polishing Clutch Cover Case

[BriTXbike]

In the next month I plan on starting in on polishing the aluminum pieces on my 850 but with that comes a question. I've already dedicated myself to stripping, sanding, andpolishing these pieces but what about the oil window on the Clutch Cover case. Any ideas other then being VERY careful around the window as to not damage it?

I just have this image of me working around that area and poping the glass piece out.

[retrex]

Re: polishing Clutch Cover Case

In the next month I plan on starting in on polishing the aluminum pieces on my 850 but with that comes a question. I've already dedicated myself to stripping, sanding, andpolishing these pieces but what about the oil window on the Clutch Cover case. Any ideas other then being VERY careful around the window as to not damage it?

I just have this image of me working around that area and poping the glass piece out.

I have done a couple of these lately. I haven't found a way of removing the view window so I have just been careful when I am doing my sanding around it. It might not be a bad idea that if you take it off the bike to buff on a wheel to reseal the inner side with new gasket material. I have found the old orange/red stuff they used can deteriorate over time. Take care in your sanding and you can bring a cover back to showroom condition. I got a cover off ebay where it looked as if the guy took a steel wire wheel to it. Gouged the heck out of it. Careful sanding and polishing brought it back to a very respectable appearance. Good luck

[Hoomgar]

Rumor has it that there are a few Aussies on here that know a thing or two about case polishing

[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UQAJA8kYMQV*tZ7BWhlTP9MZxUMWm4CAKF1YWa48GTM7gP8Yo bY4!B7r**VjOmB4eqL1nQT4Eyp3x*znIwogdqXnSlolxl7wUVV bgsq4!m6MYWsvaN*tl03DRdi0odSO/Katana%20Today.JPG[/img]

[BriTXbike]

(Homer) Mmmmmm pretty bike
That's the finish I'm going for on mine. I'm going to start with the rear peg mount brackets to "get the hang of things" before I move to that piece.

Anybody lean towards a clear coat spray or just a Mothers once over and completed?

[Hoomgar]

That's Dink and his Kat. I was hoping to lure him in here to talk case polishing with you. He is very good at it as you can see.

[drewshotrodding]

I have been polishing for about 16 years right now I am polishing out a tl1000r for a customer the frame ,forks triple tree top and bottom the wheels are powdercoated candy red over chrome If you take the cover off it is easy to polish , take the clear coat off first then take and go buy the buffer from harbor freight for 99.00 the green one take and throw away the pad it comes with and purches the 6in pad that they carry that is stiched all the way around two are needed use the insert to center the pads turn it on touch it with some thing MAKE SURE THAT WORK OFF THE EDGE THAT WILL NOT GET CAUGHT IT WILL RIP IT OUT OF HANDS AND HURT YOU AND THE PART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at first there will be a mess of flying strings turn it off cut the strings that come out to make sure that it stays balanced ...... sand with 320 grit than 600 800 than go to sears and purches the white roughe and put on the machine as it turns make the pad go black by applining the roughe put the peice on the wheel and KEEP PUT IT ON BACK AND FORTH ,,,,,,,,remeber that you could get HURT safty first.....

[Desolation Angel]

Brian, if you get good at it, and I haven't found a sprocket cover by the time you've finished, I may have a job for you! The right crankcase cover could use it, too, and some clear coat!

[BriTXbike]

Great tips Drew! Another question I had was what does anyone recommend for getting into the screw areas after sanding, maybe a dremal? I've been reviewing the information for polishing on http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm

This area stems from my background doing detail work in the past. If it's paint I can fix it as long as it doesn't require a high-speed polisher (haven't worked that skill yet). I love nothing more then making metal look blinding.

Depending on how long the pieces on my bike take DA, I would be more then happy to have a go at it.

[duaneage]

I polished my cases to factory original look, Hoomgar was admiring them on the last PA ride.

Strip the clear with common paint stripper spray available at autoparts stores. After that take out the scratches with 220 then if you want the satin look use 320 to clean them up and remove the corrosion that is under the clear. Go in one direction with 000 Steel Wool to get a satin look or use 600 then polishing creme to make them mirrored. I use a dremel tool to get the tight spots.

CLean the part with lacquer thinner to remove the silicone from the polish and then IMMEDIATELY clear coat with clear engine paint. I did 3 coats, That was back in May and through the heat of summer not one turned yellow or fogged up. If you don't coat them you have to keep polishing every few weeks and tht is a drag.

[Anonymous]

warning

Do not tak eout the level glass. I know a little bit about this. I had a 79 gs850 and was polishing the cases. I knocked the eye glass out and was just going to replace it with a new 1. Well to my suprise they do not service it, they only way you could get one is to replace the whole cover and that is no longer available. I had a freind make m a sleeve that we pressed into the cover to sleeve to a sight glass off a compressor. it worked and i only had a slight leak that i fixed with a little bit of silicone.

[Pete's GS]

I have done mine. I would leave the sight glass in place. You can brush the stripper on carefully and avoid both the window and the rubber seal. It's not that hard. Then start buffing with the wheel attached to a drillbit. You'll like the results. You won't get anywhere though unless you get the tarnished clearcoat off first.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The oil sight glass is available or at least it used to be the hard part is finding the # pn 11971-45010

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Polished aluminum rocks!

[retrex]

Niiiccce

Polished aluminum rocks!

Keith, are those case cover aluminum? They look like chrome. You've done a great job on the entire bike. Did you ever post how you got your bike looking so good? If you have perfected a process/technique I think you should share with the rest of us. OBTW there is a spot of ugly on your front cam cover.

[Hoomgar]

I polished my cases to factory original look, Hoomgar was admiring them on the last PA ride.

Strip the clear with common paint stripper spray available at autoparts stores. After that take out the scratches with 220 then if you want the satin look use 320 to clean them up and remove the corrosion that is under the clear. Go in one direction with 000 Steel Wool to get a satin look or use 600 then polishing creme to make them mirrored. I use a dremel tool to get the tight spots.

CLean the part with lacquer thinner to remove the silicone from the polish and then IMMEDIATELY clear coat with clear engine paint. I did 3 coats, That was back in May and through the heat of summer not one turned yellow or fogged up. If you don't coat them you have to keep polishing every few weeks and tht is a drag.

I've seen Duane's work first hand. He knows what he is talking about here. You should see his ride. The engine looks BETTER than new. That is no joke. Wish I had a better pic to show you. And he did his a while ago and no yellowing or clouding. I recommend following his tips if you want a good outcome and a long lasting result. I promise you the photos below do not do it justice. You have to see it in person to fully appreciate it.

Rock on! 8)


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