Bending with heat?

[belfastguzzi]

I hope to get the crashed Griso back together and running in the next day or two.

 

I know it's not a procedure in the MG Service Manual, but I decided to bend the damaged footbrake lever back towards its original shape using heat.

 

I didn't have a pattern for what shape exactly it should be, when I started on it after midnight last night.

Fitting it to the bike this morning, it is not quite right. I've found a pic on the web and I see that I have made it too straight.

 

The question is, should I leave well alone now, rather than heat the alloy a second time and risk making it too brittle?

 

And don't bother telling me off for doing it in the first place!

Oh ok... fire away...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what it should be like:

 

 

I suspect that it should come out at the rear of that lower bracket lozenge shape, rather than underneath it.

 

I would appreciate if anyone else with a Griso can check this for me. Even better if you can take a photo.

I'm going to bolt it up properly now: maybe it is ok as it is.

[gstallons]

Go ahead. What you are doing is o.k.

[The Monkey]

Drop the unit into boiling water, or wrap area with boiled wet rag, this eliminates cracking or shearing potential of direct flame gettin one part too hot between cold zones.

[stefano]

bfg, you did a good job, if it works, don't keep screwing with it, it'll eventually break.

stef

[gstallons]

Bend it slooooooowly with heat applied.

[Lamedog]

Good work, and I doubt reheating it would hurt so long as you stay below 875 F. It will be softer than it was when cast I would think, so I wouldn't be surprised if it deforms under hard braking or another wreck. But heck - its a rear break - so its largely decorative. Just keep from touching it and things will be fine.

 

I think you did great! (But would stop while you'e ahead - it is my experience that most of the damage I've done is moving from "pretty good" to "perfect").

[belfastguzzi]

Good work, and I doubt reheating it would hurt so long as you stay below 875 F. It will be softer than it was when cast I would think, so I wouldn't be surprised if it deforms under hard braking or another wreck. But heck - its a rear break - so its largely decorative. Just keep from touching it and things will be fine.

 

I think you did great! (But would stop while you'e ahead - it is my experience that most of the damage I've done is moving from "pretty good" to "perfect").

Thanks all.

Yes, only doing it because it's the rear brake.

I put it on the bike last night – and it will do ok as it is. Not perfect (I'll have to buy a new lever for that) but it works fine.

[Dan M]

 

I think you did great! (But would stop while you'e ahead - it is my experience that most of the damage I've done is moving from "pretty good" to "perfect").

 

+1 Looks good and there is a lot of truth to the "leave well enough alone" adage.

[gstallons]

Memorize Dan's statement. Then bolt the part back on the bike..........