SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1358652713

Message started by DavidOfMA on 01/19/13 at 19:31:53

Title: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/19/13 at 19:31:53

The PO of my S40 did some winter riding and there's some etching from salt on the aluminum parts of the bike, and this winter I've managed to add more. What are some ways to polish off the existing salt damage, and how (other than not riding in the winter) can I help protect the bike from salt in the future? I ride when the roads look dry, but I've hit a few wet patches and presumably picked up some dissolved road salt in the process.

I'm looking for ways to do this with minimal resources, as I have no access to a hose, no garage, no lift. Limited to what I can do with an electric drill attachment or hand tools. I'm not looking for perfection, but doing something seems better than just letting the aluminum parts get badly etched.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by thumperclone on 01/20/13 at 10:41:23

white vinegar

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/20/13 at 12:07:23

The spokes are really a booger to clean up. After several time & labor intensive attempts that resulted in no really noticeable positive results I decided to try something different. I took about 3' of parachute cord & pulled the center strings out, leaving only a woven nylon tube. There is enough texture to the weave to be somewhat abrasive. Some "El Cheapo" chrome polish ( I used Turtle Wax chrome polish) & wrap the cord around a spoke 1 time, pull tight & pull the cord. You can generate enough friction to get a spoke hot enough to know it when ya touch it. Paying attention to which way its wrapped will allow better access into certain places on the wheel,. I took them off & laid them on, well,, I had the bottom 1/2 of an old shop vac, shorter & wider than a 5 gallon bucket, but if thats all I had, I could make it work. A guy Could get a 5 gallon bucket, poke 2 holes in the bottom, lay a brace on it, anything, a wrench, a good stick, whatever, & tie it tight, dig a hole & plant the bucket, bring the rope up & tie the wheel down tight on the bucket. I wish I woulda thot of that,,
Anyway, thats what Id do if I was gonna do it again, If a guy had someone to just HOLD it down,,
Ohh, yea,, Youll wear that cord OUT, youll need at least 3 to get both wheels done, & youll see the spokes are literally etched on the side facing forward when theyre above the axle.
Remember the rule of 80/20 here. HIt it, dont expect to make new ones out of them, youll waste your time & energy if youre determined to make 'em shine,

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/20/13 at 12:26:10

Regarding vinegar, how do you use it?

For my purposes, the 90/10 rule is probably good enough. I don't really care about the spokes. I'm mostly concerned about the etching that has already occurred on the aluminum side covers of the bike, and a little bit of etching on the fork.

What works best to clean that up and smooth it down? Is there some kind of aluminum polish, maybe with steel wool, and then hit it with finer and finer grades of wet/dry sandpaper? I don't mind if the aluminum parts have a "matte" finish from sandpaper, but the salt-etching is pretty nasty.

And then how do I protect it in the future, if I hit more puddles laced with road salt?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Face on 01/20/13 at 13:29:31

Don't know if they're all this way, but the side covers on my '07 have a clear coat on them for protection. Maybe the etching you speak of is actually pitting in the clear coat? If so, a MILDLY abrasive automotive polishing compound and some quality wax applied by hand should clean it up OK. Not perfect, but better than it is now. Maintaining it is key. Wash salt off as soon as possible with soap and water, and re-wax as needed.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/20/13 at 13:36:52

There's a clear coat on the side covers of my 07, too, but a lot of it appears to have been scratched away, and the metal itself has been etched. I'd like to find a way to mostly restore the finish and then protect it again. Any idea what the clear coat is? It would have to be something that could stand getting fairly warm.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Dave on 01/20/13 at 17:08:53

The clear coat is probably a powder coat clear that is baked on. It is on all the aliminum parts - and undorfunately it is not very durable. Once is gets scratched or cracked the water and salt go underneath it and corrode the aluminum quickly. This accelerated corrosion occurs as it takes longer for the moisture to dry when it is trapped between the metal and the peeling clear coat. At first the aluminum turns white, and then black. The aluminum becomes etched so deep that simple buffing won't get to the bottom of the corrosion, and sanding is necessary to bring back the aluminum color.

I really don't know how you are going to make it better with your limited tools and supplies. Mother's, Simichrome, and other aluminum polishes will help, as will washing and waxing. Washing the bike should be followed by a thorough drying and a ride to blow and shake the water out of the recesses. Washing a bike and just letting it sit - helps the corrosion process along as it supplies the moisture.

Riding a bike in the salt - will make it very hard to stop the corrosion process....or even slow it down.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/20/13 at 17:44:25

Turning white, then black, is exactly what's happening, and a lot of the clear coat seems to have worn off.

I wonder if I'd be better off painting the aluminum parts -- at least the side covers, which are the most etched -- with some kind of heat-resistant paint. Any idea what would work, and what kind of prep I'd need to do to get it to stick to the clear coat? Or would I need some kind of solvent to remove the clear coat first?

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by houstonbofh on 01/20/13 at 17:56:48

I found out about this stuff from a guy who made and refinished boat trailers... (On the gulf coast) http://www.sharkhide.com/ He loves it.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/20/13 at 19:20:02

Interesting product. Have you or anyone you know used it on parts that get hot, like the side covers on the LS650? Couldn't find anything on their site about maximum temperature it can handle.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by houstonbofh on 01/20/13 at 20:17:07

No, not yet... :) But it sure works nice on polished aluminum!

