How long to do a frame change...

Mr OCD
Mr OCD Posts: 382
edited February 2011 in MTB beginners
... i.e. ... components off one bike on to another? (same brand)

Should say not done it before ... but I'm handy with the spanners (car and motorbike nut) ...
2009 Carrera Fury

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    well if you are lucky you will not need new parts. (but likely you will need some)
    and then the tools.......

    in the shop about an hour and then a bit of setting up.

    if there are internal routing and bleeding to be done then add some more.

    a n00b give yourself the weekend and the following week to get the new bits you need and the Saturday to finish.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • IMO Id say about an hour at the most aslong as everything is the same size. How are your cables routed? Might need to replace them. Other than that its pretty straight forward if you have to tools
    Spes rockhopper 09 FCN 9
  • Mr OCD
    Mr OCD Posts: 382
    gruffdris wrote:
    IMO Id say about an hour at the most aslong as everything is the same size. How are your cables routed? Might need to replace them. Other than that its pretty straight forward if you have to tools

    Thanks... Any special tools needed?
    2009 Carrera Fury
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Start on Saturday, visit LBS for parts you thought would work but don't on Sunday morning, finish Sunday :wink:
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Mr OCD wrote:
    gruffdris wrote:
    IMO Id say about an hour at the most aslong as everything is the same size. How are your cables routed? Might need to replace them. Other than that its pretty straight forward if you have to tools

    Thanks... Any special tools needed?

    Depending on your chain a chain splitter may be necessary, otherwise a BB/crank tool is the only specialist tool you'll need. Full set of allen keys, soft mallet, wood drift and tough screwdriver for the headset (although way easier with press and rocket), decent cable cutters (and new cables), maybe a bleed kit for your brakes if their hydros....
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • For the first time only a couple of hours, if your only doing a frame swap then the bars/stem will go across complete.

    Headset cups are about the most awkward bit to do yourself, I've gently knocked mine out with a large screw driver and then made a press from some wooden offcuts and threaded bar.

    A Saturday afternoon should suffice.
    Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.
  • leaflite
    leaflite Posts: 1,651
    You may need a new seatpost depending on the size of the old and new frames seat tube.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Mr OCD wrote:
    gruffdris wrote:
    IMO Id say about an hour at the most aslong as everything is the same size. How are your cables routed? Might need to replace them. Other than that its pretty straight forward if you have to tools

    Thanks... Any special tools needed?

    Simply because you've asked a question like that I'm going tp predict that it will take you a couple of days. Not knowing what tools are required is a bad omen. This also makes it sound like you probably don't know how to do something like this either. So, the one hour is crap, think a couple of days and buy a book to show yourself how to do all this CORRECTLY or you'll have something that will barely work, if at all.
  • tsenior
    tsenior Posts: 664
    voice of doom there denisn :wink: but they are right dont try and rush it and you will inevitably need to buy something you dident think of be it tool, adaptor or different size bit.

    you dont need to totally dismantle everything, as someone else said, stem, bar, levers, grips can all be left together, similalry peds and cranks.

    also any other maintinance overdue while you've got it in bits? fork service, bearing inspection? do it now while you have the time and tools out 8)
  • Check steerer is long enough and that headset is the same type.
    Only special tool you will need is a BB spanner/socket.
    Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.
  • warpcow
    warpcow Posts: 1,448
    You'll need a crank extractor too, assuming you still have the original chainset on the Fury. The BB tool will be a socket type rather than the more modern spanner.
  • warpcow wrote:
    You'll need a crank extractor too, assuming you still have the original chainset on the Fury. The BB tool will be a socket type rather than the more modern spanner.

    Doh. :oops:
    Northwind wrote: It's like I covered it in superglue and rode it through ebay.
  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    you may need to face the bb shell, get a shop to do that.
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Are you fitting frame cups, changing steerer length installing a bottom bracket?

    If you are then you will need all sorts of special tools or home made equivs.

    I Don't believe this can be done in a hour, unless its one identical frame to another. I assume you want to clear and lube everything as you go?
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    tsenior wrote:
    voice of doom there denisn :wink: but they are right dont try and rush it and you will inevitably need to buy something you dident think of be it tool, adaptor or different size bit.

    you dont need to totally dismantle everything, as someone else said, stem, bar, levers, grips can all be left together, similalry peds and cranks.

    also any other maintinance overdue while you've got it in bits? fork service, bearing inspection? do it now while you have the time and tools out 8)

    Not trying to be the voice of doom. Think about it. Here's someone who doesn't know how long it will take and that tells me he doesn't know how to do it. He doesn't know what tools are needed and that tells me that he can't do it until he gets a few of these things. The above two reasons translate loosely into not very good chances of getting things right in the first place. Therefore, 2 days minimum.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    I will re Quote myself.
    nicklouse wrote:
    well if you are lucky you will not need new parts. (but likely you will need some)
    and then the tools.......

    in the shop about an hour and then a bit of setting up.

    if there are internal routing and bleeding to be done then add some more.

    a n00b give yourself the weekend and the following week to get the new bits you need and the Saturday to finish.

