Swingarm Finish

tubbylad

Hello Everyone,
Has anyone successfully replicated the original finish. My swingarm is stone chipped and untidy however I done want to go down the polished route.
Has anyone brushed and relaquered or re anodised.
Regards
Martin

Speedmade

Martin,
I have tried to clear coat. I has always turned yellow over time. You can't reanodize because of the steel inserts.
I have an 888 swingarm that I need to do a weld repair. So my plan is to strip the anodizing, weld it, then I am taking it to a place that does vibratory tumbling in different types of media. I'm hoping to get a consistent finish (not super shiny), that I wouldn't be able to get by hand finishing

Reed

stiglarsenDK

Steel inserts are easily removed and remounted.. re anodized is the way to go,

Davo

Hi Guys, has anyone got any examples of re-anodised swing arms?

stiglarsenDK

Check w jafa

See jafa post June 28 2012 ...

Bridgland

I had mine polished back to remove the majority of the anodising. It was too shiny to put back on the bike, so WD40 and a scotch pad in straight lines from front to back along the swing arm have given it a really decent look and finish. Also easy to maintain.

Davo

stiglarsenDK wroteSee jafa post June 28 2012 ...

Hi,
Yep, had a look 28/6/2012?
What was supposed to be a there?

marvin

I agree with Stig. The only way to make them look correct is to remove the steel inserts and re-anodize

stiglarsenDK

Davo wroteHi, Yep, had a look 28/6/2012? What was supposed to be a there?

Jafa post and fotos.. swingarm reanodized

Jafa

The photos I posted of my swing-arm are not anodised. After the repair is is still bare aluminium in that photo, just nicely finished with a very fine scotchbrite pad. I need to get the rest of the swing-arm to the same standard and finish as the repaired part, then I can get it re-anodised.

marvin

Personally I think that before you take it in for anodizing you should polish it like in the first photo. The anodizing process will "soften" it to look like the original. Those fine scotchbrite scratches, after anodizing will not look right IMHO

P.S. If the anodizer electro polishes it that will suffice

pht9

any updates to this thread, I'd like to try and replicate original finish on mine

tubbylad

All done.
Stripped all bearings and pinch nuts before I started.
Took it to the anodisers to strip first (hence all ferous parts removed) - anodising grows on the surface but also into the surface. It's important you strip original anodising first or you run the risk of not going deep enough with your sanding and when it gets anodised it doesn't - anodising doesn't grow on anodised finishes.
I took out all damage and scratches with 800 grit wet and dry and finished off with green then red scotchbrite pads to get the finish balanced between matt and shine.
All sanding was liner with the direction of the arms. The bits in betgween took some finishing with scorchbrite to get a consistent finish.
Pictures are of natural anodised finished item.
It is different to the original finish as it lacks that high reflective character.
Anodiser said it's almost impossible to get that original finish in EU as the chemicals necessary are prohibited these days.

All anodising by Daventry Metal Finishers http://daventrymf.co.uk/

Bridgland

That looks very nice indeed. I had someone polish mine back, but I them used a Scotchpad and WD40 to provide a brushed finish look, as I thought it would be easier to maintain.

marvin

tubbylad wroteAll done. Stripped all bearings and pinch nuts before I started. Took it to the anodisers to strip first (hence all ferous parts removed) - anodising grows on the surface but also into the surface. It's important you strip original anodising first or you run the risk of not going deep enough with your sanding and when it gets anodised it doesn't - anodising doesn't grow on anodised finishes. I took out all damage and scratches with 800 grit wet and dry and finished off with green then red scotchbrite pads to get the finish balanced between matt and shine. All sanding was liner with the direction of the arms. The bits in betgween took some finishing with scorchbrite to get a consistent finish. Pictures are of natural anodised finished item. It is different to the original finish as it lacks that high reflective character. Anodiser said it's almost impossible to get that original finish in EU as the chemicals necessary are prohibited these days. All anodising by Daventry Metal Finishers http://daventrymf.co.uk/

OEM parts are electro polished I believe. (bad chamicals) You can duplicate it by polishing with a buffer , then anodize. The anodizing brings it back just a bit.

P.S. Chemical polishing is done with a mixture of Nitric and Phosphoric I believe

RON816

Would silver Cerakote work? Used on gun parts so very tough and a smooth matt finish, that can then be clear coated in satin. Here's an example