Forks - tinkle, tinkle, tinkle

[David9694]

Just starting a resto on a 531 Dave Quinn frame with quite a bit of surface rust. A lot of forks have what sounds like a few flakes inside - this sounds and even feels a bit more substantial than that. Some forks have a 2-3 mm hole drilled on the insides of the blades (made before assembly, presumably) - these don’t, so how did it get there?

Ideally, I’d like to remove whatever it is, but I don’t think there’s any economic way - is there..?

[KM2]

You are unlikely to be able to stop the noise, as you won’t be able to get the stuff out.
The small hole was there to let expanding gases out. It could have been filled in.
I guess if it didn’t have one, on cooling, the air must have been drawn in through a minute hole in the brazing, which might have led to the problem. Air pressure is a powerful thing.

[Mick F]

My 531c Mercian frame and forks have no breather holes at all.

You can see up the seat tube and down tube by looking up the BB. Just about able to see into the chainstays too.
Squirted Waxoyl into them some years ago, but in all it's 35years of life, there is no rust at all.

If I felt that the insides of the fork blades were at risk, I'd drill a small hole probably down at the dropout ends and squirt Waxoyl in.

[KM2]

The waxoyl might stick the bits of flux/brass that’s rattling around.

[cycleruk]

My 531c Mercian frame and forks have no breather holes at all.

You can see up the seat tube and down tube by looking up the BB. Just about able to see into the chainstays too.
Squirted Waxoyl into them some years ago, but in all it's 35years of life, there is no rust at all.

If I felt that the insides of the fork blades were at risk, I'd drill a small hole probably down at the dropout ends and squirt Waxoyl in.

You wont get breather holes in the frame tubes. You only need breather holes in tubes that end up being sealed during the brazing process. ie - front forks, seat stays and sometimes chain stays depending on the BB construction..
Some frame builders will seal the holes after the heat work is finished.

[Jdsk]

The waxoyl might stick the bits of flux/brass that’s rattling around.

Yes.

Jonathan

[alexnharvey]

My 531c Mercian frame and forks have no breather holes at all.

You can see up the seat tube and down tube by looking up the BB. Just about able to see into the chainstays too.
Squirted Waxoyl into them some years ago, but in all it's 35years of life, there is no rust at all.

If I felt that the insides of the fork blades were at risk, I'd drill a small hole probably down at the dropout ends and squirt Waxoyl in.

You wont get breather holes in the frame tubes. You only need breather holes in tubes that end up being sealed during the brazing process. ie - front forks, seat stays and sometimes chain stays depending on the BB construction..
Some frame builders will seal the holes after the heat work is finished.

The breather holes in frame tubes are drilled in the head tube, BB shell and seat tube before assembly.

[KM2]

The breather holes in frame tubes are drilled in the head tube, BB shell and seat tube before assembly.

Good point, would be done for welded frames.

[Mick F]

Zero breather holes in mine.
None whatsoever.

Maybe they were brazed over when the frame was finished.

[David9694]

As I clean the pain away, I can see evidence of other breather holes infilled.

I drilled two new holes and managed to get out - not sure what - grit, the sort of thing that you get in your shoe. The main thing is that it wasn’t a load of rust flakes.

[Mick F]

Great!
No rust!


What was it though?

[pwa]

Probably a bit of braze from manufacturing. I've had the same with frame tubes in the past. Never anything to worry about.