Home made fork straightener

[mickeyc]

Frequented Warhoops often "back in the day"...even bought a Crosley engine from them. That was the place that had all the GM future cars. Parked up front and rotting away. Talked to the guys there, they weren't even allowed to sell a bolt off those GM cars. Many years later I learned that at least one of them had been rescued and restored.
Guess you are right, probably be more trouble to try to scout out an old jack. I put an entry on here on my method of fork straightening using ratchet straps. Works good and I can use them for other things.
Junk yards sure ain't what they used to be but neither am I. Too darn old I guess. Rebuilt a lot of old cars with junk yard parts.

Mike

 

[bikemonkey]

$20 bottle jack at harbor freight...I have straightened three Schwinn forks so far with no issues. The hydraulic version is not as nerve racking as a ratcheting car jack.

 

[chucksoldbikes]

I have one made from a bumper jack also
I make them and sell them

 

[39zep]

Down and dirty with a bottle jack.

 

[bricycle]

After aquiring the Firestone Airflyte, I decided I need a fork straightener. Apparently the Little Brutes are hard to find and cost around $200. I didn't feel like waiting/searching or paying that much, so I decided to make my own.
Previously I have tried the @Robertriley method of deck railing, ratchet straps and wood blocks and had good success. I saw @rhenning fork straightener in that thread and decided I wanted to build one similar.

Here's the bike as I got it. As you can see the fork is bent pretty bad.

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I started with an old bumper jack from ebay. Cost me $27.44 including shipping.
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You people that never have to deal with snow, have probably never seen one of these before. It's an old snowblower shoe that I've had laying around for years.
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A little cutting........
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And a little welding
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I used a front axle from a scrap wheel
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Here's a couple "after" pics. It worked great!
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Over all it was a two beer job.
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It can even stand up for storage!
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..and it's still a bumper jack!

 

[vincev]

This one was made many years ago

Bumper jacks are not easy to find anymore.........

 

[parkrndl]

$20 bottle jack at harbor freight...I have straightened three Schwinn forks so far with no issues. The hydraulic version is not as nerve racking as a ratcheting car jack.

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Couldn't this technically be done with a scissor jack too? Just thinking about what I have laying around in the garage... I know I have the scissor jack, and I'm pretty sure I have enough scrap 2x4, and there's a Stingray Junior in the basement with a tweaked fork.

 

[bikerbluz]

I have made one with cut 2x4s and a scissor jack, works nicely. Can go in very small increments. Have done 4 forks to date.

 

[Neanderthal77]

Finally found a use for a jack I've had for over twenty years and made this one last fall.

 

[64jmb]

$20 bottle jack at harbor freight...I have straightened three Schwinn forks so far with no issues. The hydraulic version is not as nerve racking as a ratcheting car jack.

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Could you straighten out a 20' Stingray fork for me?