    and I have swapped a few frames over.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    There is always bleeding to be done, normally its the knuckles ;)
  • sheepsteeth
    sheepsteeth Posts: 17,418
    the last couple of frame swaps i have done have taken about an hour at a leisurely pace but i have a head set press and removal tool and i use split crown races.

    i used to find the headset as the longest part of a frame swap and those two tools have made a massive difference for not alot of outlay.

    i also have a bulk ammount of cable outer and inner gear cables which helps with all of the nif naf and trivia or changing drivetrains.

    if i wasnt set up like this, i could se it taking days if you include waiting times for deliveries and what not.
  • tri-sexual
    tri-sexual Posts: 672
    edited February 2011
    if everything is straight forward, no breakages, cross threads and everything on the donor bike is in good condition then way under 1 hour, this include setting up gears and brakes etc.
    there is very little in the way of components to swap over, wheels include tyres, tubes, rotors etc etc
    seat post comes with fitted saddle
    removal of forks and handle bars, all brake levers,cables, hoses ,grips are all one unit- bolt on calipers front and rear-cable tie all the cables/hoses
    cranks, bb, chain, mechs are straight swap.

    however things are rarely straight forward and if you dont know what you are doing you can spend forever doing a job that a experienced mechanics can do in minutes.

    when i do such jobs i will probably take about 3 hours, this include total strip of components, degrease, replace worn bearings, regrease everything with fresh grease, true wheels, lube the clean chain set up and test ride then fine tune the whole lot. and the whole lot will be tightened to the manufacturers recommended torque settings.
    the bike will be like new
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    tri-sexual wrote:
    if everything is straight forward, no breakages, cross threads and everything on the donor bike is in good condition then way under 1 hour, this include setting up gears and brakes etc.
    there is very little in the way of components to swap over, wheels include tyres, tubes, rotors etc etc
    seat post comes with fitted saddle
    removal of forks and handle bars, all brake levers,cables, hoses ,grips are all one unit- bolt on calipers front and rear-cable tie all the cables/hoses
    cranks, bb, chain, mechs are straight swap.

    however things are rarely straight forward and if you dont know what you are doing you can spend forever doing a job that a experienced mechanis can do in minutes.

    when i do such jobs i will probably take about 3 hours, this include total strip of components, degrease, replace worn bearings, regrease everything with fresh grease, true wheels, lube the clean chain set up and test ride then fine tune the whole lot. and the whole lot will be tightened to the manufacturers recommended torque settings.
    the bike will be like new

    You forget one thing. You sound like you know what you're doing and have proper tools.
  • tsenior
    tsenior Posts: 664
    yes i think we get the message dennisn :roll:

    to the OP, unless you want to do this sort of thing regularly (ie learn and buy specialist tools) get the headset and BB fitted down the LBS.

    i would heed tri sexuals advice and give everything a clean, inspection and grease/lube/antisieze/threadlock as appropriate

    i wouldent try to true the wheels if you dont know what you are doing though.

    and yes allow a couple of days
  • anjs
    anjs Posts: 486
    check to make sure the capliers will fit the new frame and you dont need new adaptors
  • Mr OCD
    Mr OCD Posts: 382
    Thanks all ... 8)

    I'm confident can do the job myself having worked on cars and motorbikes for years doing all my own work. I asked if there were any specialist tools required simply because I havent had to strip a bike down before and wanted to be prepared.

    Turns out unlikely will be using the frame I've been offered so will need to wait but will make sure I give myself a couple of days for the frame swap.
    2009 Carrera Fury
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Take your time... Building a bike's like making love to a beautiful woman, some guys on here will be proud that they can get the job done in the shortest possible time then have a nap, it's not a race. And also sometimes it turns out that the tool you have is the wrong size.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Northwind wrote:
    Take your time... Building a bike's like making love to a beautiful woman, some guys on here will be proud that they can get the job done in the shortest possible time then have a nap, it's not a race. And also sometimes it turns out that the tool you have is the wrong size.
    :lol:

    There is one significant difference though. If you slip, and/or lose your rag, then end up with bleeding knuckles, then you're doing bike maintenance wrong.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Northwind wrote:
    Take your time... Building a bike's like making love to a beautiful woman,
    You do it in the basement with the bike clamped to the wall?
    You sometimes get your mates round because you need an extra hand or two? Or because sometimes you have to give up and pay a greasy man with better equipment to do the job properly?

    I smell a crudcatcher thread....
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    bails87 wrote:
    Northwind wrote:
    Take your time... Building a bike's like making love to a beautiful woman,
    You do it in the basement with the bike clamped to the wall?
    You sometimes get your mates round because you need an extra hand or two? Or because sometimes you have to give up and pay a greasy man with better equipment to do the job properly?
    I wouldn't do anything like that with my bike. :shock:
  • sheepsteeth
    sheepsteeth Posts: 17,418
    Northwind wrote:
    Take your time... Building a bike's like making love to a beautiful woman,

    what, it ends up in a ditch with it's handlebars pointing backwards?
  • richg1979
    richg1979 Posts: 1,087
    if everything is a direct swap and steerer ect is all the right length i can do swap over in about 30 mins, if your swapping bars,shifters, stems, saddles,grips,tyres ect over it will take a fair bit longer.

    but if youve never done it before with not the correct tools then how long is a peice of string?