painting rims...

[DEATH_INC.]

Use 2k clear,2-3 decent coats.It will dry flat over the rough surface :spudbooge

[F5 Dave]

Um, probably prudent to say you shouldn't use 2 pack at home unless you have air fed respirator, it's somewhat more deadly than normal spray paints.

[vifferman]

I was toying with the idea of painting my gold GSX250 wheels white.
So not a good idea?

It's your bike - do what you like widdit. But the white shows every little bit of road grime, brake dust, chain spooge and the like.

I've had my bike around 2 months but never washed it for fear (stupid?) of getting the soap somewhere I shouldn't ie chain.
It's an o-ring chain so do I just make sure I oil it after washing?
Also do you just use car detergent or is there special bike stuff?

Looking forward to all the 'god you're a dumbass' comments

You're a dumbass. There - are you happy now?
Wash it with whatever you like - I use a wash 'n wax car stuff, can't remember the brand (mebbe Armorall??) Yes, there is stuff sold specifically for bikes, but it's prolly zachary the same but costs more.

With the chain, some cleaners (such as Simple Green) aren't tested as OK on O-rings, and as they're corrosive may not be a good idea. Try some dishwashing liquid or similar - it shouldn't do anything naughty.
If you actually want to clean your chain, use kerosene, as it doesn't attack the O-rings, and doesn't leave the chain dried out. It also washes off with soapy water. You can use it to get spots of grease or tar off your paint as well. WD40 will do a good job as a chain cleaner too, as it is just silicon with a kerosene carrier.

An upholsterer told me to never use anything on my seat apart from soapy water, but I found that Armorall worked really well so that when wearing my waterproof pants it gave me a thrill sliding around all over the seat.
And here's another cheap thrill: spray engine degreaser on your back rim (ostensibly to get the chain spooj off) then give it quick rinse and go for a ride. You'll have a quick crash course in powerslides, and maybe even lowsides and highsides. Great for that instant adrenaline rush.

Hope this helps. Don't be afraid to ask lots of dumb questions - someone on KiwiBiker will always help you out, and never mock you, you dumbass.

[F5 Dave]

Been told dishwash liquid (what I used to use) attacks some paints.

[Mongoose]

Been told dishwash liquid (what I used to use) attacks some paints.

From my experiences with paint, dishwashing liquid is OK as long as you do not let it dry in place, ie plenty of fresh water needed. But an of the auto soaps will do it, if dirt is stuborn use a bucket of HOT water to help remove them stubborn dirt 'n' stain bits

[White trash]

Yea - I've got the dreaded Suzuki white wheels - I was thinking of getting them painted black. I'd like to get them polished but I've heard thats even harder to keep clean!!

A mate of mine has black wheels on his Blue/White TLR and it looks shit hot!

Do it!

[moko]

I've had my bike around 2 months but never washed it for fear (stupid?) of getting the soap somewhere I shouldn't ie chain.
comments

Check and lube your chain afterwards,you do it regularly anyway right?try and keep the soap away from your brakes and make sure they work before taking to the highway!I managed to get WD40 on mt front disc once and found out the underwear-staining way,luckily nothing on the road I un-intentionally went across.However tempting try to avoid using a power-washer,apart from possibly lifting paint from your frame it`s a really easy way to trash your wheel-bearings.Rather than soapy water on my wheels I get some rags,spray WD40 on then wipe the wheels,shifts the crap well,then out with just plain warm water and go over them again to shift the WD.I used to spray it on prior to the "wot no brakes?" incident.
Oh yeah,up to you but a common moan in brit bike mags about Suzis is why do they paint the poxy wheels white cos they`re a bitch to keep looking good,but as the man said it`s your bike,do what you want with it.

[Milky]

There is a question re heat treating them. Ally you need to heat to ~ 200deg to heat treat I believe. Most powers go off at ~180 so it is pretty close. Are you relieving the stresses in them, or weakening them?

ooo.. we learnt about this yesterday in Chemical and Materials engineering... annealing - the process of reordering grain structure - goes through three stages... something i cant remember at the moment, then recrystallisation and grain growth. Depending on the metal and previous grain structure, the rate and/or temperature at which the recrystallisation occurs differs.
If the alloy has been cast, squished, squashed or stretched, it's grain structure will be non uniform (not equiaxed) and has greater energy than an equiaxed structure, hence a tendency to return to the equiaxed form if it is allowed to. Some tricky stuff happens in annealing, but generally, equiaxed grain structures are more ductile, less brittle, less strong and less hard (all slightly different concepts).
I am not sure about other types of heat treatment like tempering though... you might get an update over the next few weeks if you are interested, and if this doesnt get shot down in flames by someone who actually knows what they are talking about...




*removes dictaphone from arse*

[moko]

- the process of reordering grain structure - goes through three stages... something i cant remember at the moment, then recrystallisation and grain growth. Depending on the metal and previous grain structure, the rate and/or temperature at which the recrystallisation occurs differs.
If the alloy has been cast, squished, squashed or stretched, it's grain structure will be non uniform (not equiaxed) and has greater energy than an equiaxed structure, hence a tendency to return to the equiaxed form if it is allowed to. Some tricky stuff happens in annealing, but generally, equiaxed grain structures are more ductile, less brittle, less strong and less hard (all slightly different concepts).

I knew that :confused2

[F5 Dave]

Yeah Ally is quite different in it’s process than steel or brass etc.

PS my painter just came & handed me a 2 packed rim he did for me (for the bucket). Looks real sharp & better than the spray bomb job I had before.

Std paint on Yams is real porous & makes it a bitch to clean. Smoother (& glossier) the easier. My YZF wheels had an anti graffiti coating that makes them slippery