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Best way / How to build hardtail struts

20K views 34 replies 15 participants last post by  Spiritman 
#1 ·
Wanting to lower my 84 vt700. Started by removing the shocks and lowering the bike to where it looked good to me. I ended up making some struts out of wood so I could get a better visual and sit on it.

Need to know what's the best material to use to make some. I'm worried about buying some with the shock mounts not fitting. The right side has a bolt not a stud. Shock also has a plug in it on the bottom mount so it can fit to the smaller bolt vs. the stud. Which I believe is a 5/8 round hole.

I have some camshafts laying around (identical) and was thinking about using those. Thought it might look sweet. I have nothing to lose with them to always try and fab them up to see what it looks like.

Any help is much appreciated and or pictures if you have done it before.
 

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#3 ·
Camshafts. That'd be cool. Question is, can you weld? How would you make the ends?

Any DOM steel tube with good wall thickness or solid flat or round like billet aluminum would do, but you still have to fabricate ends unless it's drilled through similar to your wood mock-up.
 
#4 ·
Worth a shot to see what it comes out like. I have an abundance of them laying in the scrap pile at my work. Yea I would just cut it to length and drill holes with my drill press with some cutting oil and just taking my time. I always measure 100 times before I cut. The top stud on the left side is just under an inch till it's the thread of the stud. The bottom is an exact inch to the threads. On the right side the tops the same but bottom would need to fit in a bracket where a 3/8 bolt goes through. I'm going to always try it and see how it goes. I can weld just don't have a welder. Will try it out Thursday.
 
#5 ·
Using the camshafts is a cool idea but I would not use them for struts on a bike. They are cast iron and even though they take a beating they take the beating the way they are designed.

That being said,,,use a piece of solid round stock for the struts and cut the lobes out of the cam and pin them to the solid round. Basically make your own cam but it would be strong enough.
 
#6 ·
Maybe this is a silly question, but if you want to lower the bike, why not just buy shorter shocks? Or, if you want a hardtail, chop the frame and make a hardtail. When I see a bike with solid struts, to me, it just looks like someone half-a$$ed their build and couldn't decide what to do.
 
#7 ·
That's very true. They are solid camshaft so they should be strong. Wondering if they are cast or forged. It's from a brand new Ford I believe from a recall we have been doing. I'll find out what they are coming out of tomorrow. At this point I will just do it and fab them up and put them on to look at. I'm not out on the road yet.

Progressive? I think that's the brand out there are like 500$ for a set of shocks. Don't want to cut or alter the bike at all so im able to make it right back to 100% stock. And if the bike was in worse shape with a lot more miles that would be an option of cutting it up. But in immaculate condition with only 1111 miles on it. Cutting it's tje last thing I want to do.

Shorter shocks would be nice to still get a smoothe ride. But it's expensive. Rather get a spring seat and handrail for less than half the shocks.
 
#12 ·
I think the cam shafts would look cool. Definitely unique. For attachment you could pick up a couple of rod ends and drill and tap the ends of the cam.
I'd think the swivel part will still swivel unless you make washer to grasp on the outside and inside the clevis. My vote goes toward the nice chrome plated strut. Also be careful welding on cast and/or forged steel. you might not like the results later on.
 
#10 ·
Alright I'll be doing some more research then on some shocks for sure. But as low as I am. If I made a rear fender the travel will make the tire hit the fender. Trying to eliminate the wheel gap so its not a dirtbike.

That s an awesome idea!! If I got that cars as to get the rod ends to thread in I would weld them in place when there all the way in.

Thanks for all the ideas. Will see this Thursday what happens.
 
#13 ·
Yea I thought about the swivel part also.

So here's what I might try. I work at Lowes also so I did some picking around in hardware tonight. I found a 5/8ID by 7/8OD by 1 inch Steel Spacer.

My idea is to just cut the cam shaft to length, whatever eye to eye length I want or close to. File or grind the ends to be able to hold the spacer nicely and have them welded on. Might have the body shop in town weld them and get them painted to match amd cleared for rust.

5/8 dewalt drill bit runs 18$ plus some cutting oil or WD40 or PB blaster whatever I get. Or 1.50$ per spacer free welding. And whatever the painting would cost if I did it. I think if the welds and fitment work out it will be about the cleanest way.

