How do I hammer out a bend?

[jerrylee]

Just bought a Western Flyer in pretty good shape except that part of the frame is bent up. The bend is near the rear of the bike close to the dropouts. I was thinking of just banging it back into shape with a hammer but I don't want to weaken it. Any advice?

 

[Markm]

got pics??

 

[user 135]

pics will help. I had a ladies Schwinn where the chainstain was bent in about 2 inches. I laid it flat on the grass with a 2x4 on on top of the good side. The pry up the affected area. Take a spare axle or something to keep the spacing good on the droppouts.

 

[MonsterMetal]

Yes... Pics would help.

It its not kinked a put it between two soft chunks of wood and hammer on the wood till its straight. Hard wood can dent thin tube. If its kinked you really need to make some cuts with a grinder or something and put a bit of heat on it to straighten it out. You gotta kind of think of steel as a fluid substance. It really moves a lot like clay or molten glass. If you bend a tube it gets thicker on the inside and thinner on the outside.. So when you try to bend it back the material that stretched wont unstretch and you get wobbles and wowies

If you had a picture I could tell you step by step what I would try...