Hitchcocks Forum

Bit of a long shot this one, but opinions are welcome. I seem to have a perpetual and mysterious trickle of orange liquid running out of the frame. Its an early Redditch bullet frame and where the front downtube runs up inside the headstock there is a seam. Over the last few years a slow trickle of bright orange keeps apearing in different places and at different times. It seems to happen at random and not when I've been out in the rain, nor any more or less over summer or winter. I have blocked off the front screw hole and can't see any other places where water or even moist air would get in. My only guess is its condensation from air getting up from the open end at the bottom of the downtube by the engine plates. Is it rust and what can I do to stop it? I dont want my front end to collapse, anyone else had the insides of frames rust?

Chris,
I have seen the front downtube break about an inch above the front engine mount on a Redditch Bullet. Good thing is the bike still rode reasonably well because I was following it before we noticed it broken. Mate said it seemed to be handling a bit funny and then we noticed the 1" gap in the downtube, so that should ease your mind a bit.

Chris, tube,sq.section etc. can corrode from the inside out faster than you can see corrosion from the outside, if you have seen this "trickle" then best blow it dry if possible, then blow something like waxoyl up it, should not be too badly rusted, if in doubt then some small holles conld be drilled to confirm thickness of steel in "carefull places" and welded later, but seems like the first stage of rust, so protective treatment will keep it going.

Sorry Chris, may not be good to block off certain holes - ventelation !

Rust in the headstock? I'd want to be in there to see what's what.

I reckon it's condensation, which can be worse in summer than winter. Those of us mature enough will remember how cars used to rust from the inside out in the 1970s. A common sight on Sundays was people rubbing down rotten body work (on cars missus) and filling with glass fibre and resin (ah happy days). In the same era I had a new Ducati GT750 and if your were astute you could watch it rotting before your very eyes.

On the same theme, (and sorry to encroach on your thread Chris), but in 1976 (ish) I bought a new Kawasaki 750 four stroke twin. Over one weekend in January I must have lost my presence of mind because I rode it in freezing fog and snow from Hull to North Wales and back. Anyway, when I came to wash off all the road crud I also washed off all the paint! In fairness Hull Kawasaki Centre (as was) undertook to have the bike completely stove enamelled locally and so I ended up with a standard of finish that was better than new. I wonder whether RAG554R is still out there and if so what the painwork's like? Tony.

Well, if Wenlock platers did the job it'll be fine! I had all sorts of stuff done by them and it was always first class.

Yep! Wenlocks it was Pete!

don,t worry chris ,if your frame breaks i know a good welder who will do the job for you ,you buy the tube i,ll do the weld !!!!!!!