Powdercoated 38 knuckle frame

[Tom Barlett]

A friend of mine bought a nice 38 BT frame from me.He mocked everything up on it and tore it down back down for paint and motor work.He had frame powder coated.Now the motor mount bolt holes are way off.Has anybody else had or know of this probelm?Thanks Tom

[flat-happy]

sounds like whoever powdercoated it got it too hot??? that would be a brazed frame. he should have painted it

[Tom Barlett]

I would like to know if anyone else had this happen.It's not my frame,but I'm trying to fiqure out what happen.It sucks because he is unhappy with the frame I sold him.I'm not a fan of the powder coat and would of painted it myself.I'm not sure how hot it would have to get to distort it and make refitment difficult.Does any one know?Thanks Tom

[rwm]

when i made the mistake of getting my first frame powder coated one shop told me they heat your stuff to 500 dgr. before glass beading. this makes all the sludge run out of your seat tube and hubs. i ask how long? the answer was a few hours your frame has 64 years of gunk in it. i whent with the guy who told me to clean everthing real good with solvent and a long bottle brush.

[bmh]

Should take a lot more than 500 degrees to make the brazing loosen up. Never heard of a frame getting warped from powder coating. I assume the motor fit properly during mock up. Which way are the holes off? Are they too small to get bolts through due to powder coat build up inside them? That's a common problem. The four holes are not the same size. The indexing holes are a real tight fit when bare and clean. Are they off left to right or front to rear? frame could've taken a nasty tumble off some pallet racking or had something large and heavy dropped on it at the coaters facility. If that's the case it's gonna need trued up, which will most likely ruin the powder coat. Looks like a case of one step forward two steps back.

[flat-happy]

have you looked real close at the frame? i know a guy that had his powdercoated and didn't get his frame back but a reproduction one instead. they tried to tell him the powdercoating covered up all the casting numbers so he had it stripped and there were no casting numbers anywhere. they said it was the same frame he brought them and he lost in court. check for the numbers just in case

[Tom Barlett]

I've not able to inspect the frame yet.I'm going there tomorrow,2 hour drive.He said the front and rear motor mounts are to far apart( too wide).Thanks Tom

[Jerry Wieland]

I cannot imagine that powder coating heat could touch brass much less warp steel.

Jerry

[bmh]

I thought the frame swap thing was an urban legend, I've heard that story too. A fake frame costs around $3500 so how much would a thief make? and why ruin your business reputation over something like that? But I also know that to get the mount holes too far apart in a front to rear fashion you have either a frame with highly noticeable crash damage or one that does not have it's front mount welded (or brazed as the case may be) on at the correct location. If they get pushed around they are usually either diamond-ed, or too close together. Even on a frame with severely smashed bottom tubes the bolt holes often will line up but the motor will rock due to the mounts being out of level with each-other, and the rear head will be smack up against the seat post. Interested to hear what the findings on this are. Would also like the name of the powder coater so I can be sure to warn others to avoid them like the plague cause either way something fishy went on, of course I recommend against powder coating.....Always seems to be something with the stuff, usually winds up more trouble than its worth.

[Chris Haynes]

I have my frames enameled.

[vph-d]

It's entirely possible the coater gave your friend someone elses frame by accident. Rigid frames probably look all the same to a non-enthusiast.
VPH-D