Bending steel-sih part

[stinkwheel]

I want to re-profile the bends in a kick-start so it's not as prone to getting in the way of my foot. I've bought a spare one to piss about with so it's not the end of the world if it gets screwed up.

It's for an enfield bullet and is made in India. Looks like chromed cast steel. I doubt the chrome will survive the process and from previous experience, the metal will be of the poorest quality.

I have a MAPP burner and I do have a small coal forge I can get cranked up if necessary (but it's a scutter).

I think cold setting is right out of the question., it'll just snap. The thing is it's a componant that takes a real hiding too, it's got to get a 612cc long stroke engine with 10:1 compression over compression which takes a bit of welly.

I was thinking clamp it in a vice and heat the area to be bent until it's orange red then have at it with a bit of pipe slipped over the end. Then normalise it by taking it up to orange red and allowing to air cool a couple of times.

Would that be it or should I be doing anything else in the realms of heat treating/tempering/ageing so it lands up strong and flexible? Not sure what best to do with cast steel-ish.

It's one of these. I want to straighten the bend just above the splined hole and the next bend up again so it's closer to a straight line (but not totally straight, maybe half the kick-out it currently has).
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/kickstart.jpg
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[jeremyr62]

What makes you think it will be cast steel? That's a pretty rare material type. if it's magnetic (so ferrous) then I'd say it's more likely to be a stamping. As such if you heat it up to red hot you'll soften it and there's no way back, because you'll recrystallise it and without beating it to shit afterwards and changing it shape, the strain hardening is gone. Normalising it won't do much. However it may still be strong enough regardless.

I don't think it will snap if you get it reasonably warm but I could be completely wrong too.

[Easy-X]

TBH I'd be looking for a kick arm from a different model of bike that might suit the desired profile.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Pete.]

I doubt you could cold bend it at the spring from the spline end anyway you'll just bend the shank.

Stick it in a vice, cook it at up close to the spline end and bend it. If yu get it glowing bright orange it'll bend easily. If your mapp torch won't get it hot enough because the heat is radiating away let me know and I'll send you a wad of ceramic blanket then you'll be able to get it yellow.

Let it cool right down and then repeat at the crank. Your chrome will surely turn blue.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[stinkwheel]

Maybe it is forged then. Whatever it is will have been done in a backstreet workshop in Chennai in any case.

Main question is do I need to heat treat/temper/ageing of some sort afterwards?
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[jeffyjeff]

I had to modify a wrench in order to properly bleed the ABS brakes on my R1150R. I used a propane torch to heat the area prior to bending. Then I let it cool in ambient air.
Cooling quickly (quenching) will improve hardness, but make it brittle as a result.
Cooling slowly will improve ductility, which will make it more shock resistant.
You could put it in an oven to slow down the cooling process even more.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53105709078_8e7921835f_w.jpg
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[jeremyr62]

[WD Forte]

I've haven't modded kick starts but have modified some gear levers without them breaking.
Not as much stress on them as a kick start I know, but wonder if the cut/bend/weld method might be worth a try or thinking about in order to get the bar more inline with the black line?

https://imgur.com/G6pQcgS.jpg
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bikers smell of wee

[stinkwheel]

I did consider pie cutting it but I think my chances of getting a good weld on this metal are very slim indeed.

Might take a braze better if it comes to that.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[WD Forte]

EasyX's suggestion of finding a straighter one from another model sounds OK but a couple of possible issues occur to me.

Being RE I'm wondering if they're still using Imperial or gone to metric dimensions.
Old brit bikes often used cotter pins not splines on the shaft
so you'd need to find a model that used Imp or metric and splines
of the same pitch.
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[stinkwheel]

The gearbox itself will be almost entirely imperial. A mix of cycle thread and whitworth.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[davebike]

I bent Pattern Jap kickstarts for customers
You need lots of heat I used a really BIG propane torch 40mm Dia and 57KBTU get the area to bend red hot and it works or did the few times I did it
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[stinkwheel]

I'll see how I get on with the MAPP. If not I'll have to break out the forge. That WILL get it hot enough, it could melt it if I was persistant enough.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.