Fork brace seems unnecessary

[shenzhen_ex]

Has anyone ever cut their fork brace?
It seems unnecessary.

I might cut mine so I can get my front hub in without cutting my axles.

 

[bowlofsalad]

According to what I am reading, the purpose of that brace is to keep the tubes properly aligned as they slide in and out of each other, I imagine that cutting that tube will cause friction in your suspension forks, potentially reducing performance.

I searched "fork brace purpose". Some of the reading makes it sound like a bad idea to do what you want to do.

I could be wrong, I don't have any experience or insight into this matter.

 

[spinningmagnets]

You might consider experimenting with a removable brace, instead of just cutting it out. The job it performs is to make certain the left and right fork legs compress at the same rate. If you are going downhill, and you hit a hard bump at an angle, it may be possible for there to be much more force applied to one side, compared to the other.

The leverage involved between the bottom of the wheel and the axles could bend the wheel assembly to the side hard enough that the axle may bend a small amount, or the fork-ends might crack/bend. At best you would have a wobbly ride after that point, at worst a complete wheel/fork failure leading to a crash.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try this. I'm suggesting that you first try it on a frame you can afford to damage the front wheel and fork, and perhaps to start with a removable brace first.

 

[MadRhino]

Forks that have no brace are made much stronger, have much stronger crowns too, and are made with the stanchions at the bottom.
Cutting the brace off your fork will make it weaker, with a considerably busier maintenance agenda, and will lose a big part of its lateral stiffness.

 

[shenzhen_ex]

You might consider experimenting with a removable brace, instead of just cutting it out....

Thanks Spinning...I have decided to go with the removable brace, sort of. I am going to to cut and drill the brace and fabricate a bolt on connector. I just wish these forks were not made of magnesium.

 

[shenzhen_ex]

Yes way!

 

[dogman dan]

Took me a bit to get it why you needed to cut it. Oh, a through axle fork.

With a stout triple tree fork, it may not be needed. I believe most motorcycles don't have it. the two clamping points on the top hold the tubes firmly in place.

It's vital to the normal bike suspension forks, that don't have a triple clamp, or whatever it's called.

 

[shenzhen_ex]

....With a stout triple tree fork, it may not be needed. I believe most motorcycles don't have it. the two clamping points on the top hold the tubes firmly in place.....

My fork tubes are 38 mm at the triple clamps. I think it would be OK if I just cut the brace and left it, but just in case I am fabricating a connector. The connector will be a tube that re-attaches the cross-brace.

 

[shenzhen_ex]

check out this kick-azz adapter:
Wire electrical discharge machining did the trick.
420 stainless steel.
Stronger than before the cut

 

[alsmith]

Neat.

The only thing I'd do is have 2 bolts either side of your cut just in case one bolt works loose.

 

[shenzhen_ex]

Neat.

The only thing I'd do is have 2 bolts either side of your cut just in case one bolt works loose.

Good idea...but I just got this bike back together. Think what I have to do to get that brace off

here is a look at it installed:

 

[alsmith]

Neat.

The only thing I'd do is have 2 bolts either side of your cut just in case one bolt works loose.

Good idea...but I just got this bike back together. Think what I have to do to get that brace off

here is a look at it installed:

Future upgrades often come up fairly quickly after getting things back together.

I had my wheel stripped down a few weeks ago and within a day I found out I really need to change the hall wiring. Another 'Next time'