Raking a panhead rigid frame
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Raking a panhead rigid frame
Ok guys, I'm building a pan chop this winter with a 60s early 70s look. I picked up a 30 over springer with a mini spool wheel.now I'm looking to rake my extra pan wishbone frame for this build.curious if anyone has tackled this task before? I'm looking for suggestions and tips from someone with experience.The frame I have now has 30 degrees in the neck, zero up zero out. I'm going for the classic look with the front up slightly higher than the *** of the bike.thanks in advance
Last edited by streetglide99; Dec 3, 2014 at 07:57 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
I'd be a lying **** if I said I never raked a pan frame. I look back now and can't believe I did it in the 70s...cut up two stock frames.
Your first cut needs to be a little behind the neck at the same angle. You cut it until you reach the bottom support. Make the next cut back from the first and make sure it will intersect the first just above the bottom support. The distance between the beginning of the cuts is the amount of rake you have added to the neck angle.
10-12 over means taking out 1/2 inch; 15 over means about 5/8; 30s gonna mean about 1-1/2 inches which is just about all the extra at the top of the neck. (15 over was as far as I ever went). Some guys didn't like that and chose to stretch the frame...which is another whole ball of wax.
Once you have cut it, put a long bar through the neck, heat the bottom of the support and bend it slowly back until the tops of your first and second cuts touch. Tack it in a couple of places. Let it cool.
Add rear wheel; add front end; sit back and admire your work. Take the frame to someone who has a frame jig to make sure your neck is still true. Then do the final welds. We always plated both sides of the neck as well for added strength rather than relying on a single weld. I was lucky in that I had a dad who was a welder, so that part cost me zilch and he made some of the prettiest welds I have ever seen.
With all the above being said I am sure that someone nowadays has figured out a better way so maybe they will post up as well.
Once you get going on this start a build thread with lots of pics.
Your first cut needs to be a little behind the neck at the same angle. You cut it until you reach the bottom support. Make the next cut back from the first and make sure it will intersect the first just above the bottom support. The distance between the beginning of the cuts is the amount of rake you have added to the neck angle.
10-12 over means taking out 1/2 inch; 15 over means about 5/8; 30s gonna mean about 1-1/2 inches which is just about all the extra at the top of the neck. (15 over was as far as I ever went). Some guys didn't like that and chose to stretch the frame...which is another whole ball of wax.
Once you have cut it, put a long bar through the neck, heat the bottom of the support and bend it slowly back until the tops of your first and second cuts touch. Tack it in a couple of places. Let it cool.
Add rear wheel; add front end; sit back and admire your work. Take the frame to someone who has a frame jig to make sure your neck is still true. Then do the final welds. We always plated both sides of the neck as well for added strength rather than relying on a single weld. I was lucky in that I had a dad who was a welder, so that part cost me zilch and he made some of the prettiest welds I have ever seen.
With all the above being said I am sure that someone nowadays has figured out a better way so maybe they will post up as well.
Once you get going on this start a build thread with lots of pics.
Last edited by panz4ever; Dec 3, 2014 at 10:40 AM.
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Thanks panz4ever. What you suggested is exactly how I had visualized doing it.Thanks for the info on adding the extra support.im going to mold it after I finish welding it and fully mocked up. Going with mechanical rear drum,huge king queen seat, tall sissy bar. Blah blah.putting in a 57 pan motor and stock 4 speed.ill be sure to start a build thread after the holidays.ive only seen 1 bike in person with a 30+ over.... Should look awesome
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,495
Likes: 3,705
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Thanks panz4ever. What you suggested is exactly how I had visualized doing it.Thanks for the info on adding the extra support.im going to mold it after I finish welding it and fully mocked up. Going with mechanical rear drum,huge king queen seat, tall sissy bar. Blah blah.putting in a 57 pan motor and stock 4 speed.ill be sure to start a build thread after the holidays.ive only seen 1 bike in person with a 30+ over.... Should look awesome
Used to run with a guy that ran a 20 something over with a Knuckle motor. Seemed like he could not get the bike through a green light before it cycled red. That baby was loooong, but sure looked cool.
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Farmington ,MS
30 over with just a raked neck will be minus 0 trail, and virtually unrideable...not to mention it will be hard to get a small enough tank on there so it doesn't hit at full lock...plus I don't think it will look as good as you think. A frame stretched up and out with a 40 degree neck and raked trees to bring the trail back to something reasonable, would be much better to ride....but you will still need a football field to do a u-turn.