Triumphrat

loxx101

Does anyone know where you can get fork stanchions rechromed in black?

I would really like it done as mine need doing anyway. I imagine it's expensive but literally cannot find anything anywhere!

DAVE M

you need hard chrome for stanchions, not decorative. I don't know if it's possible to do both.

Hard chrome is expensive and I priced it up with a quick net search when my forks needed doing. I ended up buying new stanchions. Even by buying the best quality, it was cheaper.

Look up 'pitted forks" or "hard chrome"

loxx101

Oh okay, I'll keep looking then.

I have heard some things about having it done now... Apparently someone I know has done it in the past but it cost a fortune. Something about having the chrome done first then adding the black on after. I know some racing forks had black because of the lower coefficient of friction. I have seen it on mountain bikes and stuff from back in my jumping days.

Hmmm... I guess I'll have to buy new stanchions anyway... May as well go for a newer front end rather than recondition my 80s GSXR stuff!

DAVE M

I forget.

Wasn't it you who was interested in the baron's speed shop shrouds? Or someone else?

You might be able to get something like Teflon coating? (I have NO idea!)
There's also ceramic coating but I don't know what type of coating other than chrome that is tough enough and smooth enough for forks

JohnA

If anyone knows where black chroming can be done in UK I'd also be interested - not for forks but for exhaust pipes. I have no idea how it is done. I thought chrome (ie: Chromium, the element) was an inherently hard metal, and that the term 'hard chrome plating' was just a marketing ploy implying that there is such a thing as soft chrome and if you're not careful, you might end up with some!).

Is the black finish a coating applied after the plating (or a staining like gun-bluing), or is it somehow executed during the plating process? If the former, can existing chrome plating be turned black?

loxx101

From what I have found so far it is done after chrominance. It's like a secondary coating. If I find out more ill let you know!

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loxx101

Okay, found it! It's called "Diamond Like Coating".

There are a few companies that do it although I haven't got a price yet. I imagine it's not cheap...

http://www.chadsoffroadsetups.com.au...n-coatings.php

Dickie Doyle

The black chrome you see on modern forks isn't really a chrome at all, it's a process on top of the base hardening (chrome or otherwise in some race applications) to lower the amount of stiction between the tubes and the seals as well as making the tubes less prone to scratches and dings. When you look at it close, it's not very pretty and probably not the best for a show bike or a custom, and it's very expensive. I can have it done in the US but do an internet search for DLC coatings (diamond like coatings) and you'll find it.

loxx101

Yeah, seems like it's about 700 dollars or £350. Quite a lot! I'm building a kind of murdered rat sort of thing so a not perfect finish would be cool

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Dickie Doyle

700 is about right, it would be cool looking but might not be worth the coin.