The Never Ending Refurbishing of a Dream

[busaken]

the rims came out beautiful. i do alot of powdercoating myself and from what i can see your source did a good job!

[clarenceada]

Thanks Busaken, even tho I didn't do the work I'll take part of the credit for persistence ie: 5 shops and over a year to get 'er done, I've had to go out of my local area to find a good painter---if only I could have found him a year ago.



Clarence

[clarenceada]

Now that I got the wheels together and the hub powder coated (to stop the corrosion here in the wet North west) I was wondering what Honda--- I bought these at the local Honda parts store just recently--- makes their spokes out of, the way they rust it must be untreated iron, so I was wondering what I could coat them with to stop them from rusting; I hope your not going to say I should have them plated with something now that it's together.
Any suggestions?



Thanks
Clarence

[e3steve]

Spray them with WD40 and wipe with a rag; do it once a month and they'll never corrode or go dull.

[busaken]

Now that I got the wheels together and the hub powder coated (to stop the corrosion here in the wet North west) I was wondering what Honda--- I bought these at the local Honda parts store just recently--- makes their spokes out of, the way they rust it must be untreated iron, so I was wondering what I could coat them with to stop them from rusting; I hope your not going to say I should have them plated with something now that it's together.
Any suggestions?



Thanks
Clarence

im in the same boat with you having done up 2 sets of rims. the spokes and rims where purchased from apexscycle. yeah i know have heard bad things about apexscycle and the spoke angle is slighty off on the rims but i got the rims to work and trued up.
spoke wise i believe they are nickel plated as i believe the stock ones are as well. now i have clear powdercoat. i have sprayed clear powdercoat on a polished part (fork tubes). it did knock down the sheen with the clear powdercoat but i can tell you still has that polished look. wiped off the dust grime off the tubes and dont have to keep polishing it. so in that respect it was good thing to spray clear powdercoat. i have bought a set of rims and spokes/nipples for two scramblers im restoring this winter. im going to experminent with the nipples/spokes and spray clear powdercoat on them. problem with powdercoat is if you get the powder on the threads and bake them, it is a pain to remove from the threads where the nipples screw into. wire wheel the threaded ends will work to removed the baked on powder or option 2 is two use high temp 400 degree making tape on the threaded part of the spoke.
esteve is right. wd40 or similar on the spokes is the only way to prevent rust from corriding the spokes. on my bikes, i give the spokes a wipe down with wd40. its a pain in the ass for sure but if you want to keep them new looking, then it is necesary.
bucannon spokes in ca. (sp) offers stainless steel spokes. havent contacted them to see if it is available for the dreams. somewhere while surfing the net i read that they make spokes for any bike? that is an option or if the clear powdercoating works? i going to look into it on the two 73 cl350 scramblers im restoring this winter and both bikes need rims and spokes. im going to contact them about the stainless steel spokes for sure. one thing i dont like is rusty corrided spokes /nipples on a restored bike.
stay tuned.

[davomoto]

Buchannons makes spokes for anything. Personally, I have my stock spokes cadnium plated for my stock restos. Much more durable that the origional zinc finish. Nickel would be a good way to go as well, but spendy. My customs usually get stainless from Buchannons.

[clarenceada]

Yes, I'm a great believer in the preserving properties of WD40. Here on the coast with the salt, humidity and cold winters wd is more popular then sardines at a Hungarian lu-ow.

The first year I moved to the Bay area (Oregon's that is---Coos Bay--- the greatest recreation area in the Western Hemisphere!) I put my boat in the bay 6 or 7 times just like I would in a lake, pulled it home and let it set over the winter and come spring for the first fishing outing and everything was froze up. The steering wouldn't budge (it had the old fashion cable controls like a motorcycle) the choke was froze and even the swivel on the lower end wouldn't turn. So I tried a little wd and things loosened up, after that I would use a whole can of wd all over the boat after each fishing trip and never had any more trouble with it.

My problem is finding the time or remembering to do it as the bikes are in an unheated garage for 6-7 months of the year (working on building a heated work shop) plus I am very lazy and find it hard to remember to kick over the Dream once a month. What about spraying the spokes with clear coat, anybody tried that.

Busken, have you powder coated your spokes, I wasn't sure; what about powder coating them with the wheel assembled , would the chrome take the heat of the oven, I wonder. I suppose it would be hard to keep the powder off the chrome........ wait! just had a brain fart---- what about clear powder coating the whole wheel and throwing it the oven?


Clarence