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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> White corrosion / marks on fork legs
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Message started by 652cafe on 10/20/15 at 12:45:50

Title: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/20/15 at 12:45:50

Anyone have any tips on getting rid of this ?? This seems to have appeared almost "overnight". It's only on the leading face of the forks, not around the sides or rear, chalky yet resistant. Tried Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish...no result.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by verslagen1 on 10/20/15 at 13:19:13

you have mag worms.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by norm92de on 10/20/15 at 15:37:44

Go to the local mosque they will be able to read it ;D

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/20/15 at 15:40:00

Sounds like a disease ! I'm thinking I need to get some Scotchbrite polishing disks and remove the clear ?

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by verslagen1 on 10/20/15 at 16:09:34

Aircraft stripper to remove the clear coat

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 10/20/15 at 18:46:07

Cracked clear coat. The only fix is to remove the clear coat, a big job (to get right) and then must be maintained with regular polishing. If you can live with the damaged clear, you'll be much happier.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/20/15 at 19:05:26

Thanks Gary...I wish I could say I would be happy to leave this alone but it bugs the hell out of me. I would not mind having to polish the bare aluminum every few weeks if it means I have shiny clean forks ! I have never seen this before on any bike I have owned, no matter how long...and I have only had this bike 7 months and it was REALLY clean when I got it. I'm guessing it had just been cleared as part of the build, but was not done well enough to resist the elements for any period of time.

I'm just looking for the best way to get to bare metal now...

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by verslagen1 on 10/20/15 at 19:28:01

Use the aircraft stripper to remove the clear coat.
It'll save you a whole lot of effort and leave the finish as it.
then you can either match it or do what you want.

and if you want it permanent, clear powder coat.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by Art Webb on 10/20/15 at 20:39:15

Fork gaiters
Then you won't see the clear coat, so it won't bug you ;)

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/20/15 at 20:53:23

You might try some 1,000 grit and water. Torn into strips, work it like shining a shoe. Then shoot clear on it. You might get away with that.
Wait till that spider web look hits the engine.. That took a buncha time.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by jcstokes on 10/20/15 at 22:39:49

652, if you think that's bad, you should see mine. Watch some of the el cheapo chrome on the mirror arms, if they're still stock.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by chzeckmate on 10/21/15 at 00:38:57

It's a type of fresh water crevice corrosion. It's known as vermiform corrosion. Versy is right, aircraft stripper, polish, and then clear pc is the answer, if you're inclined to do something about it. I've got some of this going on too, but it's part of the personality of the bike. I say leave it unless you're going to do the entire thing, fork legs, engine cases, pulley cover, etc...otherwise you'll spend a ton of time and frustration chasing these worm tracks as they spread over the life of the bike.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by Dave on 10/21/15 at 03:21:43

It does seem like the clear coat on the Savage is not very durable. Once the white streaks grow....the white is replaced with a spotty black corrosion that goes deep into the aluminum.

I stripped my engine cases and wheel of the clearcoat, and buffed them to a bright shine. (Aircraft stripper, sanding with 400/600,1,000 and buff). If your bike doesn't sit outside and get wet or damp often, the aluminum holds up fine and only needs to be polished a couple times a year. It does waterspot - so when you wash the bike you need to rinse well, use a leaf blower and get all the water off you can, towel dry, then go for a ride to blow everything off.

I have not done my fork legs yet.....maybe this winter.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/21/15 at 05:39:01

Thanks for all the tips Guys. So far it is just on the forks, not the motor. The bike really is in beautiful shape, so it's worth the effort to me to keep it clean. Looks like I'll be taking it down to bare aluminum with some chemicals, water, grit and elbow grease !

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by chzeckmate on 10/22/15 at 00:02:47

3D3E39686A6D6E0B0 wrote:

I think that would make a great YouTube video series. hint hint.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/23/15 at 19:26:30

I think that would make a great YouTube video series. hint hint.
[/quote]

Ha...I'll see what I can do. I would have to open a new utube chanel though.

This is the only one I have at the moment

www.youtube.com/hornitosconcerto

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by WD on 10/23/15 at 19:56:23

Rustoleum appliance epoxy. Available in white, cream, black or stainless steel looking glosses.

Scuff the fork slider. Paint per label instructions. Repeat several years down the road.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 10/26/15 at 16:49:06

OK...one fork down, one to go !! Took me about 4 hours total from masking everything off, applying Aircraft Remover, scraping and then 600 wet and dry, before finally Mothers Mag and Aluminum.
Could not be happier with the result.

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by chzeckmate on 10/27/15 at 02:06:14

Looks great!

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 11/12/15 at 15:54:47

Video of clearcoat removal !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFDLjakMPho

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by chzeckmate on 11/12/15 at 16:57:12

Okay, now I see why the corrosion bothered you so much. If I had that bike it would bother me too. That's one clean looking cafe!

Title: Re: White corrosion / marks on fork legs
Post by 652cafe on 11/12/15 at 17:35:10

haha...thanks, yeah it's clean ! Did you see the vids of the process of cleaning up the forks ? I meant to post the utube channel as a whole so you would see the 6 vids, but it posted the vid I shot of the whole bike instead.