Deadeye Dick
Member
Anyone have any recommendations for corrosion repair for aluminum?
I suspect looks better than original? There's a beautiful lustre to polished cast-aluminium.Il
It’s stayed clear with minor maintenance and protective spray. What you’re seeing is the clearcoat failing and moisture getting under it.
Thanks so much! It's a 2007. Really appreciate the insights!On an old, 70s, Triumph, I've used scotchbrite wheels in a drill, then cotton wheels in the drill with polish. Comes up like new.
Think you've got a problem as that looks like a modern bike, and progress dictates it's got a clear lacquer finish. In which case I'd remove the laquer, first trying industrial strength paint stripper, failing that grit paper. Then polish with the cotton wheel.
Just to add, when using the scotchbrite wheels, I lubricated with WD-40. The wheels come in varying grades. Managed to do this without making bad scratching. Just my way, others will have their waysThanks so much! It's a 2007. Really appreciate the insights!
I didn’t remove either of the main covers when I polished them. If you remove them you will need gaskets. Yes there will be some oil involved if you remove the covers. Draining might be a good idea. When I have removed the case covers, some oil was left even when I drained, so be prepared to protect your floor and catch any residual oil.When I go to clean up the covers I'm assuming I don't need to drain the oil when taking off the sprocket and alternator covers. But, do I need to drain the oil if I remove the crankcase cover? Regardless I'll need to replace the gasket, correct?
Thanks!I didn’t remove either of the main covers when I polished them. If you remove them you will need gaskets. Yes there will be some oil involved if you remove the covers. Draining might be a good idea. When I have removed the case covers, some oil was left even when I drained, so be prepared to protect your floor and catch any residual oil.
Should not need to take off the Alt Cover.....if you do oil will leak.When I go to clean up the covers I'm assuming I don't need to drain the oil when taking off the sprocket and alternator covers. But, do I need to drain the oil if I remove the crankcase cover? Regardless I'll need to replace the gasket, correct?
Thanks for the insights! Much appreciated!Should not need to take off the Alt Cover.....if you do oil will leak.
Same for the cover on the clutch side.....do it on the bike.
I remover the little cover screwed onto those larger cover so as not to damage them.
And resealing where the wire go in can be tricky.
I polished my covers....sprocket cover is ok to take off nothing to leak.
The lacquer will come off in the polishing process.
I polished mine as I didn't like the brushed finish.....and as it was more liable to ending up like yours.
My finish now it like a 60s bikes engine covers.
Method I use was by hand......use different grades of wet/dry paper....start off with a courser grade....not to course or you get scratches.....hard to rub out....start with say 800 grit and see how you go on....I used my paper with water.
Go down a grade if 800 is hard work.....then do it again with a light grade sat 1200 till you get the req finish.
In the end I did the final polish with a UK product called T-Cut.....a paint polishing product.
I also did my the alloy so called airfilter covers on my 2020 T100.
The more effort in....the better finish out.
Love the effect.
Great suggestion! I think we have a WINNER! Thanks so much!Deadeye, if you (one at a time, screw back in, then next one) take screws out, you can polish in the recesses with these. I don't have a Dremel, just use a regular drill. Next to impossible to do any other way. Using the pencil shaped ones with flat ends. The pointy ones are great for carbs, etc.
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