I snapped my frame last week (Kinesis Aithein Disk), through the rear dropout. Rather than admit that the frame was done for I had a look to see if I could get someone to weld it for me. The weld still needs a bit of finishing on the rear face, and drilled for the second hanger bolt. I think it looks pretty neat, and hopefully will extend the life of the frame for a while.
by Impressive-Ad-4103
12 Comments
Aluminum frames are heat treated after welding to relieve stresses. By welding this frame, you’ve un-done that heat treatment process in this spot and it will be more brittle around the new weld and prone to failure than before.
This is why people say a broken aluminum frame is not (practically) repairable
That’s going to last until the furthest point from home on your first ride.
Aluminum frames are basically not repairable. I’ve had a couple of alloy frame failures over the years. Thankfully it’s rarely catastrophic so usually no injuries result. Aluminum doesn’t have a fatigue limit, so if it’s an older frame that has been used often, I’d argue that there are other areas of the frame that will fail sooner rather than later.
This will absolutely extend the life of the frame, but you’re on borrowed time. The frame broke because of the shit design of that drop out, I wouldn’t drill the other hole out again.
Heat treatment of an aluminum frame is actually an aging process as opposed to a stress relief process that is done one steel. That dropout is going to be very soft now, also all the material around it is micro fractured (this is why people talk about the finite life time of aluminum frames). You have just prolonged the life until it either breaks in the same place or breaks in another place. I’d start shopping for a new frame while you still have this one.
There is a reason 99% of builders won’t touch an old aluminum frame that needs a repair.
Seems like a bad idea, but you already did it. I’d just swap parts over to a new frame and call it dead.
I have tried to weld a crack in an aluminium frame before. After a few months it cracked again.
I’m curious to your experience, but I expect the same.
My thought is get a new frame. It will cost a lot less than fixing that correctly (strip paint, weld, heat treat, repaint)
Everyone says not to do this, so respect to you for going ahead anyway. Very curious as to how long it will hold, hopefully enough time to save for a new frame
This is the perfect time for a new bike or new frame at least. N plus .5
It will stress fracture again and break again, aluminum doesn’t mend well. It isn’t worth risking serious injury for your determination to repair. It’s time for another bike.
Has it been heat treated? Aluminum usually needs that after welding.
Keep us updated, will you?