# Klunker Build



## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

My version of a Klunker, I built it up over the last few months......it still needs paint and a few things. Rode it at Seven Mile Creek this afternoon.... it doesn't climb the best, but it descends well.

It's a 1966 Schwinn Typhoon Frame

xt rear
lx front
lx shifters
xt hubs, WTB FX 28 rims
slx crank
BB7's 185, 203
Surly 1x1 fork
weighs like 33.4 lbs haha


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Alright, lets see how you got that rear disk on there buddy. Turn the bike around. I want close ups! I really want to find a solid frame that is not too nice to modify.


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

sandmangts said:


> Alright, lets see how you got that rear disk on there buddy. Turn the bike around. I want close ups! I really want to find a solid frame that is not too nice to modify.


I'll take pics when I get home. Some one had cut the top tube out of this frame, so I didn't feel bad about making it into a klunker.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

33 pounds, well it's a lightweight!


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

rear disc mount


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## nuck_chorris (Jun 6, 2008)

why not a riser stem instead of all those spacers?


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

I am still playing around with the bar and stem combo.... more than likely it will get cut some. I know I need a wider bar and possibly a little shorter stem.


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## richieb (Oct 21, 2004)

My temptation would be to run a smaller rear rotor that the 185 you have there. Your frame will thank you for the decreased brake load - assuming you actually plan on riding it! 

All you'll do with the big rotor is lock up easier, unless you're going to do the mega-avalanche, and are worried about overheating the rotor...


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

oh its getting ridden, I used the 185, 203 because that's what my other bikes have so I can just swap wheelsets... I don't see the frame getting tweaked, however I have always add a brace in between chain and seat stays if needed.


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## Rad Rider 415 (Nov 20, 2010)

That a pretty cool bike! I wouldn't spend the money on those kind of upgrades though


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## jeepfreak (May 28, 2011)

Can you use a threadless head set on it ?


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

I've used one of those frames as a single speed for years, I've done 1000's of hard miles on it and the frame is straight as can be, I wouldn't worry about bending the frame.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

What is the steerer diameter on that fork> 1 & 1/8? What headset setup worked if so? I know it can be done with some mixing and matching.


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

Boy named SSue said:


> What is the steerer diameter on that fork> 1 & 1/8? What headset setup worked if so? I know it can be done with some mixing and matching.


its a 1 1/8 steer tube( Surly 1x1 fork)

1'' cups
1 1/8'' races
1 1/8'' bearing taken out of the cages
two O rings top and bottom so seal out dirt...


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

*Disc Brake??*



RaleighX said:


> I'll take pics when I get home. Some one had cut the top tube out of this frame, so I didn't feel bad about making it into a klunker.


I'm having trouble seeing the rear disc tab pic, any chance you could post a pic directly on thread like your bike pics? I'm putting together a 1987 schwinn cruiser 5 as a klunker. Also, did you put a small car jack in that rear end to get it spaced out for a 135mm mtb hub or did you re-dish your wheel down to the 120mm? I had an old 64' cruiser and that rear end was super stiff so i'm curious.


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## propguy (Oct 2, 2008)

Shane5001 said:


> I'm having trouble seeing the rear disc tab pic, any chance you could post a pic directly on thread like your bike pics? I'm putting together a 1987 schwinn cruiser 5 as a klunker. Also, did you put a small car jack in that rear end to get it spaced out for a 135mm mtb hub or did you re-dish your wheel down to the 120mm? I had an old 64' cruiser and that rear end was super stiff so i'm curious.


If you decide to modify your frame, Sheldon Brown has your answer: Bicycle Frame/Hub Spacing

I spread (cold set) my '40 DX (originally 110mm O.L.D.) to 135mm for a Sturmey-Archer drum brake hub. Just take your time and measure correctly. You will also need to re-align the dropouts.


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## RaleighX (Mar 30, 2011)

Shane5001 said:


> I'm having trouble seeing the rear disc tab pic, any chance you could post a pic directly on thread like your bike pics? I'm putting together a 1987 schwinn cruiser 5 as a klunker. Also, did you put a small car jack in that rear end to get it spaced out for a 135mm mtb hub or did you re-dish your wheel down to the 120mm? I had an old 64' cruiser and that rear end was super stiff so i'm curious.


Just open the frame up a little bit, use the string method to make sure it's straight.


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

Thanks for the pic and info. I went on Sheldon Brown, have used his site many times. The string method was sharp for fine tuning. Instead of using a 2x4, on my wife's bridgestone with the rear end squished, I pulled the little jack out of my car and cranked it back out to 135mm. I was hoping that you rigged a removable disc mount, but I see you are or know a welder. A2Z makes a nice disc brake mount but I don't think it will work on the semi-horizontal dropouts. Was excited to see my 1987 cruiser used the same larger 32mm headtube a the old vintage ones. Was planning on using a retro ryder headset. A 1 1/8" fork fits with the current headset cups but very tight, maybe 1mm around in space if that. How tight was your fork fit? Could save me spending $40 on a cheap open ball headset. And as far as taking the bearings out of their cage, did you just grease the bottom cup, lay the bearings in the grease 1 ball at a time and slide the fork in(bike inverted in stand).


