Dirt Bike Fork Compression Strut

[Jigantor]

We have purchased the best that we could find but found that they don't fit our bikes so we made our own that fits perfect without any sharp corners.

Ji

[turbo38t]

The best setup is a bike shoe.....just google it. Then you don't need those suspension braces....

[Jigantor]

Made the second unit today. Only thing we changed was the position of the stamp.

Ji

[Jigantor]

Third and last one.

Ji

[clint738]

Third and last one.

Ji

What welder and setup did you use to make those?

[Jigantor]

Let me start by saying I am not the best tube guy, in fact I would say I am around a C-B grade tube welder. Not that I have seen any pictures of master grade aluminium tube welding on this forum but I see bicycle welds that just blow me away & inspire me to do better. The problem is that I just don't do enough a year.

Set up,
1.6mm or 2.4mm 2% lanthinated sharpened to blunt point,
100% Argon at 7 litres per minute,
No 9 torch adaptor on a flexhead No 26 Profax torch,
No 9 cup,
Mid size tail cap,
75% AC balance (there is no standard for this some times different machine makers reverse this so 25% is the sweet spot),
Amps not sure (set the machine to max and just use the foot control)
No pulse,
2 second preflow &
10 seconds post flow.

I used to preheat the part with Map gas then an air heat gun but now I just strike an arc and let soak the weldment until it looks right before adding filler. If the part is less than 3mm thick I clamp on a scrap of aluminium angle to draw the heat away. Crazy is it not one minute we want heat in the job the next we are drawing it off. The No 9 torch adaptor halfs the size of a No 26 torch allowing me to get it in more places. It also reduces amp carrying capacity. Being an air cooled torch when welding thick aluminium plate it does heat up in the hand if you are on the peddle to long.

Hope that helps
Ji