practical frame straightening

Probably overkill, but... http://www.vintagenet.us/phantom/wsc.html and frame-blueprinting-t1294.html

I once bought a trident that had been wrecked. Forks were bent and wheels slightly out of line. So I borrowed my older brothers steel bar from his weight lifting set and stuck it through the steering head. Tied the bike with the engine still in it to a tree with a lot of ropes. Attatched one end of the cable winch to the steel bar and the other end to our Buick - stretched and checked and stretched and checked until it was straight. Sometimes even the worlds funkiest tools will do the job if handled correctly.

Commiedommie's photo looks just like mine. I don't think my frame has been bent since it was built, i think that's the way it was built (poorly and probably in Italy)) I've always struggled to line up my rear wheel in 35 years of owning the same machine (still haven't sorted out the carbs) debating whether to strip it all down and start my own bending scheme or just live with it. I've read "the worlds straightest Commando" I've got the ex kitchen granite worksurface ready to go, can I be bothered? yes but not while it's minus three in the garage.

If you like your hair to stand on end , you hold the bare frame on the ground while Len Perry assaults it with a Rubber Sledge Hammer. Was concerned Id loose my font teath & considered the exercise a waste of time. He mustve had a good Eye ,
however , as the new Engine unit fitted well. The phrase ' wrestling with a rattle snake ' fairly describes the process .

:mrgreen: