Crack in frame. Please help!

columk

Hey, just found a crack on the outside of my chainstay just before the weld that connects it to the dropout, it's on the outside reaching about halfway round and opens slightly when I apply inwards pressure. It's an aluminium track frame.

Does anyone know if there are any frame builders in Ireland? (Preferably in Dublin)
I'm going to ring a few welders tomorrow and see what they can do, but will this kind of fix be okay? I'm guessing it would just break again at the new weld.

Caroline_ie

as far as i know and having seen broken alu frame ... i would say it's probably good to the bin.

Raam

Maybe it's covered under warranty?

Dr_Colossus

I had a similar problem with a Reynolds 501 steel frame MTB, going up a steep hill I cracked the joint that connects the chainstay to the dropout. The bike was about 12 years old although had gotten very little use being left in storage for about 10 of those years. Given that my bike was steel and not aluminium though it made it easier to repair as any oxy-acetylene welder would have it as good as new and stronger than ever.
However your crack sounds like it's in the frame tubing itself rather than in the joint which would make fixing it that bit more awkward. It's possible to weld aluminium and a good welder would have it stronger than ever. You'll have to get someone with a MIG welder though to weld the aluminium and then see if they're willing to do the job. Good luck with the hunt.
Just check also in case the frame is under any warranty, some frames have 10 or 15 year warranties so that might cover it also.

columk

Alright, someone from cycleways said it wasn't under warranty on the phone but i'll bring it in tomorrow and see what the story is, it's a 2006 specialized so it probably should be after all. I got a welder contact from a friend just there so i'll take it to him if that doesn't work out.
**** though, spent all my free time over the last 2 weeks sanding it down and shining it up from matte black to almost chrome and then just as I was looking over the finish before I put it back together I spotted the crack...

CheGuedara

columk wrote: »

Alright, someone from cycleways said it wasn't under warranty .... spent all my free time over the last 2 weeks sanding it down and shining it up from matte black to almost chrome ...before I put it back together I spotted the crack...

Hmmm, sanding down the frame - not sure that does anything good for warranty claims. Did you mention that on the phone when you called the shop?

nak

I'd bin it, the waranty will be null and void if you've altered the frame.

ednwireland

did the same on a raleigh many moons ago (lifetime frame warranty) the shop said they have to strip all the parts (all chargeable) send off the frame and i may get a new one. bought a new one - cheaper, specialized may do a low cost replacement if your lucky i guess (if youve stripped the frame cant imagine getting much). alu frames arent really repairable. sorry for your loss

rebel.ranter

CheGuedara wrote: »

Hmmm, sanding down the frame - not sure that does anything good for warranty claims.

+1 Forget about the warranty claim so.

witty username

I had a crack in my old road frame in the exact same place a couple of years ago. Took it to a place in St. Margarets that had the gear for welding aluminium (not exactly bike specialists, they make gates and balustrades). They stuck a weld on it for me, I ground down the weld enough to fit the rear mech and whatnot. It broke again 5 months later so I binned it, but I got a bit more life out of it. Might be worth a try...

TheJones

Despite your sanding you still won't be able to repair the frame, if under warranty as suggested earlier you may be lucky enough to get a replacement so I'd search through your records for the exact details of the product warranty including what effect any alterations to the paint coating, unless of course you were only sanding the area to inspect and investigate the crack in more detail?:D etc. can't understand why a 2006 bike would not be covered for a material failure despite what the shop may say?

Welding Aluminium is highly specialised and very expensive unlike any steel repair due to the properties of the metal itself, a welder may tell you he can weld up the crack but chances are he'll not have the specific equipment and either finish the job as he/she would for steel afterwhich you'll have serious problems concerning dissimiliar metals or use some sort of generic aluminium rod in a MIG weld. Unless the welding shop specialises in aluminium I'd stay clear as you'll run into further problems in the future.

In short salvage as much as possible off the frame and transfer to a new build! Good luck

Gasco

Got a very reasonable quotation for a repair on a cracked steel frame from this guy before, but never actually had the repair done (cannot remember why..it was a while ago). Seems to get good reviews

http://www.vernonbarkercycles.co.uk/other%20services.htm

kona

Its ****ed, bin it. The next time it snaps, it could end in disaster. Pretty retarded to ride a bike knowing its going to fall apart, but not know when.

Ciaran500

TheJones wrote: »

Despite your sanding you still won't be able to repair the frame, if under warranty as suggested earlier you may be lucky enough to get a replacement so I'd search through your records for the exact details of the product warranty including what effect any alterations to the paint coating, unless of course you were only sanding the area to inspect and investigate the crack in more detail?:D etc. can't understand why a 2006 bike would not be covered for a material failure despite what the shop may say?

They won't honour the warantee.

http://cdn.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/pdf/WarrantyConditionsEwww.com.pdf
SPECIALIZED Frame:
On any material and manufacturing defects 5 years from date of purchase, subject to
use as intended and regular maintenance.
These provisions always apply to any case of warranty:
• The warranty claim forfeits in the cases of:
-Alterations of the product or the specifications (paintwork, changes of the
geometry, inadmissible add-on parts...)

rflynnr

As previous posters have pointed out the sanding off of the paint probably offers Specialised a get-out. However, in general, Specialised do offer a "lifetime" guarantee on all of their frames and - crucially - this appears to cover bikes manufactured before the guarantee scheme came into effect. Certainly when I brought in my 2003 Sirrus to Cycleways with a suspected crack in the chainstay last year, I was instantly assured that I was covered. In the event I didn't have to test the guarantee as the "crack" turned out to be a sliver of concrete which had somehow gotten sprayed onto the frame. Furthermore, when I queried how long "lifetime" meant in practice, the answer I received was "lifetime".

Given that I would at least consider bringing the bike back to the shop and politely inquiring about the guarantee: the most you have to lose is time.

columk

I'll hear from cycleways Monday or Tuesday

columk

Specialized replacing the frame, should be in on Friday, phew! (and woo!)

kona

columk wrote: »

Specialized replacing the frame, should be in on Friday, phew! (and woo!)

Lucky boy:)

TheJones

Good news, Well done!