broken frame. worth it?

Hey! Im new here! I bought an 82 650 maxim for $500 and found out that the frame has a rusted hole below the motor mounts and rusted through (severed) right before the bar that has the kickstand connected to it. my question is this: would it be possible to patch weld it or anything of the sort without stripping the motor out? I dont have the space for THAT big of a project. I dont know a whole lot about bikes, but id like to learn and think that this bike could be fun to learn on. any help would be great.

the pics uploaded sideways for some reason.

video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czH1qDUQ-ac

other problems :

needs new speedo & tach

front brake is seized (needs both brakes replaced)

needs a new fuze box (some of the wires were spliced and hardwired to bypass it for some reason)

everything else so far is cosmetic really

Thanks!

 

While a frame that is rusted that badly can be repaired, it may not be worthwhile to do so. If that were mine I would start looking for a replacement bike, and part that one out. You can potentially make enough from selling the parts to recoup the $500 investment, and make a profit....it'll just take some time to do so.

 

I tend to agree, with a frame rusted all the way through it would be better to find another frame. If that spot is that bad I would be afraid there are other areas that are rusted dangerously thin. It could be repaired but I would pull the engine to look it all over.

 

I found a frame for about $190 on line.
How big of a pain in the ass is it to switch over to a new frame?

 

Billyh,

I would buy another used bike & use this bike for a parts bike......look it good all over next time.....but I guess you already know that.....

The guy that sold you that bike is a slimeball....he knew what he was selling....& thought to himself.....let the buyer beware.....

Good luck on your next purchase.....$1 per cc and that is if everything is there & it at least starts & a halfway runs......compression test is key also before buying....

Good luck

 

Check on your state's title laws.

In Ohio, the frame is titled. If the "new" frame had a clear, transferable Ohio title you'd be GTG here. Not sure about anywhere else.

As far as the PITA factor goes, How much experience do you have wrenching on bikes? It's a lot of work to tear a bike down to the frame and put it back together. It's not impossible by any means, it's just a big job. It'd be a hell of an experience for you and you'd certainly appreciate the ride you wind up with.

Get a factory service manual and at least one after market rebuild manual(Haynes, Chilton's, Clymer's, etc.) Take lots of pictures as you go. and don't short cut anything. Getting the harness and cabling back correctly is the hardest part IMO. If you go this route, replace every consumable item. Don't reuse a single bearing, seal or gasket that comes off. I'd also look at a complete stainless steel fastener kit.

$0.02

 

If the frame you found is the bare frame it is going to take quite a bit of time to take everything off your bike and put it back on the new one. It is not something unheard of but it will take quite some time.

If you have time and motivation this would be the best way to learn about your bike since you will have to take everything apart and put it back together. At the same time you could go over 30 years of skipped maintenance and make sure that you have a "like new" bike.

This could take also some money to replace old rubber parts, and have the right tools to do so.

Good luck.

 

I have a basic mechanic knowledge, but not so much on bikes. I have a buddy that works on bikes. I'm gonna ask him if he'd like a new project. If I'm gonna rip everything off, I might just see if the original is worth repairing. I appreciate all the replies.

 

On the plus side, if you start tearing this down for a complete rebuild and decide not to continue, you have the hard part of parting the bike out done. Start an ebay store and sell, Sell, SELL!

 

I can understand why this frame is rusted out......Living by the ocean is dangerous to a bike's health......

Part it out to recoup your costs.....& look for another bike......easy solution.....

That is my $.02 as well.....

The best to you & your efforts...

 

If the bike has that much corrosion there, it's a pretty safe bet that there is other corrosion elsewhere. I would dump it, or use it as a spare as others have suggested.

 

Get your money back!

IF you bought the Bike "AS IS" ... you're screwed!

But, if you and the Seller had the understanding that this Bike was sold to you with your intent to ride it, ... The SELLER must REFUND the Selling Price or "Make you whole" for what PREVENTS the Bike from being ridden.

The Law is "Common Law" and is ages old.
There is in cases such as this, ...
"The Implied Warranty of MERCHANTABILITY and FITNESS for a Particular Purpose".

Common Law:
Implied Merchantability and Fitness.

The warranty of merchantability is implied, unless expressly disclaimed by name, or the sale is identified with the phrase "as is" or "with all faults." To be "merchantable", the goods must reasonably conform to an ordinary buyer's expectations, i.e., they are what they say they are. For example, a fruit that looks and smells good but has hidden defects would violate the implied warranty of merchantability if its quality does not meet the standards for such fruit "as passes ordinarily in the trade". In Massachusetts consumer protection law, it is illegal to disclaim this warranty on household goods sold to consumers etc.

The warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is implied when a buyer relies upon the seller to select the goods to fit a specific request. For example, this warranty is violated when a buyer asks a mechanic to provide snow tires and receives tires that are unsafe to use in snow. This implied warranty can also be expressly disclaimed by name, thereby shifting the risk of unfitness back to the buyer.

Another implied warranty is the warranty of title, which implies that the seller of goods has the right to sell them (e.g., they are not stolen, or patent infringements, or already sold to someone else). This theoretically saves a buyer from having to "pay twice" for a product, if it is confiscated by the rightful owner, but only if the seller can be found and makes restitution.

The FIRST thing you have to do is:
Bring the goods BACK!
Even if he refuses to refund your money, ... leave the Bike with him!

 

I don't know how it is in Florida, but in Cali, if you buy it from a private seller it is yours. You are expected to inspect the vehicle before you purchase it. If you don't do it yourself or have someone else inspect it prior to purchase, you are screwed. From the pics, that frame looks like it is probably beyond repair. You probably have extensive rust throughout the inside of the frame. Swapping the parts over to a new frame isn't that difficult. It is just time consuming. It can be done in a weekend. You will probably need to replace the wheel bearings, neck bearings and swingarm bushings/bearings anyways. The carbs will need to come off to be cleaned. The brakes will need to be visibly inspected and most likely replaced. The valve clearances will also need to be checked and adjusted. To do these things the bike will already be half apart. Might as well swap the frame.