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

Here is my cruiser with a removable disc mount that I made, also made a mount for the rear derailluer.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

That's pretty trick there


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

It looks pretty rough, that's the look I was going for, that "rat rod" look, also made a mount for the front springer fork.
My frame is a 1962( year I was born) Schwinn ?, didn't want to weld mounts onto the frame, only mod was the spread of the rear triangle.


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

Not bad, I now have ideas rolling through my head and supplies in the garage. Thank you hurricane Jeff.


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

Here's my start, all stock 1987 cruiser. The rear end was actually only 120-125mm, so I had to tweak it, used an ax handle with string method. Just need to straighten the dropouts back out so it will shift smooth.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

Another way to expand the width of your drop-outs is using a 5/16" threaded rod, 4 nuts (2 on each side and some washers, you just tighten the inner nuts to your desired width, then tighten the outer nuts against the drop-outs and the inner nuts to straighten the drop-outs.
I'm not familiar with the string method.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

The string is for checking alignment.


Hurricane Jeff said:


> Another way to expand the width of your drop-outs is using a 5/16" threaded rod, 4 nuts (2 on each side and some washers, you just tighten the inner nuts to your desired width, then tighten the outer nuts against the drop-outs and the inner nuts to straighten the drop-outs.
> I'm not familiar with the string method.


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

Exactly, string for alignment which was ingenious. I actually tried my car jack method 1st and it only pushed the drive side out. I didn't have a 2x4, so a quick glance around the garage looking for something long and hard, an ax will do, pried each stay outward, leveraging against the seat tube, pushed my initial tweak back in a hair, and whoola. I put a wheel in and slid the axle all the way to the front of the dropouts and tightened it. Tweaked both dropouts straight with a huge crescent wrench. Now I'm blasting the paint off.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

I just laid the frame on the ground, put one foot on one side and pulled.

1964 Schwinn single speed Mountain bike | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It'a really old picture, the fork and wheelset are toast, it has a rigid fork now 1 1/8 threadless and some other set of wheels. I think I'm on my 4th wheel set now, 3rd or 4th fork etc. The only thing OG is the frame which has held up just fine all these years.

newer pic:

64 Schwinn | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## iamkeith (Feb 5, 2010)

RaleighX said:


> oh its getting ridden, I used the 185, 203 because that's what my other bikes have so I can just swap wheelsets... I don't see the frame getting tweaked, however I have always add a brace in between chain and seat stays if needed.


Your project is cool. I was just going to suggest adding a brace, per the attached image, before I read this post. Since I'd already drawn it though, here it is. It looks like your chainstay is actually bent already, so I think you should do this for sure... sooner than later. Maybe even a bit further out than I've shown, to get past the bent part.


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## Shane5001 (Dec 18, 2013)

Love the vintage style seat clamp. What did you do to retrofit the 1 1/8 fork t it? Seen a couple of methods on another post as well the poster of this thread. My 1 1/8" rigid fork fits in the stock Schwinn cups, but probably <1mm room around. Spins none the less, will probably form a little groove in the fork steerer if I go that route. I see others have actually grinded down 1 1/8" cups to fit right into the Schwinn frame.


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

The ID of a Schwinn is 32 mm most 1/ 1/8 threadless headsets are 34? Anyway it only needs to clear a little bit to work and yes you can machine one down to fit or hodge podge a head set out of old bits which is what I did for years.


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## rwrusso (Apr 12, 2011)

I'm tempted to take an old 26" steel hardtail frame I have (2002 Gary Fisher Mamba) and make it into a coaster brake klunker. Thoughts? Would this even be doable? I'm not sure offhand what the rear spacing is, but I figure I could probably find a rear wheel with a fixed gear. Strip off all the old junk (rim brakes, crappy SR fork, FD, RD, etc.), go rigid with some alloy riser bars and other alloy parts instead of steel. Could be fun.


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## 1 cog frog (Dec 21, 2004)

rwrusso said:


> I'm tempted to take an old 26" steel hardtail frame I have (2002 Gary Fisher Mamba) and make it into a coaster brake klunker. Thoughts? Would this even be doable? I'm not sure offhand what the rear spacing is, but I figure I could probably find a rear wheel with a fixed gear. Strip off all the old junk (rim brakes, crappy SR fork, FD, RD, etc.), go rigid with some alloy riser bars and other alloy parts instead of steel. Could be fun.


Sounds like a fun parts bin build, but not really a klunker as shown in this really old thread.

Here's the current iteration of my 80's Schwinn Cruiser in klunker mode.

I've modified it heavily, & machined a bunch of parts for it. Lots of fun to build & ride.


















Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

rwrusso said:


> I'm tempted to take an old 26" steel hardtail frame I have (2002 Gary Fisher Mamba) and make it into a coaster brake klunker. Thoughts? Would this even be doable? I'm not sure offhand what the rear spacing is, but I figure I could probably find a rear wheel with a fixed gear. Strip off all the old junk (rim brakes, crappy SR fork, FD, RD, etc.), go rigid with some alloy riser bars and other alloy parts instead of steel. Could be fun.


Klunker geometry is very different from that Fisher w/ very long chainstays and low BB.


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## rwrusso (Apr 12, 2011)

Yeah, I should have said "klunker" inspired. Same concept, just with this bike I still have. Figure it would be a fun build for something to ride around double track trails and fire roads.


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