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Super Thumper on 01/20/13 at 20:30:18

I'm a wild and crazy guy....I'm gonna buy some and try it...will post pics and comments for you.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/21/13 at 04:40:38

I tried several approaches when I was trying to get the clear coat/oxidization off the aluminum,. I finally settled on the green 3 M scrubby pads & a palm orbital sander & a spray bottle of water. Easiest clean stripper I found.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Dave on 01/21/13 at 05:36:32

Stripping off the clear coat will make it possible to clean up the existing corrosion - but it will do nothing to prevent it from occurring again. The clear coat is an attempt to keep the aluminum bright and shiny - unfortunately it does not seem to be very durable on this bike.

Here is an S100 product that is supposed to prevent corrosion when used as directed, and I bought it at a motorcycle shop. Maybe it could help you prevent things from getting worse.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/21/13 at 06:54:48

516A6770616D76706B636E71020 wrote:

Thanks. The protectant seems like a good short-term solution until it warms up around here and I can clean off the existing corrosion. By then, maybe Super Thumper will have tried Shark Hide.

Thanks again,
David

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/21/13 at 10:23:08

I wonder if Duplicolor engine cleat coat would hold up better than the stock coating:
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/enginePaint/

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Gyrobob on 01/21/13 at 11:34:08

535558585C555E59535245370 wrote:

I wonder if Duplicolor engine cleat coat would hold up better than the stock coating:
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/enginePaint/

It might help some, but its chip resistance is about the same as normal Duplicolor, and if you get a few drops of gas on it, it'll cloud up. Don't ask me how I know these things.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by WD on 01/21/13 at 15:03:18

Step 1: Put on long rubber gloves.
Step 2: spray green scrubbie pad with oven cleaner.
Step 3: scrub side covers.
Step 4: wipe clean with a rag and small bucket of water

Step only have to do once if you do it right since your side covers are now etched... paint side covers with silver drum/caliper paint. Let dry then ride until the paint stops stinking and reapply paint while the covers are warm. Hubs, rotor hats and calipers get hotter than your side cases should.

If you know any truly fossilized boat enthusiasts ask them for some steel hull primer. Don't get any on you, don't breathe the dust... very high lead content. Lead oxides will seal up the aluminum. Thn you can paint over it with impunity. My truck engine was painted with aircraft enamel in 1958 or 1963 (forget when the engine was swapped) and is still holding on tight. Aircraft and boat paints from back then are high lead. Don't get caught with it, but if you can find some it is worth every penny.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by Cavi Mike on 01/21/13 at 16:46:53

The green side of a sponge - usually referred to as "scotch-brite" - is sand paper in sponge form. That's why you're warned to never use that side of the sponge on coated pots-n-pans and it should never be used on any painted, polished or powder coated surfaces. You may get away with it on chromed surfaces since the chromium coating it so hard but other than that you're literally sanding away your finish.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/21/13 at 16:47:30

The drum/caliper paint is more chip resistant than the engine clear coat? If so, this seems like a good solution once it warms up around here. I don't really want to work too hard on this (sanding and buffing the aluminum), but I also want it to look decent.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by DavidOfMA on 01/21/13 at 16:49:45

4E6C7B64406466680D0 wrote:

Nope, already made the mistake of using Scotch Brite on my exhaust to try to remove some burned-on nylon, and now I have a "matte" finish on the pipe. From now on I'll only use that on surfaces I intend to paint.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by WD on 01/22/13 at 07:47:36

I've only ever used it on Peterbilts and Freightliners. Seemed to hold up fairly well.

Problem with the side cases is they are hanging out there for all the world to see and make contact with. Unfortunately, good engine paints got banned a couple decades ago during the country's big "lead is evil" scare. My 1963 Honda Scrambler still has factory engine paint on it with about 80% coverage intact. My Savage cylinder and head was painted with Duplicolor engine enamel in 2000 or so, properly cured but not primed. It held up really well for about 10 years, still has 90% coverage but it is starting to get ragged.

Engine enamel over engine primer will likely do you fine. Just don't waste a bunch of money on clear coating. The key to getting a good bond is heat. Warm the engine up for a couple minutes, put your first coat down. Let it dry about 20 minutes, go on a short ride. Come back and when you can touch the engine with bare hands (coffee cup temp or so) paint it again.

Even easier way to deal with it. Order some ZOOP Seal from the internet, follow the directions. Completely seals the pores of the base metal, no painting required. Used to use it on hot rod billet engine parts. Pricey, but it lasts for a long time.

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by WD on 01/22/13 at 07:49:47

Oh, as you already found out, Savages are soft chromed. No nickel mid layer, many of the parts are not copper base plated. Our chrome is most like metal vapor deposition instead of actually plated. Much cheaper (in more ways than one).

Title: Re: Reducing/removing salt damage to aluminum
Post by verslagen1 on 01/22/13 at 08:20:31

zoop has changed their name... don't remember what it is.