 

Get yourself another (titled) 82 650 maxim and use that one as parts + sell out the remaining parts on here and/or ebay. Trust me, a parts bike is very handy to have around!

Looks like you learned a good life lesson - look before you buy. The seller just wants cash. NEVER TRUST A PREVIOUS OWNER! A seller will tell you they just ran it a couple of days ago if that's what you want to hear.... When I bought my parts bike, the PO told me all sorts of crap. I handed him 5 twenties, then I told him, there's no way he could be currently riding it, there were no front brakes, and the rear wheel was locked up... if I wanted it to ride, I would have told him to f**k off, but I wanted it for the carbs, cluster, high backrest, and engine guards - that were worth about $400

You may also want to just quickly consult a local attorney, but I have a feeling you're stuck with it...

 

could always bust some wheelies till it snaps in two..

call it 500$ worth of entertainment

 

You honestly think with a frame like that the bike runs???

The frame in question is SCRAP. Period.

With the frame that far gone, I'd be very worried if any of the engine's internals are likewise rusted.

Sorry, billyh but you've probably bought a (rather expensive) parts bike.

 

The bike runs just fine. Check out the video in my original post.

 

then its wheelies till she snaps! Make a video of that too!
also maybe wear a helmet

 

$500 worth of entertainment + a potential minimum of $5,000 E.R. bill.
Never ride a bike with a rusted frame.

 

hmmm..... maybe check the frame for rust should be added in with the normal speech about tire date codes, brake lines, and rear brake delamination????

 

Some new developments. My buddy and I decided to strip it cut it and weld it.
We had plans to do so when he gets back next week, so i decided to start addressing some other issues. Got the brake unseized by rocking back and fourth (using the motor to help push). I left it running because i noticed some white smoke coming from the exhaust. After about ten minutes, this started happening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXC83H8v514

and immediately after, this :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIKBMojGXYQ

It was a more steady stream, but i couldnt get my phone out fast enough.

Any ideas? Someone told me that could happen from too much oil and it expanding due to heat. any truth to that?

Thanks guys.

 

Too much oil, I don't think so, I would say too much gasoline in your oil.

Your petcock and your float valves in your carbs dont work properly so your fuel can creep up and flood your carbs and then flow down in your crankcase.

The crankcase has a vent tube that goes to the airbox. Any excess of fuel-oil will come out the crankcase this way and eventually this unwanted mix will drip out of the airbox, because the airboots are not meant to retain fluids.

 

Don't start the bike again until you've done a full recomissioning, and inspect the frame thoroughly; there is more rust in there, it just hasn't poked holes in the frame yet. I'd also plan on never selling the bike, or letting anyone else but you ride it; legal liability is a bitch, and it will bite your ass hard if that frame ever fails.

 

A bike buddy of mine looked at it and said "there's WAAAYYYY too much oil in it". He suggested i change the oil and see if it still persists.

 

I bet, As stated before, your carbs aren't functioning properly and you are dumping gasolene in your oil sump. open the fill cap. I'd put a 10 spot on it smelling like gas....

 

ok, so whats my next step?

 

Your next step is to take the carb rack off you bike & do the whole nine yards...maybe even break the rack & replace throttle shaft seals & fuel O-rings as well....

See Ricks' or Chacal's write-up on carb cleaning.....

 

rebuild then "wet-set" your carbs. I'd check your valve clearances first, as valves must be in spec for carbs to function properly

 

Your next step is to take the carb rack off you bike & do the whole nine yards...maybe even break the rack & replace throttle shaft seals & fuel O-rings as well....

See Ricks' or Chacal's write-up on carb cleaning.....

 

Your next step is to take the carb rack off you bike & do the whole nine yards...maybe even break the rack & replace throttle shaft seals & fuel O-rings as well....

See Ricks' or Chacal's write-up on carb cleaning.....

 

oh... and if the broken frame wasn't enough.... don't run the bike.... gas diluted oil is a great way to kill an engine....

 

I don't think attempting to "Fix" that Frame is advisable.

From what the photo shows, ... you should stick a fork in that frame.

It's cooked!

Until you have a safe foundation, ... don't start work on the roof!

 

I found out that leaving the petcock to pri will drain fuel into tithe carbs and eventually flood the crankshaft. I had it set to pri for like two weeks and the previous owner for god knows how long. Gonna change the oil and see what happens. Also, probably gonna get a new frame.

 

Leaving the petcock prime only floods the crankcase if the carburetors have a problem with the floats and or needle valves.

 

pbjman is right. The PO has left the petcok on PRIME for at least two weeks and I didn't notice, so when I brought the bike home, I left it at least another two weeks on PRIME and my crankcase oil level didn't change at all.

Why? Because my float valves work properly and stop the fuel going down from the tank.

Yours act exactly as if the float would leak in a toilet reservoir: the water would flow and flow and flow and you would get crazy at night, lol. In a toilet the water never-ending coming in would have a place to go out (the toilet bowl). On your bike, the only places to go is your crankcase, your air filters and your airbox.

 

Fixing the frame is only worth it when the rest of the frame is in good condition, which usually isn't the case. So look over the rest of the frame first, if it's ok then do the repair. Just be sure to do the repair the right way. Don't just slap something on there or it'll come apart on you. If you need suggestions on how to fix it right, just ask.

 

GET RID OF THAT FRAME!!!! I don't want to read yet another obituary.

Dave