If I'm customizing it I want to make it my own. Buying it just seems to simple. Always like to try something unique first.

Thanks for all the input.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm not a welder and haven't even tried to weld in years. At very best, my welds looked like bubblegum. At worst, they'd fall apart or burn a hole right through. But, if I recall correctly, isn't nickel used to weld cast iron? I thought camshafts were cast steel? Maybe someone can correct me on this?

I'm not disagreeing that having a camshaft for a strut would look cool. I totally agree it would. I just worry that it might not be strong enough. Again, if I recall correctly, cast metal doesn't respond to impact very well. Using it as a suspension piece will subject it to a lot of impact forces. If it does ever fail while you're riding, that could be catastrophic. If I were to do it, I'd sooner buy some struts, then use a mill to cut a channel in the camshaft, and attach the two together. That way, you'd have the structural rigidity of a solid strut and still have the look of the camshaft. Just a thought to give you the best of both worlds.
 
#18 ·
#17 ·
I guess it depends on where the cams come from and my only experience with repurposing cams (SBC) was to make table legs.
But my mind was thinking if you used cams with suitable size journal spacing, could you just mill flats in the journals and drill holes for the shock mounts, adding spacers as necessary?
 
#19 ·
So heres what i did today. Cut the shaft with a half worn cutting wheel and got a tooth pick size piece left in the middle.

It came out to be about 9 3/4 to 10" eye to eye.

Cut easier than I was anticipating. Looks pretty sweet to me. I'm also concerned about the material. I'm gonna ask the Ford tech tomorrow about which engine these are coming out of. There is more laying around there to.

They are about an inch round at the smallest part. I'm still gonna make these just for looks at this point. If it turns out to be a forged cam from factory or strong I'll feel more comfortable riding it. Yes it failing will be catastrophic. And scares me just thinking about if one or both shattered and tire hit the fender or me.

Will have an answer tomorrow. Still figuring out how I'm going to make the seat.
 

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#20 ·
If you have several sitting around put one across 2 wood blocks about a foot apart and hit it pretty hard with a heavy hammer. That way you will see how much it can bend or just snap.

I know some are cast iron or steel and when I worked at a VW dealer many years ago the engine repair men would change the cams on an overhaul. Then they would drop the old one from about 5 feet onto the drive gear and it would just snap off clean. Not good to think of that material for a shock.

I took a few of them and drilled a 1/4 inch hole down through to make a lamp. Not hard to drill.
 

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#21 ·
Awesome I have plenty of 2x4s and an extra shaft in the shed. It's the same design top to bottom but it's shorter on one end. I'll try it on that one and see how much punishment it can take.

Cutting it seemed a little to easy also. I drilled a 1/2 hole through the top hollow part where a hole was already pre drilled and it took a while and some force.

Thanks for the advice.
 
#22 ·
When drilling if the shaving are more like granules instead of drill chips that is a clue of the metal. You have probably seen long lathe cuttings or drill chips but cast metal gives coffee grounds type material.
 
#25 ·
Personally, I say don't consider the cams! Carry one outside, drop it on concrete from shoulder height, pick up the pieces and use for paper weights.

 
#27 ·
I'm gonna stay away from the cams. Even the slight chance of them exploded and wrecking me makes me.not want to use them.

Thanks for all the advice. Going to just buy some solid struts. 10". And a cheap spring seat to mount. And get that dang bike on the road. Got a high of 71 and sunny on mu day off.
 
#28 ·
I had a wild and crazy idea while you were talking about the cams. If a guy could saw one down the center to get 2 half cams and bolt them on to a solid strut (bolts on the inside), it would give an appearance of the cam lobes with strong steel behind it. Just pondering !
 
#29 ·
I agree!!! No need to abandon a good idea. Machine a groove down the center of each piece to conceal the strut.

Sent from my SM-S920L using Tapatalk
 
#32 ·
Hmmmmmm good ideas. How thick of steel do the struts need to be?

Found some made with 3/4 cold rolled steel. Buyout all the ones I'm finding are 1/2 hole mounts. I need 5/8 hole mounts. And on the right shock theres a 5/8 to 3/8 reducer for the bolt.

Might have to get some made or drill out the 1/2 to 5/8 but then there's a 18$ drill bit involved.

Hmmmmmmm decisions.
 
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