Barracuda - Totally Driven!

I have been stalking this web page for awhile, and now finally got around to registering.

My Barracuda Cuda Comp. It was my first real Mtn bike. Bought it from the LBS after wroking the summer folding towels and washing dishes at the Days Inn. I have slowly upgraded it, all XT. Juicy 3 disks, Tora fork, atom lab wheels. Nothing amazing, but always fun... the bike has been just about everything. flat bar road, cyclocross, bar bike, cruzer. single speeds, 1x9. again 'nothing great... but always fun.'

So today I go into the bike some to get a couple of thing, and I see a sweet headset. A crank Bros Sage. Owner said he would give me a deal... so I was open for it. headed home put the bike on the car and bam... we start the install, been done several times... but today there was a crack...

I thought about seeing if I could get it welded or keeping up the tradition, cut up a pbr can, add some jb weld, hope it hold up and I wont need a new face? I guess I need to say good by

I think that looks fixable. I would immediately pop that cup out and drill a 1/16 hole at the end of the two cracks to take the stress off and prevent further cracking. Then take to a good tig welder. Grind the excess off and have a cromo ring machined to press around it for support.

I am making some rings for one of my bikes right now as a preventative measure. Get a micrometer and measure the outside diameter of the headtube. Make measurements in two opposte directions and average the numbers. Post the average on this thread and I will tell you if I can help you out. Mine is about 1.625 in OD. I have cromo tubing with an inside diameter of 1.620 available. I have not had the rings cut yet but plan to take to the machine shop in a couple of weeks.

additional note: They say that aluminum has a finite life, but most of the cracks I have seen are on the weld side of the head tube. I bring this up because I see you have aftermarket bearing cups and wonder if the head tube was reamed for the new cups when installed. That is a DIY mistake that can cause this type of failure. I would pop the top cup out as preventative measure as well.. That and re-ream both of them when you put it all back together. With a press tool, not a hammer.

Sad story, it sounds just like my A2M, loved that bike. I decided not to chance it, If I cruised the streets with it I might have tried fixing it but I'm 240 pounds and ride everything from xc to ski slopes so I was too nervous about loosing teeth. I stripped it down, hung the frame on the garage wall and am building up an A2E frame that I picked up. The comp is sweet, but you could find a nice cuda frame to build up for not too much $$ if you decide not to fix. Either way you decide to go good luck with it and keep us updated. Mix's suggestions are exellent if you do decide to fix it.