Originally Posted by
dahoneezz
From the pics, it looks like they run a weld bead along the frame. You mean there is a plate which is slotted through the front tube?
No gusset at the back end of the hinge (hinge portion towards rear of bike)?
I am guessing from what I see in the pics, that a gusset is welded as a butt weld against the hinge face plate, after which the front tube is welded to the hinge face plate. The gusset is flush with a slot in the main tube. A weld is run around the gap between the gusset and the frame slot.
What I suggested at the time was a fin protrusion into a gap in the main tube, with the weld tracking around that protrusion, greatly strengthening the weld joint. This is basically exactly what was implemented, only the fin is a separate piece welded onto the hinge plate instead of being in one piece (which would have been much better albeit more expensive). Effectively, the butt weld has been lengthened. My original suggestion would have been far stronger due to a shear weld being much stronger than a butt weld.