8620 alloy steel... Heli Bars bent from bike wreck

admin

wrecked my bike (details below) and bent my left clip-on that was made by Heli Bars.  they look *like* the ones in the attached pic.  According to the manufacture, the part is made of three different materials:the long tube where the hands go is mild steelthe middle piece is the "investment" (or something) casting 8620 alloy steelthe part that goes around the fork is anyway, the middle part (the 8620 alloy) part is bent.  I was just going to preheat in oven, torch it and bend it back.  But now i found out that its this investment casting 8620, which i know nothing about, i figure i ask you guys first. Attached Images
Reply:for those of you who are interested in the bike wreck...My was went to see her parents in Missouri (we live in so cal). Two days later, my work schedule miraculously cleared up.  I was going to go to missouri to surprise my wife. I pack some underpants and jump on my Honda VFR800 and started my 1500 mile journey to Missouri.  I have made this trip a year ago, so I was way over confident, i started the trip at midnight without any sleep.Blasted to Barstow, I felt great....Vegas.... great....Mesquite, St. George.. still feel great.  Hopped on Highway 70 still felt great.Started to feel a little sleepy at Salina, UT, but all is well, right? after all, i've made this trip before.14 hours after i began this trip, two smoke breaks and one snack break... I was getting really sleepy.  When i rolled passed 70/101 in utah, i was out like a light.  The bike was still going 80 mph, but i was drifting in and out of sleep.  Grand Junction, Colorado was only 60 miles away... I'll push it til i get there.  I'll find a park and take a nap (if nap isn't enough, i'll get a room).bad decision.at mile marker 204 on Hw 70 in Utah, I drifted asleep again.  this time, the bike went into the center ditch that separates the east and west bound lanes.  I woke up, bike was going 80, i'm riding in dirt and had just ran through a couple of sage brushes.  Took my right hand off the throttle (i wasn't about to touch my brakes when the bike is in the dirt) but bike didnt slow down at all and there's this huge plant coming up FAST.Bike touched this "plant" (i never figure out what that was) and it began to cartwheel, throwing me off.  Then I began to cartwheel, all the while hoping the bike won't land on me.  After I came to a stop and saw that bike was 30 feet away from me, a motorist had gotten out of his car and was running towards me.I was wearing my leather racing suit, helmet, gloves, boots... the whole nine yards and I walked away with a slight limp.  80mph to 0mph in about 5 seconds and I didnt break any bones.  My left knee must have hit the handle bar, which is why its bent FORWARD and my knee hurts really bad.  But, again, no broken bones.Bike didnt fare so well.  All plastics had scratches, left side is worse then right side.  My luggage cases ($1100 in the used market) are toast.  I just ordered a light housing that's 180 bucks.  Despite the fooked up looking plastics, the bike basically just slid on the dirt/gravel, so it started right up without even a hickup.luckly, a Moab resident let me stay in his home for a night until my good buddy from CA drove 12 hours straight to pick me and my bike up in his truck.the "moron" in my name doesn't even began to come close at describing myself.anyway, I ain't dead.  I'm in the process of taking care of the cosmetics of my bike, I still ride it everyday (now without the plastic and half head light...very MadMax-esque).  Just bought a plasma cutter so I'm itching to get right back into laying down chicken poo beads and cutting curvy-straight lines..now, back to previously interrupted programming.... heat-treat and bending 8620 alloy steel casting
Reply:Originally Posted by oxy moronwrecked my bike (details below) and bent my left clip-on that was made by Heli Bars.  they look *like* the ones in the attached pic.  According to the manufacture, the part is made of three different materials:the long tube where the hands go is mild steelthe middle piece is the "investment" (or something) casting 8620 alloy steelthe part that goes around the fork is anyway, the middle part (the 8620 alloy) part is bent.  I was just going to preheat in oven, torch it and bend it back.  But now i found out that its this investment casting 8620, which i know nothing about, i figure i ask you guys first.
Reply:check out this reference for 8620.http://www.suppliersonline.com/propertypages/8620.aspThis is a high strengh low alloy grade of steel that can be hardened to increase the strength of the material.  It's typically used in gears, because it has high strength and is easy to case harden for improved wear resistance.It seems an unusual choice for a cast part.  I'm not aware common practices that use this particular alloy in a cast part.  Its typically forged to finished shape.  I suppose it could be a sintered powdered metal component; which you could loosely call a casting; of sorts.In any case, the issue that concerns you here is whether or not the part is heat treated for added strength.  If so, you're going to anneal out at least some of that strength if you heat this with a torch and bend it back to shape....If you have access to a furnace you could anneal and re-heat treat the component yourself.  If not, I'd say you're taking a chance using this piece in the annealled state.  Check out that link I gave you, and decide for yourself if you're going to go ahead with a repair.  I'm not sure what I'd do in your shoes...Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Oxy:Thanks for the story, you're one lucky puppy. Give the bar to ZTFab, if he can't fixit, or tell you how........ How much is a new one? Cost is no object, since I'm not paying for it. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Don't be a Moron again- buy a new set brothaEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Don't be a Moron again- buy a new set brotha
Reply:Dude!! WTF???!!!!!When did you do this? Seriously, WTF??Glad to hear that you're OK.http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Originally Posted by Craig in DenverOxy:Thanks for the story, you're one lucky puppy. Give the bar to ZTFab, if he can't fixit, or tell you how........ How much is a new one? Cost is no object, since I'm not paying for it.
Reply:I want to know what happened to the clean underpants. Did you still have them when they were needed?
Reply:My suspicion is the investment cast piece is the piece that clamps around the fork tube.  The vertical tube is probly the same kinda tube the grip tube is made from.   Using a casting for the clamp makes sense.  Using a casting for the vert tube portion doesn't make sense.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabDude!! WTF???!!!!!When did you do this? Seriously, WTF??Glad to hear that you're OK.
Reply:actually, the ones i have look almost identical to this. Attached Images
Reply:Whew!  That was a close call... you were pretty fortunate under the circumstances.  It sure could have been worse.  I've done a bit of long distance riding myself... and you gotta respect the Z monster.  Anyway... glad to hear you didn't fuuk yourself and your bike up worse than you did.  I agree with those that advise against bending that stuff.Work HARDER, not smarter! ------------------------ Miller Bobcat 250Millermatic 251Lincoln Precision TIG 185Hypertherm PM 600Hobart 135 HandlerOxweld 400 FlameMaster
Reply:I have had a clip on break before; the result is strikingly similar to falling asleep behind the bars...you tend to crash quickly! I'd say get new ones, no sense in doing the same stunt twice!!FWIW, I was riding a VFR 750 when my clip-on broke. But this was 1989, at Road America in Wisconsin. Trying to stop for a corner, clip on broke under my weight somehow; I went right throught the windscreen onto my melon and the bike trampled me. Good times!!!And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Crashing sucks!Work HARDER, not smarter! ------------------------ Miller Bobcat 250Millermatic 251Lincoln Precision TIG 185Hypertherm PM 600Hobart 135 HandlerOxweld 400 FlameMaster
Reply:gotta agree with the above.  you tempted fate once lets not play with it again.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloFWIW, I was riding a VFR 750 when my clip-on broke. But this was 1989, at Road America in Wisconsin.
Reply:Originally Posted by lars66I want to know what happened to the clean underpants. Did you still have them when they were needed?
Reply:Originally Posted by oxy moronstock clip-on?
Reply:Glad you weren't hurt any worse, bet you weren't sleepy after that for a while.HH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X