# Straightening a bent front strut on a Krate...anyone else been there?



## bikemonkey (Oct 25, 2018)

Hi folks - today's menu includes straightening a bent springer strut on a '71 Lemon Peeler. One of the struts on this one is bent - no dents but the bend is pretty bad and is in two places.

I am making a PVC jig today for this repair ( hacksawing a piece of pipe lengthwise to use as a protective layer in vise jaws). The PVC pipe has an inner diameter that is close to the struts outer diameter. My thoughts are to apply gentle clamping pressure and perhaps leverage in a large vice to see if it can be improved without marring the surface or making it worse.

I realize the strut is work hardened in the bent areas and will never truly be straight again but I am hoping to make it cosmetically acceptable and keep the bike original.

If anyone has other ideas on a better way forward it would be mucho appreciated.

Thanks!


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## buickmike (Oct 25, 2018)

Better to over engineer -than under. I would look for billet aluminum with dia to match that of strut+ access to a press


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## 1966fastbacks (Oct 25, 2018)

I agree. And with Buickmike to. I have straightened a few of these and about a hundred sissybars. I made my mandrels out of UHMW and use a hand arbor. The key is to trap it to keep it round and very very lite pressure. To much force and they bend the other way quick.


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## Autocycleplane (Oct 25, 2018)

I’ve always achieved good results just bending them gently by hand using a rag for padding on the edge of my workbench.


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## Pantmaker (Nov 4, 2018)

buickmike said:


> Better to over engineer -than under. I would look for billet aluminum with dia to match that of strut+ access to a press



Love it. I've done this same thing with drilled wood blocks. Drill into a 2x4 lengthwise with a bit that is roughly the diameter of the strut.  Then cut the wood right through the drilled hole...also lengthwise.  Put the blocks around your bent strut...place in vise and squeeze away.


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## bikemonkey (Nov 7, 2018)

After some examination of the bend and materials suggested above I used a piece of PVC and here are the results (shown with one uncleaned fork leg). It could probably be improved further using wood or aluminum but the owner is satisfied with the result so I am leaving it be at this point.

Thank you for your advice and my not using does not mean it wasn't valued or considered!


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