Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Steel Frame Conversion (SFC)

AF Not Up to Job

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streetsleeper:
I heard it was a good mod...

umberto:
That's one of the challenges of aluminum.  If you weld on it, it loses its temper and becomes soft.  The factory bikes gain theirs back on the long boat ride from Japan, but most conversion do not get that kind of break, nor do some builders properly brace the frames and head stays.  KTM is correct to use steel; it's more expensive to manufacture, but it doesn't mind a little heat.

sandblaster:
Umberto is right.
Look at the frame and where it broke.
It broke there because the engine being locked into the swingarm pivot pin area tries to rotate off that pin in a clockwise manner looking at the bike from the right.
The lower and forward mounts can't prevent that rotation very well due to their location.
That means that the upper mounts have to be in a position to keep the engine where it needs to be.
I have seen all sorts or ways to do the head mounts...
Most are poorly thought out and actually increase the chances of a frame break.
If done correctly, a conversion will take anything you can dish out...

Kawafornication:
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnREVb33zx0

streetsleeper:
It's not a very good advert for the Australian company Ozweld. After seeing this I wonder how many potential customers took their business elsewhere?

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