I have some corroded spots on the front forks, and when I sand them out, and then put the "mothers" to them, the corroded spots (or the center of the area sanded) turn out shiny'er than the area around them that got sanded w/ it. Its like the finish on the aluminium has a clear coating put on it after it was polished ??? I don't understand it. When I'm done polishing it, the corosion spots are completely gone, but I end up w/ 2 noticeably different finishes, and it seems no amount of rubbing changes it.
Does anyone know what is causing this problem.
Thanks

Rich

voldigicam wrote on 09/04/09 at 04:57:04:

If they are clear coated, then what I am probably seeing is not corrosion, but the clear coat blistering.
I wonder how common that is ?
At any rate, I have to now decide what looks better, the blister spots, (looking like corrosion) or the clean 2 tone fihish spots.

The engine is starting to get that mess on it. Where leather flaps on the clutch cover is rubbed thru. Generally, this bike simply does not look new anymore. It has been hard for me to accept that, but its just not gonna get older & not show it. Ill have to live with it, because I dont have the time/energy to fight the effects of time & miles. At least I am able to hold up the miles of smiles & look at the bike thru that "filter" & I can almost appreciate the deterioration of the looks. I Wish I could keep it looking new, I just cant. Maybe one day the engine will look raspy enough that I can justify spending the time to spiffy it back up.

Hey justin - you describe exactly the way I feel looking in the mirror every morning (substitute bike for rider.)  Now if only the bod could be rehabilitated with a few touch ups like that!

mine never even gets washed, unless i'm riding in the rain. lol. my engine covers and fork lowers look like crap. i just cant justify pulling apart a running bike to make it shiney again. one of these days when i break down and buy a new cam...




maybe

Routy wrote on 09/04/09 at 21:06:05:

That might be ok for the corrossion, but it would be better if you used finer grit 400 min.  Why cause the 150 leaves deep scratches.  And takes forever to polish out.  might be ok with heavy polish, I'll have to get some.  but still finer is better.  Now if you want to do the rest of it, get some aircraft stripper.  wally world has it.  It'll take the clear coat off no problem ready to polish if not corroded.

Easy to find the stripper. Just go to the brass pole.

I assume you mean the lower fork tubes? I used 600, 800 and then 1000 grit wet sand then polished. These forks were rough. The upper forks themselves were so rusted they were like caked on rub-it-off-in-your-hand rust, like dried dirt. To get those polished up and looking better took some harsher methods. Here's some crappy cell phone pics.