| Author | Message | ||
     Toomanytoys |
For those of you who have polished your swingarms and tails on your X1, what technique worked best for you. I have seen people suggest sanding with 400, 600, and 800, and then buffing with several different compounds. When sanding did you sand by hand? or with a grinder? did you wetsand or drysand, what compound of sandpaper did you use? rpm on buffer? any info will help. I figure worst case, I will screw it up and need to take it in, but I want to give it a shot first. Not a complete novice with metal, but not much experience with aluminum, or polishing for that matter. | ||
| Spiderman |
The tail shouldn't be too bad you could probally go at it with 120, then move to wet/dry sand paper 220, 360, 600 then buuf with brown rouge wipe clean the white and it should look good. Most buffers come with aprox 4500 to 6000 RPM speed. But the i think 4500 is ok cause you don;t wann "burn" the work, plus it is what my buffer is at an wookrs great LOL Now I have never done a tail but I just got done doin my swing arm. I used paint stripper to see how bad the metal was under the paint, you don;t need to do this but I liked not having to sand off two tons of paint. I then used a 80 grit flap wheel to remove the pits and ruff surfaces, that took a while, but don't recomend goin lower than 80 or you could gouge the surface real bad and it will again take you a LOOOONG time with a higher grit. After the 80 grit maylay I moved onto a 120 flap wheel to take it down a little more. Then I woved it to the laundry tub with 220 wet/dry and wet sanded it by hand, you can do it dry with a orbital sander but the water removes dust better and makes the paper last longer. Then I moved to 320, 600 then I dried her off and went back out to the garage. Put her on the Brown wheel for a few. Cleaned her off again an then off to the white wheel. I'll post some pics in a few. | ||
| Spiderman |
   It's not chrome but I like it better this way!! | ||
| Toomanytoys |
looks pretty good  . i can see reflections in the bottom two pics, and that is basically what I am looking for. my bike isn't clean enough for chrome anyway (and not worth it for me). thanks for the input. now i need some supplies and a free Saturday afternoon (bike is already in pieces). need to do something to pass the time during these cold days.  | ||
| Spiderman |
I recomend goin to your local hardware shops instead of the big Box store to get sand paper. You can get it there in more choices for cheaper and by the sheet instead of by the pack. So you can get more of what you need VS what the pack gives you. If you have a Harbor Freight near by you can get a grinder, which you can get buffing wheels for, for under $50. I got my rouge from Sears, cause I couldn't find a good pack anywhere else LOL | ||
| Kevyn |
The coating on that swingarm is tough! Be sure to wear a breathing mask and goggles... The out-side of the swingarm is exposed to lots of little rocks and junk from the road and of course the weather. The in-side is taking a beating from rocks and such getting flung off the tire with a bit more force...is it really necessary to polish the inside area? I do recall that American Sport Bike was at one time offering a polished swing arm, sort of a you send us yours and we'll send you this nice professionally polished and finished one exchange arrangement. (Message edited by Kevyn on March 02, 2005) | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Spidey, Are you just using a bench grinder with buffing wheels on it? I've considered that as a possible upgrade to the drill work I've been doing. Been thinking 'bout polishing my swingarm too, it's either that or crinkle black... -Mike | ||
| Spiderman |
Little, Yep it is a standard bench grinder with 5/8 arbors. I put it on it's own stand so I can get parts to manuver around it a little better. You can buy specific motors for buffer wheels where the axle sticks out further so you can move parts around more freely, but I haven't had that much trouble yet. (Message edited by spiderman on March 06, 2005) | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Mike, Check out this place for polishing supplies. Also, Harbor Freight has an acceptable policher for less than $100. It comes with a grinding wheel and a buffer on the other side. The grinding wheel is easily swapped for a buffing wheel. http://www.bright-works.com/ Brad | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Thanks Spidey and Brad. Now I need to clean the garage so I can put up a work bench. -Mike | ||
