Need some advice. Will torch heat damage the chrome?

[PlymCrazy]

Hoping you guys with some experience can give me some advice here.

A guy I work with is installing a new lower triple-tree on the fork assembly of his motorcycle(pic below).
The hole indicated by the red arrow here needs to be opened ever so slightly and he wants to heat it with a propane or Mapp torch to expand it.

Question is…
Will heating this damage the chrome?

Thanks for any input and advice you guys can offer.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

That slot to the left of the hole is where a wedge goes in to spread the opening.
Take that bolt in the slot out.

 

[Tinker67]

Hey Nick, Open flame and chrome don't mix. If it were me, back off clamping bolt, tap a
composite building shim in the groove to spread it. Or try a heat gun. Just a thought.

 

[PlymCrazy]

That slot to the left of the hole is where a wedge goes in to spread the opening.
Take that bolt in the slot out.

...If it were me, back off clamping bolt, tap a
composite building shim in the groove to spread it...

Thanks a ton guys.
I just shared your suggestions with him.
He said he's gonna try that tonight and report back.
I hope to be back soon to let you know how it went.

 

[#41]

The house oven at 450 does wonders for fitting harmonic balances and stuff like this.

 

[PlymCrazy]

The house oven at 450 does wonders for fitting harmonic balances and stuff like this.

Any experience with chrome in the oven at 450?

 

[khryslerkid]

Any experience with chrome in the oven at 450?

Any heat can blue the chrome. The extent of the heat will determine if you can buff it out or not. 450* is probably boarder line permanent bluing. I'd try Sleeper Bees suggestion first.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Well, I just heard from my coworker.
Last night, he tried tried the wedge and he didn't get the results he was hoping for.
So he decided to call a custom bike pro that he knows in the next city over.
That guy advised to use a "brake hone" to take the small bit of the material off needed, which should give him a sufficient opening to insert the fork tube.

 

[eldubb440]

Well, I just heard from my coworker.
Last night, he tried tried the wedge and he didn't get the results he was hoping for.
So he decided to call a custom bike pro that he knows in the next city over.
That guy advised to use a "brake hone" to take the small bit of the material off needed, which should give him a sufficient opening to insert the fork tube.

dammit...... I was gonna suggest reaming the hole a bit........ guess I didnt win this time

 

[Don Frelier]

dammit...... I was gonna suggest reaming the hole a bit........ guess I didnt win this time

That's always your suggestion

 

[Don Frelier]

I would try putting a wedge in from both sides and place them in a press. I think I could open it up

 

[mrhemi]

It would help to have taken some measurements. Inside diameter of the yoke and outside diameter of the fork tube. Wedges in the slot should have worked unless the measurements indicate otherwise.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

The triple tree is designed to bend, or expand a bit. How come the fork will not fit? Is he trying to fit a slightly larger fork, which will require reaming.
If you heat the oven to warm it up, the oil smell usually lasts about three months. Boiling water will also expand aluminum parts. A wedge may bur the material, bash it from the bottom. Hard word is less likely to deform the triple tree. There are two parts that hold the fork. Vot about the other part?

 

[Triplegreen500]

I agree, does he have the right size trees for the forks? They're measured in mm, so differences can easily be this minute, and still be wrong.

As asked above, does it fit in the other tree? How about the other side of this tree? Try both forks in both sides of both trees - if they don't fit anywhere, they're the wrong size.

Dont f@(k with trees and forks. Failure at speed doesn't tickle, and usually results in a helicopter ride.

 

[Dave6T4]

Any heat can blue the chrome. The extent of the heat will determine if you can buff it out or not. 450* is probably boarder line permanent bluing. I'd try Sleeper Bees suggestion first.

I saw a trick about heating chrome, without destroying it. The welder guy turned the acetylene up, so it produced a very sooty flame. He then proceeded to coat the area he was going to heat, with this soot. It kept the chrome from turning blue. I don't know the science behind it, but it worked.

 

[PlymCrazy]

It would help to have taken some measurements. Inside diameter of the yoke and outside diameter of the fork tube. Wedges in the slot should have worked unless the measurements indicate otherwise.

The triple tree is designed to bend, or expand a bit. How come the fork will not fit? Is he trying to fit a slightly larger fork, which will require reaming.
If you heat the oven to warm it up, the oil smell usually lasts about three months. Boiling water will also expand aluminum parts. A wedge may bur the material, bash it from the bottom. Hard word is less likely to deform the triple tree. There are two parts that hold the fork. Vot about the other part?

I agree, does he have the right size trees for the forks? They're measured in mm, so differences can easily be this minute, and still be wrong.

As asked above, does it fit in the other tree? How about the other side of this tree? Try both forks in both sides of both trees - if they don't fit anywhere, they're the wrong size.

Dont f@(k with trees and forks. Failure at speed doesn't tickle, and usually results in a helicopter ride.

The new triple tree appeared to be machined a bit out of tolerance on one side only.
From what I understand, the fork on one side fit as it should.
But the other side was just a tad too small, within 1000ths of an inch IIRC, making it just a hair too tight to get in smoothly.
It sounded like he could force it, but it would have made adjusting/working with it a bear if necessary he felt.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

Your buddy's triple tree is probably the hardest to spread because of where the slot is. Most have the slot where the tip of your red arrow points to which is much thinner metal.
Harley makes this tool but I would go at it from the bottom so not to mar the finish.

The brake hone is probably what shops have learned to do to save time and not damage it but don't go to far.

 

[khryslerkid]

I saw a trick about heating chrome, without destroying it. The welder guy turned the acetylene up, so it produced a very sooty flame. He then proceeded to coat the area he was going to heat, with this soot. It kept the chrome from turning blue. I don't know the science behind it, but it worked.

When installing new chrome pipes on our Harleys we would coat the inside with motor oil then fire them up. Yep they smoke a lot at first but that put a carbon like coating inside the pipe. Might call it an insulation. Pipes never blued if you did this.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I would put the fork tube in the freezer over night

 

[zyzzyx]

Good luck trying to hone chrome! Too hard and if he uses a spring loaded brake cylinder hone it will take forever.
Use a brass wedge to not damage the chrome. No heat!