The Hodaka Club Forum

Anyone have experience straightening slightly bent 30mm Ceriani fork tubes. Hate to trash them and can't seem to find new or used straight tubes.
Terry

I have seen failure and success I think it depends on a qualified machine shop. ------------Clarence

. . . what Clarence said.
Ed

What Clarence and Ed said. If they are not kinked the operation is usually successful.

Max

Find the bends by rolling them in the floor with a protected surface like a sheet or towel. Then you can mark and accurately place them in a couple of wood blocks held together with clamps. Clamp the 2x8's together and drill the hole where they meet, the same size as the fork tubes and place the tube in the blocks and clamp them together. It's worth a try if there are no creases and if the 2x8's are at least 2 feet long & clamped together tightly, it should press them straight. ; D Victor

I don't think so on this one Victor. Take them to someone that knows what they are doing and how to do it. It is a science in it's self. This is the time for the master, with more confidence than trial and error. They would know where exactly to press and where to support, pressing beyond straight the exact amount so they will return to straight.

I'm agreeing with Clarence. Things like forks should be dealt with by experienced experts. Perhaps simple bends can be fixed by most of us but in some cases forks have already had attempted straightening and appear fixed only to now have multiple bends where amateurs have attempted to do their work. Best to have experienced people correctly and accurately fix things right. I speak from experience not of my doing, but others. A set of Cerianis to go on the Day One project were obviously bent and taken to my competent machinist. I watched the process of removing multiple bends from past attempts. I suggest to do it right the first time as problems can compound quickly. I am a fix-it myself guy but not on this one. Max's opinion of course.

Max

For what it's worth: I have a pair of slightly bent Hodaka forks and I was thinking about finding a gunsmith if I couldn't locate a competent machine shop in my area. I watched a gunsmith straighten the barrel of one of my antique muskets some years ago, and I was really impressed. An antique musket barrel is not the same as a set of forks, but the rig he used in that case would work, I'm sure.
Bill in VA

Any of the Hodaka specialist that do restorations and motor work able do fork straightening? I guess a local motorcycle shop could maybe do it also.
Terry

Straightening bent fork tubes is not for the faint of heart or light of budget. It can be a good way to create a safety hazard.

In the BMW community the standard reference for straightening or aligning fork tubes is a procedure outlined by Randy Glass. Google "randy glass fork alignment" for reference. The best pages on this method are contained on pages by Duane Ausherman. Sorry, my smartphone browser is not letting me paste a link, but google works.

I've done many BMW forks using this method, and I'll use it to tweak my Hodie tubes when the time comes.

I just want to say I have a KTM 50, a small bike. My former son in law's boy ran it into the back bumper of my neighbor's truck across the street. The fork tubes were so bent they could no longer slide. I put the fork tubes in my bench vice and was able to straighten them slowly & carefully. It was afterward that I thought about the 2x8 method, but I haven't tried it. Are you folks saying there's not a chance it will work? I'm always up for a challenge and like to think I use my brain to work through issues. But right now I just thought it was something worth trying. It's up to someone to decide if they are up to the challenge. I know how people can feel about Ceriani forks. I also like the suggested gunsmith idea! And a smith may not charge as much as a machine shop...or more.... Victor

Find a machine shop that specializes in Ag equipment repair - they straighten a lot of hydraulic rams. A pair of fork tubes should be a piece of cake for them.

Victor there is always a chance it would work. As people of all levels of talent are on here we should give them the very best of advice. The UPS driver could probably pull my tooth but I am not going to give him the opportunity to try. In trying to steer folks in the right direction, we are just suggesting they not take a chance, go with the master / professional. Good point Larry ----------Clarence