Chrome bolt covers

[mixongw]

After about a half hour, I counted the number of non-shiney bolt heads on my GS. There are 28-10mm, 38-12mm and 8-14mm bolt heads. Then I went to order the chrome bolt covers from JC Whitney (page 146 of their MC catalog. They are $11.99 for a pack of 10. It's gonna cost me a fortune to do it this way. Any ideas?

[euch]

Go to Ace Hardware and instead of getting Chrome, get the stainless steel ones. They look really good and have some great shine factor. You could even go on ebay and purchase a kit for about $25 total including shipping. You'd probably get a better deal at Ace Hardware though.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I had several bolts chromed. They charged me about $1 each. Most shops give a discount if you bring more parts in. Quality can be an issue with some shops. Cracking, chipping...
I did pretty good but it's still expensive.

[triton john]

bolt heads

Get thyself into the workshop and turn some up on the lathe from stainless.
Unless you pay top money for chrome it will allways fail you in the end, what do you think hapened to your standard ones ?
By turning them yourself from stainless they will be the right length and if you are realy picky ( I am with my Triton ) you can make sure the flats are all in the same position when you look along the bike. Anyone can make a nice machine but the difference is in the detail. With my stainless bolt heads I allways countersink the heads which makes it easier if you want to lockwire them but also adds a bit more detail.
Why buy bolt on stuff when with a little bit of effort you can produce something unique ?

[Graeme Sydney]

Unless you pay top money for chrome it will allways fail you in the end, what do you think hapened to your standard ones ?

Agree. Chroming is all about prep (even more so then painting). It’s hard to get chroming to stick OME what with prep, thickness and hardness. Go OME or stainless.

…..and if you are realy picky ( I am with my Triton ) you can make sure the flats are all in the same position when you look along the bike

:shock: :shock:

You've got it bad

Cheers, Graeme.

[carlosjc401]

ace

I used the bolts from Ace Hardware and it worked for me at about $.36 ea.

[triton john]

for Graeme Sydney

Yes I have got it bad when it comes to my Triton's. It becomes a bit of an obsesion at times making sure everything is lined up etc but, they are used and abused. Two of them are race bikes.
But, it may seem a bit ott to some people but if you get all the detail right everything is going to be right. If you care about what you are doing it should become natural.
I was going to do my GSX 1100 as an ongoing thing but now I have decided to do it the 'right' way. ie - all nuts, bolts fastners etc in stainless made at home, this then leads to all the other bits which then makes a project. So the GSX 11 will be taken off the road around September to be stripped and sorted ready for 2007.
Chrome nuts and bolts - no thank you. Get a lathe and sort it.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

To each their own. I think chrome bolts go well with polished aluminum.
Stainless doesn't quite match. As you say, it's in the details. Many wouldn't care about a small difference in shine from stainless to polished to chrome, but I'd notice it. I haven't had any problems with any of the different finishes on my bike.

[mixongw]

Get thyself into the workshop and turn some up on the lathe from stainless.
Unless you pay top money for chrome it will allways fail you in the end, what do you think hapened to your standard ones ?
By turning them yourself from stainless they will be the right length and if you are realy picky ( I am with my Triton ) you can make sure the flats are all in the same position when you look along the bike. Anyone can make a nice machine but the difference is in the detail. With my stainless bolt heads I allways countersink the heads which makes it easier if you want to lockwire them but also adds a bit more detail.
Why buy bolt on stuff when with a little bit of effort you can produce something unique ?

To start off, I have no lathe or screw machine. Can you clarify the detail of countersinking the bolt heads? If a bolt is countersunk, how can it be safety wired?

[katoranger]

There are many of these stainless bolt set on ebay for just about every bike. It may be easier/cheaper than going to the hardware store.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUZUKI-GS1100-GS-1100-GSX-POLISHED-STAINLESS-BOLT-KIT_W0QQitemZ4632555647QQcategoryZ35581QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[graham harron]

Keith is right stainless bolts dont look as good as chrome UNLESS they are polished that is !! I bought a kit awhile ago and they were polished and looked real smooth and shiny. But i find many bolts out there are not polished so i got out the trusty bench buffer and a few different polishing compounds for stainless and presto chrome like stainless hardware that wont rust !!!

[jimcor]

Yes I have got it bad when it comes to my Triton's. It becomes a bit of an obsesion at times making sure everything is lined up etc but, they are used and abused. Two of them are race bikes.
But, it may seem a bit ott to some people but if you get all the detail right everything is going to be right. If you care about what you are doing it should become natural.
I was going to do my GSX 1100 as an ongoing thing but now I have decided to do it the 'right' way. ie - all nuts, bolts fastners etc in stainless made at home, this then leads to all the other bits which then makes a project. So the GSX 11 will be taken off the road around September to be stripped and sorted ready for 2007.
Chrome nuts and bolts - no thank you. Get a lathe and sort it.

"Nigel, come here with a baggie, what. We can't continue judging the showbikes till this bit of soil from under this mudguard has been analyzed. This bike might be made of re-imported parts! A proper Triton must not have American mud under a proper British mudguard! That would disqualify this otherwise splendid machine!" :shock: