Any bodywork straightening tips?

[Storkfoot]

I have spent a day, or so, dry fitting a set of SIL Gp legshields. A Dremel and a very basic panel beating kit from Machine Mart proved useful. I got to the stage this afternoon where I took them off for the last time prior to paint. But, the near side runner board was not parallel to the edge of the legshields. In time honoured fashion, I sat on a stool with a cup of tea pondering the issue

I knew that the issue was the outrigger and not the stand strut. By fortune, I sat at an angle from which I could see that it was only the bottom of the outrigger that was bent out of shape, probably from being dropped or crashed in the past.

Another scratch of the head and I could see how to resolve this using the panel buffer as a pivot. Hopefully, the picture shows how.



Yes, I know this is far from rocket science but I thought I’d share it anyway.

Has anyone got any other tips for sorting out common bodywork issues?

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Much depends upon patience & how 'factory' the frame should be, but the dog-leg part, being such a heavier gauge, will resist getting into the correct shape if bent, much more so than the thinner outrigger pressing.

Before now, I've drilled through the spot-welds & took the dog-leg to the vice & bolted it back on, thus emulating the opposite side.

In any case, I tend to fit M6 riv-nuts in the offside dog-leg to save faffing about with a spanner on the blind side.

[Storkfoot]

….Before now, I've drilled through the spot-welds & took the dog-leg to the vice & bolted it back on, thus emulating the opposite side.

In any case, I tend to fit M6 riv-nuts in the offside dog-leg to save faffing about with a spanner on the blind side.

Heresy, I say

[dickie]

I had good results using a piece of T section aluminium to set my struts correctly.

Forward/aft was easy enough as they just need to be perpendicular to the tube.

http://www.ilambretta.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11475&p=104750&hilit=Bitsa+build#p104750

The loop was pushed in as well, so I asked around and got the measurements. It doesn't show how I pulled it out in the link but at least you can see what it should be.

[Storkfoot]

I had good results using a piece of T section aluminium to set my struts correctly.

Forward/aft was easy enough as they just need to be perpendicular to the tube.

http://www.ilambretta.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11475&p=104750&hilit=Bitsa+build#p104750

The loop was pushed in as well, so I asked around and got the measurements. It doesn't show how I pulled it out in the link but at least you can see what it should be.

Some good stuff there

I found a dead weight rubber mallet was really good for manipulating the struts into position.

[citydaz]

Much depends upon patience & how 'factory' the frame should be, but the dog-leg part, being such a heavier gauge, will resist getting into the correct shape if bent, much more so than the thinner outrigger pressing.

Before now, I've drilled through the spot-welds & took the dog-leg to the vice & bolted it back on, thus emulating the opposite side.

In any case, I tend to fit M6 riv-nuts in the offside dog-leg to save faffing about with a spanner on the blind side.

+1

[Fast n Furious]

In any case, I tend to fit M6 riv-nuts in the offside dog-leg to save faffing about with a spanner on the blind side.

+1

I use Riv nuts for the seat catch and hinge fixing points..... Makes swopping out the seat real easy. No more fumbling about with nuts and washers under the loop.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

For the bridge fastening, though not wishing to detract from other products, I have used M5 'floating' anchor nuts for decades. The item depicted is obviously upside down to how it would be rivetted to the frame stand support cross member.

[coaster]

For the bridge fastening, though not wishing to detract from other products, I have used M5 'floating' anchor nuts for decades. The item depicted is obviously upside down to how it would be rivetted to the frame stand support cross member.

That pretty much IS one of tyhe marketed kits minus a couple of rivets and a drill bit

[Fast n Furious]

I slot the holes on the crosstrees and use these M5 caged nuts to do the same job.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

I slot the holes on the crosstrees and use these M5 caged nuts to do the same job.

I like that idea a lot as it involves no drilling. It makes me think that with a cage intended for a thicker gauge, the location ears could be tweaked such that they would clip into the existing bridge screw slots without having to widen them or make any modifications to the frame.

For the record, I tried M5 (rubber) rawl nuts a few times but that's asking them to do a job for which they are not intended. Their purpose is to expand in a hole to provide a mechanical fixing.

[citydaz]

For the bridge piece fasteners i use M5 x 25mm long nuts (£2.75 for 5), attached to a spanner with masking tape to help locate in place, then tighten up from the top.
Job done!

[Fast n Furious]

I slot the holes on the crosstrees and use these M5 caged nuts to do the same job.

I like that idea a lot as it involves no drilling. It makes me think that with a cage intended for a thicker gauge, the location ears could be tweaked such that they would clip into the existing bridge screw slots without having to widen them or make any modifications to the frame.

You've hit the nail on the head there.
M4's might fit the slot without widening, But, the ears would probably not be big enough to span the metal thickness?
I like them to slide enough, to allow that pesky bridge trim rubber to mate tightly against the loop.
TBH. It only involves a bit of filing to get those oval holes rectangular enough to achieve the correct centering point, and you only have to do it once.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

For the bridge piece fasteners i use M5 x 25mm long nuts (£2.75 for 5), attached to a spanner with masking tape to help locate in place, then tighten up from the top.
Job done!

There's many methods, but I've just remembered why the floating captive nut plates I use are my preference. The female M5 part is deformed so that the screw does not loosen. That is an extremely useful feature because all too often, if you just wang the screws up tight enough not to come undone, the bridge deforms.....

[Fast n Furious]

I generally use a trimmed tap washer between the foot board and the bridge to prevent deformation of the bridge around the fixing points.
With the right thickness, it helps to prevent the sharpe folded edge of bridge from digging into the paintwork of the foot board too much.
With the right grip on the screw it kinda acts like a nyloc nut so only moderate tightening is required to prevent unwanted loosening.