1982 GS850 before and after :)

[ron bayless]

Absolutely Incredible Job On That Engine Cleanup.cant Imagine How You Got All That Rust Off.

[BigDaddyKool]

Rust removal

I used most of the tips on this site to help prep the bike, alot of rust can be removed by spraying the $%#@$ out of it with rust eater then sanding the same way you would anything else. I let the rust eater soak all day spray some more, let it soak, then start with some 220 grit, you will use alot no doubt. Then 400 then 600 then 800 then I use a ceramic engine enamel usually resistant to 1200 degrees(for the header pipes....) then bake em on. If you have an oven you can use you will smell a strange odor coming from the oven as the paint bakes, this is good. you could also use a bullet heater, oil fired and blast it. Factory headers are always coated with something, I would recommend stripping them and recoating with ceramic, as it is much more rust resistant.

[BigDaddyKool]

Maybe you guys can help me with something...

I need to wetsand my newly painted gastank, and I'm kinda nervous about it. Do I need a certain amount of clear coats on the bike to successfully wipe out the fish eye orange peel look? I have 3 coats right now, I hate to do damage to the paint, I was going to use 2000 grit, not sure if thats how I should start any help is appreciated. Thanks

[KGB]

Did you use the rust remover on the fork tubes also?
Did it eat the fork seals? Or did you replace them also?

[BigDaddyKool]

fork tubes

No to trmove rust from the front forks I used soap water and 1000 grit super fine steel wool gits the rust off pretty good. A little wd-40 helps out too.

[ghwrenchit]

I need to wetsand my newly painted gastank, and I'm kinda nervous about it. Do I need a certain amount of clear coats on the bike to successfully wipe out the fish eye orange peel look? I have 3 coats right now, I hate to do damage to the paint, I was going to use 2000 grit, not sure if thats how I should start any help is appreciated. Thanks

Bike looks awsome!!!

The 2000 paper, that's a safe grit. Change out the water often, or better yet, trickle a hose with the end cut off, or wrap a rag around the end to prevent damage. If you've never done it, you will feel the change while sanding, the paper will start gliding. Be careful close to edges and curve rise's where the paint tends to run thin. My paint guy sold me 1500 as the final sand out before buffing..... haven't done it yet, to busy riding.:-D :-D Final tip before wax, Get a "Mothers clay bar" and follow the directions. I'll never wax a paint job again without using it prior, but in your case with a fresh buff job, it may not make much difference until later.

ghwrenchit

[BigDaddyKool]

sweet ill give the clay bar a shot finished wet sanding it it came out pretty good a few flaws here and there, but for a rookie painter i'd give myself a A-

[mixongw]

Crap! Now I gotta go back and do mine over! :-). Nice job! I'm a polishing freak, your engine covers caught my eye. The engine paint looks great as well.

[ghwrenchit]

sweet ill give the clay bar a shot finished wet sanding it it came out pretty good a few flaws here and there, but for a rookie painter i'd give myself a A-

What did you buff with after the wet sanding?

ghwrenchit

[speedy400]

Hey fella's, I work at a custom airbrush shop for harleys, quality compared to OCC type stuff. What we do for buffing is sand with 1500 on a DA, then wet sand by hand with 2000, then DA with 3000, then buff with compound with a white buffing pad(on a side spin drill) then with this special 3000 "spot polishing" buffing stuff, till EVERY scratch is out, while looking at a halogen light reflection, then final glaze whip on and off. Takes about 45 min per item if you know what your doing, but WOW, the finish is amazing, dosnt even look like paint. Here is an example of our work.-darren

BTW, this process makes buffing 3 times faster/easier, and the finish is nothing less than perfect

[speedy400]

one more-darren