discovered the yellow under the zinc plating. In all fairness, it's not my favorite material for that job either, but it keeps my foot off the ground and provides a place for the brake lever to pivot.
I made alloy spacers because I have weight fetish & they are non standard length on my special. The tapers bite adequately, the pegs dont come loose and move at all.
Clearly, heating & straightening the original steel hangers has no deleterious affect on their metallurgy, they can then be safely re-plated.
What I haven't worked out with foot rest hangers yet, were the originals cast or forged?
Not that it matters, my next pair will be fabricated from steel machined ends welded to tube so I get some extra length.;)
The re-manufactured ones are cast (in whatever), and pretty rough. Surely the originals were forged, as all this bending should have snapped even malleable castings! One of mine is severely bent, and the chrome appears to be intact, but we'll see, when I attempt to straighten it...
 

Peter Holmes

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Of course Trevor is correct, chrome plate is not malleable, but I bent a footrest quite severely in 1974, the footrest had been previously chrome plated at Smiths Industries in Oxgate Lane, Cricklewood, at the time of the bending a helpful plumber lent me his gas bottle and blowtorch, and between the two of us we managed to unbend the footrest, that footrest is still on my bike to this day, with nice shiny chrome plate, very occasionally I do polish it, as yet there is no sign of it delaminating.
 

Gary Gittleson

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Of course Trevor is correct, chrome plate is not malleable, but I bent a footrest quite severely in 1974, the footrest had been previously chrome plated at Smiths Industries in Oxgate Lane, Cricklewood, at the time of the bending a helpful plumber lent me his gas bottle and blowtorch, and between the two of us we managed to unbend the footrest, that footrest is still on my bike to this day, with nice shiny chrome plate, very occasionally...

Yes, I assumed chrome won't accept much distortion. I did bend mine cold a very small amount and had no trouble with the chrome. But It's still not where I would like it to be.
So Peter, how hot did you get the hanger with the torch? Fully red?

On the other hand, maybe I'll live with it as it is.
 

Peter Holmes

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Well it was 45 years ago when working on the Isle of Skye, but I seem to remember we got it reddish before pulling it back into shape, it has been fine ever since and as I say, the chrome seems ok, probably not concours standard, but good enough for me.
 
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