FT: Frame (Twin) Rear Inner Spring Boxes
- Thread starter Peter Holmes
- Start date
Do I spot a coil over between the spring boxes (presumably empty)
I just spoke to Andrew, the technician at Davies Chrome plating. He says that it would cost a very lot of money to hard chrome the Girdraulic inner spring boxes, over £100, and suggests buying the ss ones at about that price. I hear that the ss is too soft and prone to scoring badly.
So, do I give up and buy new ss ones?
Paul
So, do I give up and buy new ss ones?
Paul
If you don't mind black ones ----- Make new ones from black UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) polyethylene.
Try A M Philpot, Luton.
I think there is some confusion here. Although the title refers to the rear the conversation is about the front. The wall thickness of the front inners is very thin. I can't measure one at the moment but I would be surprised if UHMWP of the right thickness would be up to it. Robert's photo shows shiny fronts and possibly black rears but I am viewing all this on a small screen so I am not sure. Anyone remember "bantam gaiters" being used to hide this part of the bike?
Silly me, assuming the items in question were what is described in the subject line! My fronts are cad plated (and a bit scored and rusty) steel inners. I think they would be too long to bore from solid!
I have been making enquiries.
Davies say that it would have to be ground on centre-less grinding machines, and cost over £100 each. He suggested buying the new ss ones instead.
AM Philpott think that 5 microns of hard chrome followed by grinding, or polish well before plating might work. It would not conceal any pits or scores from the piece. Cost approx £60 per shroud
I also thought of ceramic coating, which could be dull shiny metal finish. Malden Shot Blast and Powder Coat (MSB) think that a ceramic coat would work in this application. Again, without seeing the job, think it would be around £60 per spring box
Davies say that it would have to be ground on centre-less grinding machines, and cost over £100 each. He suggested buying the new ss ones instead.
AM Philpott think that 5 microns of hard chrome followed by grinding, or polish well before plating might work. It would not conceal any pits or scores from the piece. Cost approx £60 per shroud
I also thought of ceramic coating, which could be dull shiny metal finish. Malden Shot Blast and Powder Coat (MSB) think that a ceramic coat would work in this application. Again, without seeing the job, think it would be around £60 per spring box
Ceramic coating will not look shiny like chrome or stainless. Roy Robertson has it on the exhaust pipes of his Egli and it looks very good, but not like chrome or stainless. Years ago one of my chums dropped his Shadow and it slid down the road on the rear exhaust pipe which was flattened. The diamond hard chrome was unmarked and had not released from the underlying bent metal. From that experience I do not think that you will do better than DHC. The problem is how badly scored the present tubes are. If they are so bad that polishing or metal spraying or whatever will not remove the scoring then , although this might sound silly, just cut off the old tubes and braze new tubes on and then get them DHCd it won't be cheap but you will never have to do it again.
Is new tube of the right external and internal diameter available ?