1986 Suzuki Quad Sport LT230 Project

[blasterLT230]

Sup guys? Been registered here for awhile but never posted. Well i sold the blaster in my username lol, but ill always keep my first bike. So i still got the LT. Its an 86 quad sport. Havent ridden it much since i started racing dirtbikes. But i took it out last weekend and the steering stem on it snapped! Im guessing this is pretty common because it happened when i went to start the bike.

But before i snapped that this thing smoked worse then a pothead. So i got a wiseco top end kit for it. Dropped the cylinder off at a machine shop so this will kinda be a build thread. So here are a few pics:

Crack:

Do you think i could weld it? reinforce it too........

[blasterLT230]

anybody????

[Ajmboy]

Nice project you have going there. I renamed your thread to get better responses and for searches.

* Thread renamed: 1986 Suzuki Quad Sport LT230 Project

[Stoopidbot1]

I don't know that I would try to weld it. If you trust your welding that much. You can get a new one for about 200.

[DirtDemon]

Practice makes perfect, and a good weld can be stronger than the original material if done right. I have welded a steering stem before and it worked fine. You just need to make sure the bar clamps are in line with the splines at the bottom of the stem. You will want to bevel the ends before you weld, leave a small gap between the ends so you get 100% penetration. Use two levels to get the lineup correct, put one on the bar clamps and one on the splined end on the small surface where there are no splines. Put the long end in a vice and hold the other end level while you carefully tack the two pieces together. But if you aren't a good welder, I would take it somewhere else or just buy a new one like Bot said.

I am going to move this project thread to the project room.

Edited September 23, 2009 by DirtDemon

[Sc0tt]

You will definitely want to built some kind of collar to go over the break but like DD said a good weld can be stronger than original.