There is no way that piece of bent sheetmetal will support any weight. Sorry but I can't see that was the issue that caused a break in the frame. I think they are BSing you on that most likely a poor weld to begin with

 

Agreed...

 

Right on, thanks!

Yeah, sometimes I feel like "Hello, my name is Mike and I build Sportsters". I love Sportsters. Always will but that's not all I do. I picked up bikes as a hobby a few years ago just to get away from the daily grind and still stay in the garage. I have 6 Sportsters (2 that are actually my wife's), Shovel, FXR (80"), a couple Suzuki's and a Royal Enfield board tracker.

Bikes only take up a corner of my garage.



But I'm a fabricator. I build cars with my dad here.



We get along well and our garages at home are pretty much full so we decided to build a garage together somewhere away from the shop. Way out in the country away from people. And that's where I mess around with bikes. I also have a couple other non-bike projects going on there as well.

Here's a shot from my big bike lift.



The green & white 56 is mine. Almost done with that one!



The other 2 are my dad's. Except for my little pile behind the SC/Rambler. That's my 55 project.

 

Sorry about the pic... It was reduced from another pic so I guess it won't enlarge. Reach along the square spine frame piece just behind the gas tank... where this meets with the extended tab of the round frame from the rear there is a weld... where this weld went from the tab to the round piece is where it cracked. That post was put there for a reason... and that reason was not just to hold the coil. Good luck to the rest of you who have removed it...

 

Love that garage. Only in my dreams.