| Koz5150 |
I am finally starting my buffing project on Thursday. I wanted to get my bike dyno tuned now when could get it in and out of the dealer before the spring rush really hits. I was told that you shouldn't buff over 4000 RPM, but I am sure 4500 is close enough. What paint stripper did you use on the swingarm? I didn't realize that it was painted  | ||
| Koz5150 |
Spidey, It also looks like you removed the bearings. How was that and what are you doing to put new ones in? | ||
| Spiderman |
Just airplane stripper. Bearings are just timken bearings held in with a seal againsit the bushings. I took mine out for two reasons, 1 so they don;t get cluttered with polishing gunk and aluminium dust. 2 So I can repack the bearings with fresh grease. | ||
| Bomber |
swing arm is powder coated -- aircraft stripper works, as does spryon carb cleaner (oops) | ||
| Toomanytoys |
I used the Jasco paint stripper in the spraycan. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and used the flapwheel to get it off. worked slick. Do it outside if possible. Those fumes are nasty. | ||
| Koz5150 |
Well I pulled my swingarm yesterday. Someone should have warned me about needing a T-60 Torx bit. I ended up going to seven different hardware/tool stores before finding one at Fleet/Farm. I had no luck at True Value Hardware, Grainger, Harbor Frieght, or NAPA. The rod that bolts inbetween the bearings. Mine was kinda rusty, is that nornmal??? | ||
| Bomber |
Koz -- mine was too -- also, I suggest that while ya got the thing apart, you replace the bearings -- something like $8 a piece, almost a no brainer (mine, after 30K miles, showed some wear, so I deep sixed em and got new ones) also popped in a zerk fitting, so I can grease em up without dropping half the bike | ||
| Koz5150 |
How do I remove and replace them? Any special tools needed? I built a cover from washers and threaded rod to protect them while polishing. I only have 8,000 on my bike so I was going to leave them in. | ||
| Bomber |
the bearings themselves will fall right out -- take a look at the cups in which the bearings ride -- if you see any discoloration at all (in other words, wipe with a clean paper towel or rag, and if it don't look like a mirror, darned near), they should be replaced (YMMV, of course) you can either buy the tool, or use a long drift and a hammer (tap around the entire periphery slowly, and eventually it'll pop out) | ||
| Koz5150 |
Well I started my polishing today. I decided to forgo the chemicals and I started with an 80 grit sand paper. At first I was using this great air tool that I have 3 inch velcro backed sanding discs for. It is awesome, until it started freezing up! I then made an attachment for my electric drill to use the 3 inch sanding discs. It worked OK, but the air tool is much easier to work with. After completing the 80 grit I went ot 180, 320, and then 600. It is really starting to look great. I am going to start the actual polishing on Monday. All I can say is thank God for power tools! Even so, my hands are really sore right now. | ||
| Aaomy |
pretty much got all the powder coating off now. well the swing arm that is..  | ||
| Koz5150 |
Ok, I am sitting here at work, looked at that picture, and just started laughing out loud. I looked like that on Saturday. I am going to finish mine up tommorow, but I just have light sanding and then polishing to do. I did however wear a face mask so I only half looked like that, which probably looked even funnier. (Message edited by koz5150 on March 16, 2005) | ||
| Spiderman |
lol been there | ||
| Koz5150 |
I will take pics when I finish mine today. | ||
| Koz5150 |
Well, I finished and packed it into the jeep to take to the shop tomorrow, sorry no pics, but I will take some tomorrow once I have it installed. | ||
| Koz5150 |
Here are the last pics of my bike before I tore it apart.   | ||
| Bomber |
take a look in the morror aftrer your done polishing -- al jolson will have nothin on you btw, that polishing grit stuff LOVES to find a permanent home in your lungs -- careful, you may live longer than you plan on ;-} | ||
| Koz5150 |
Here some pics with the swingarm back on and polished    |
