Triumphrat

tomsdad

Hi everyone

Got around to cleaning the TB and TBS yesterday.

On the TBS forks it looked like there were dead bugs on the fork tubes. However they are not bugs they seem to be stone damage. The TBS is absolutely pristine. The damage is on what Haynes call the fork slider but bike bandit refers to them as fork tube. Its the lower half of the forks that attach to the wheel.

Are the TBS forks coated with a different substance to the TB? These bikes spend most of their time riding together on the same roads at similar speeds. I am surprised that what has damaged one, has not damaged the other.

Bike bandit want $400 each - so that's a no no.

Any ideas as to what I could do.

Could I get them re coated with whatever is standard - or perhaps chroming them would give them better protection.

TB is 1999 and the TBS is 2003

Thanks

Tomsdad

Slinky

The clear lacquer on some Tbirds appears to be prone to flaking, not just on the fork legs but also typically on the yokes.

I would be inclined to strip it off and polish them.

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Monty

Mine are going the same way, my choices are...

1}quick sand down and silver spray them.

2}paint stripper to take the laquer off and hand polish them.

3} as above, but buy a polishing wheel kit and electric motor, off e-bay and get a great shine.

4} send them off to be professionally polished.

I'll more than likely go for 3.

Chromes a no-no, IMO.

Could just paint them Satin black.

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Just remember Gramps!, motorcycles are meant to remind you of your youth, when you last remember being happy, so at least try to relive some of that memory.

CrazyCroc

I have a Legend and naturally I'm big fan of blacked out parts. I've been considering doing something on my nicked up lower forks as well. However, I think a heavy duty powder coat instead would be best.

It wouldn't be very difficult either as a DItY or by sending it off. If you interested there are some folks that do this in all variety of colors, including clear gloss and satin gloss. One I've been looking at is http://www.eastwoodco.com/index.jsp.

Good luck!

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AKMCDM

I stripped sanded wet sanded, buffed & polished mine this past winter. They turned out great almost like chrome took some time but well worth it. Possibly get your self a price to have chromed?
Corey

Woody1911a1

i've used the eastwood setup crazycroc . works well with a lil practice . one thing to keep in mind is that you CANNOT use the oven you cook in . a friend and i set up an oven . cut out the sides and extended them about a foot each way .

in my opinion , i'd either strip and polish or powder coat . also there's protective stick-on clear plastic to protect them after you get them looking the way you want .

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jimmyj900

If you're referring to a dark center spot with what appear to be 'legs' radiating from the center, they're called 'spidering' or 'paint spiders.'

A tiny stone nick penetrates the finish and little strands of corrosion spread from that point.

Sometimes you can stop them with clear nail polish if you catch them early, but usually it's strip the finish, sand them out and then repaint.

I'm thinking powdercoat when I get to that point.

Jim

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CrazyCroc

Thanks, Woody. I have read that. Luckily I'm on a military base so we have a pretty comprehensive body shop in the hobby shop. I haven't seen everything they have yet, but I want to assume they have equipment for powder coating (they seem to have everything else), and they have pro assistants for guidance on your project.

ps - little off topic, but how about Lester and the 18th Fenway no-hitter tonight? Go Sox!

__________________
'Honey, I never drive faster than I can see, and besides that, it's all in the reflexes.' - Jack Burton, BTILC

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blackfly911

If the other suggestions don't pan out and you have to replace, contact me off line.

I just replaced my tubes going through a company here in Canada who also have a US shop. A custom reproduced pair cost me $330 CDN, about $100 less than a single OEM tube.

tomsdad

Hey fellas

Thanks for that - glad I am not the only one suffering from this.

Just to be clear - when we say "sanding down" we literally mean with some very fine wet and dry paper?

Not being afraid of a bit of hard work - this seems the best option. Then go to work on the polishing.

Seems like this could all be done without removing the forks??

cheers

Tomsdad