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| Riejufixing |
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Riejufixing
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Joined: 24 Jun 2018
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| Teflon-Mike |
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Teflon-Mike
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Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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 Posted: 15:11 - 01 Jul 2018  Post subject: Re: Pitted fork repair, degreaser? |
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| Riejufixing wrote: | What causes pitting? Bad manufacture? Stone hits? |
Poor steel, poor chrome, poor manufacture would be the top choice on a Spanish built bike.... except I own a Spanish built bike that's over 30 years old, with good forks... so be unfair to blame that as sole cause.
Fact is that its a little bike, built down to a cost, with more emphasis on looks and performance than how long it will last, and build quality in general is not what it once was... but wont help none.
Stone hits are interesting idea.. and oft blamed.... but hint is in the name, its 'hard chrome'... take a pair of chrome handlebars to a powder coaters and ask if they will sand-blast and dip them... they will often refuse because even the 'soft' decorative chrome will stand a heck of a lot of blasting... and that stuff is a heck of a lot sharper than a pebble, anmd chucked out the blasting nozzle oft close to or beyond the speed of sound..... I doubt that a 4-stroke 125 will ever get up anything like the sort of speed that the impact of a stone will have the same destructive force Lol! May help chip already flaking chrome off, but you can hit a fork leg with a lump hammer and not damage the chrome coating... might dent the steel beneath... but you wont do much to crack the chrome, so I think you can discount that idea.
MAINTENANCE! Most steel will rust from the inside; cars, bike petrol tanks, that's how they tend to 'go' and forks aren't a lot different; when the chrome starts to go they go from rust under the chrome not above... but, if you dont keep them clean, then any opportunity rust has to get into or under the chrome will be the most significant factor on flaking and pitting.
| Riejufixing wrote: | OTOH replacement "fork pipes" (Rieju RS3 125) are £37 each. |
That seems a pretty reasonable price to me; and a certain 'fix'. And if they are readily available and that's all they cost, I wouldn't be in much of a hurry to try employ a bodge!
Do it once, do it right, do it on the cheap, and forever re-do!
The araldite dodge works, but whatever made the chrome come off will make the araldide come off, sooner or later, and likely the sooner.
Meanwhile, more significant question is what state are teh forks seals if they have been riding over sand-paper rough pitting every time they try work?
In the grand scheme, a new pair of forks seals are usually under a tenner, fork oil not a lot more; and most of the work, especially in a pair of up-side-down forks like the Riajuy has, is in the stripping and rebuilding...
For the money fork legs cost, why bodge why not bite the bullet, do job properly and only have to do it once and likely never have to worry about it again.
Its not like its a rare machine parts are no longer available for or that where they are they are stupid prices, and you have little option but try salvage what you got.
| Riejufixing wrote: | What's a good degreaser to flush out the small pits in the hard chrome coating? |
See above... the whole plan is flawed, and you aren't going to effect a very permenant bodge; and even if you get 'best' adherance between the steel beneath and the epoxy, its still not as hard as the chrome it will still get worn away or fall off when chrome around starts to flake.
And there's bigger fish to fry than what degreasant, like what wet and dry to nib back to metal; how hard, how deep is the pit and how much penetration will you get of the araldite...
If I had to employ the bodge 'cos I couldn't get replacement stansions, after nibbing back and degreasing with soap and water.... I'd likely use methalated spirits that will evaporate as last 'wipe'.
B-U-T... if the rust isn't that bad, and fork seals still sealing, I would likely do nothing but clean with soapy water and polish.... and leave the job until it really needed doing, and then do it properly with new legs.
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| Riejufixing |
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Riejufixing
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| Posted: 16:44 - 01 Jul 2018 Post subject: Re: Pitted fork repair, degreaser? |
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Lots of things get pitted forks, so perhaps it's not Spanish manufacture (unsure where Rieju's forks are made, engine is Yam with badge-engineered clutch cover, some forks are Showa). I think stones must be favourite - a dent to the steel could crack the chrome microscopically, then water gets in, rust pimples the chrome, seals truncate pimples.... anyway.
This is a "Cat C" rebuild. I might just get a pair of stanchions, as I've saved money by buying "Brake Lever Gear Shift Pedals Adapter" for less than £4 from China, gear+brake rubbers/spindles were snapped off but levers still OK.
The seals are ofc knackered (well, one leg is, other OK but chrome is still pitted, so...). A tenner off eBay for seals & dust covers (twice that from Rieju but they will be NAK seals... not AKA).
The forks are dead easy to dismantle:
1) Remove wheel spindle.
2) Pull down dust seal (blunt kitchen knive edge/lever/use fingers).
3) Prise out circlip.
4) Undo fork top nut (27mm).
5) Push up lower fork leg, loosen lock nut.
6) Remove fork cap nut.
7) pull out bottom of fork leg including stanchion.
I'm not keen on using meths. as a solvent, will try some of the MEK I have ordered to repair the mudguard, it is an aggressive solvent. Thinners is possible too.
Your last suggestion is a possibility; round the edges of the pits, fit new seals, and see how long they last....  |
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| MCN |
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MCN
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| Islander |
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Islander
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| Posted: 17:16 - 01 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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I've used the Araldite fix a couple of times and found ordinary brake cleaner applied with a toothbrush effective. Before you clean it, use some fine wet & dry to flatten off any edges on the pits. Gaiters are a good idea to protect the stanchions from further damage.  |
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| WD Forte |
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WD Forte
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| A100man |
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A100man
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| Posted: 14:20 - 03 Jul 2018 Post subject: |
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| WD Forte wrote: | I've used the epoxy method on unobtainium and "how feckin much?"
forks, but for 37 quid each would cough up the dosh. |
Indeed so. I'm pathologically mean and a dedicated bodge-meister but I would shell out that much in the blink of an eye. For the GT250 I have in my hands right now , new legs are at least £125 each for new or £180 a pair for re-chrome...
Cheers
J
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johnsmith222
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stinkwheel
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BusterGonads
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 8 years, 93 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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