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DIY Project - Headtube Modding - Phase 2

4K views 31 replies 10 participants last post by  shibiwan 
#1 ·
I had some free time today and got started phase 2 of my DIY headtube mod on my bike so I can safely use a tapered steerer fork when it was originally designed for a standard fork.

If you guys weren't following this was phase 1:
http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/todays-diy-project-826903.html

So....continuing from Phase 1

Sanded down the gel coat and got down to the carbon fiber matrix of the head tube, & scuffed up the metal of the headset adaptor.


Cleaned and proceeded with the first layer of e-glass (fiberglass) anti-corrosion layer bonded to the raw aluminum of the headset adaptor. Hands were sticky at this point so gave up on pics. LOL ... Continued to lay up unidirectional 12K carbon fiber tow (from a roll), followed by a 2x2 twill strip, more 12k tow, another strip, and more 12k tow. Finally pulled plastic wrap over it to compact all the layers.



...(im)patiently waiting for everything to cure...... looking at project bike #3 in the back considering what to start on next.....


More updates later :D

-S
 
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#4 ·
ok ok ok ... I had to sleep sometime.

So removing the wrap


Sanded down everything, especially at the merge between the frame and the new carbon fiber...


Added a top coat of resin


Gotta wait for it to cure again and then finish up the work (more sanding, another coat of resin, then polish) :D

In the meantime I should go take a shower - I'm itching all over from the CF bits. LOL

-S
 
#11 ·
Well done! I am always amazed with people with this kind ingenuity!

OT...I used to live at Alma and Frye...Love Chandler!
Waaaaaaaaaay back, I was living near Alma and Southern (i.e. crappy Mesa). Come to think of it, that was a scary area....drug dealers on my street etc...

Cool... where are you at now?
 
#22 ·
Light at the end of the tunnel!

Final coat & wet sand


Polished with two grades of rubbing compound


UV wax polish....


Put everything back together! :D :D :D


Whew... that wet sanding was hard work..... going to do something brainless for a while. LOL

-S
 
#25 ·
Thanks -- only when I feel like it. :D

Helps that I own an engineering company that does automotive and aerospace R&D, prototyping, manufacturing, composites, etc

I oughtta get off my butt and make bike stuff to fund my biking addiction.

-S
 
#27 ·
The fork is longer (150mm travel) and the adaptor only increased the effective head tube by 10.5mm, so I expected it to lift the front end up some. I tried really hard when designing the aluminum adaptor to keep the stack height change as little as possible without compromising the strength of the adaptor piece. The old Fox Talas fork was 125mm which was a little shorter than what the frame was designed for (130-140) so it was at the lower limit at that point.

Geometry wise, I'm still within the design specs for the frame. The marginally longer head tube will still stay about the same in strength, but the strength gain will probably be in the fork because it has a tapered carbon steerer and crown. Ride height went up about 8mm and the wheelbase increased (couldn't measure this accurately).

I found the fit and handling improved in the few test rides I took before laying up the carbon reinforcement. Lifting the front end a hair did take some weight off my arms and that helped my CTS symptoms (numbness) in my hands.

-S
 
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