Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Cleaning up steel bolts

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Cleaning up steel bolts

    Quick question. I'm doing a frame up on the 1000 and have buckets of steel bolts, some nice some not so nice. I've polished up lots of them on my 850 and have found that coating them with WD40 keeps the rust away for a short time but then I have to hit them with steel wool and WD40 again. Was wondering if anyone had a better idea (other than spending too much money of SS). Remember I live in BC not Arizona, lots of moisture up here.
    Rob
    1983 1100ES, 98' ST1100, 02' DR-Z400E and a few other 'bits and pieces'
    Are you on the GSR Google Earth Map yet? http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=170533

    #2
    Somebody here (I think its' one of the Chicago guys) has done some zinc plating at home with good results.

    Hopefully somebody who knows who it is will see this and call it to his attention.

    .
    sigpic
    mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
    hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
    #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
    #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
    Family Portrait
    Siblings and Spouses
    Mom's first ride
    Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
    (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by azr View Post
      Quick question. I'm doing a frame up on the 1000 and have buckets of steel bolts, some nice some not so nice. I've polished up lots of them on my 850 and have found that coating them with WD40 keeps the rust away for a short time but then I have to hit them with steel wool and WD40 again. Was wondering if anyone had a better idea (other than spending too much money of SS). Remember I live in BC not Arizona, lots of moisture up here.
      Uh...you can get an entire SS Allen kit from Z1 for like $35 or so, plus shipping. Unless you're going for bone stock show piece I'd take SS over Phillips or socket head straight steel any day of the week. You'll spend way more in time money and effort trying to replate old ones. Just my two geese though.

      Comment


        #4
        I'm all with you on the SS sets, they're a great deal but don't cover 'every' bolt on the bike, only the covers, carbs, etc... I'm talking about all the others...engine mount bolts, wheel bolts, battery box, chain guard, ect...a few of these are painted but the majority are just steel. I'm guessing they may have been originally coated with something to stop them from rusting but now they are tarnished or slightly rusted. Just hoping to clean things up.
        Rob
        1983 1100ES, 98' ST1100, 02' DR-Z400E and a few other 'bits and pieces'
        Are you on the GSR Google Earth Map yet? http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=170533

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by azr View Post
          I'm all with you on the SS sets, they're a great deal but don't cover 'every' bolt on the bike, only the covers, carbs, etc... I'm talking about all the others...engine mount bolts, wheel bolts, battery box, chain guard, ect...a few of these are painted but the majority are just steel. I'm guessing they may have been originally coated with something to stop them from rusting but now they are tarnished or slightly rusted. Just hoping to clean things up.
          Most were zinc plated if I'm not mistaken. One cheap way to go about it would be to soak em in evaporust then clean em with steel wool then coat em with high temp clear coat.

          Comment


            #6
            I think it's Nessism that's done the home plating - with very good results. Here's the link


            This forum contains old posts which may have information which may be useful. It is a closed forum in that you can not post here any longer. Please post your questions in the other technical forums.
            1978 GS 1000 (since new)
            1979 GS 1000 (The Fridge, superbike replica project)
            1978 GS 1000 (parts)
            1981 GS 850 (anyone want a project?)
            1981 GPZ 550 (backroad screamer)
            1970 450 Mk IIID (THUMP!)
            2007 DRz 400S
            1999 ATK 490ES
            1994 DR 350SES

            Comment


              #7
              I replaced them on my 'S with zinc plated high tensile ones . Cheeeeep .

              Cheers , Simon .
              http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...esMapSimon.jpg

              '79 GS1000S my daily ride in Aus

              '82 (x2) GS650ET in the shed

              Comment


                #8
                I have found that some nuts and bolts shops are really well priced, others are extremely expensive.
                Example:
                I walk into 1 shop and ask for 10 stainless allen heads about 8mmX30mm with washers and they want $15 or so, where as another will do it for $2.

                My cheap shop gave me every allen head and washer i needed for my carb rebuild (about 50 or so of each) for $10.

                So if you arent going for ebay or an original show bike, shop around a little?
                Just my 2 cents.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Eastwood sells an inexpensive zinc plating kit if you don't want to go all the way up to the Caswell's kit. You could also just make your own kit but you will need to source the electrolyte chemicals. Personally, I do this if you can find them. The kits are over priced for what you get but the final results are nice.
                  Ed

                  To measure is to know.

                  Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                  Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                  Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                  KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                  Comment


                    #10
                    If youd prefer a black finish, Caswell has a nice, inexpensive Parkerizing kit Ive used in the past. Follow the link.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by azr View Post
                      Quick question. I'm doing a frame up on the 1000 and have buckets of steel bolts, some nice some not so nice. I've polished up lots of them on my 850 and have found that coating them with WD40 keeps the rust away for a short time but then I have to hit them with steel wool and WD40 again. Was wondering if anyone had a better idea (other than spending too much money of SS). Remember I live in BC not Arizona, lots of moisture up here.
                      From the right sources SS bolts are not that expensive..


                      If you get down into the Seattle area Tacoma Screw has excellent prices on metric stainless.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        My method may not be the cheapest but I just pick an area that needs new bolts or screws then go pick some up at my local hardware store each payday. I just do a few at a time. I know over the long run your right it will cost a lot more but when your only doing a couple at a time the cost is not too much each pay day. Like i said not the cheapest but to me the easiest to afford because outside the kits the pieces are so varied it doesn't really pay to buy in bulk...unless there is a lot i need to know, but i was basing that off using exact sizes from the microfiche.

                        Paul

                        Comment


                          #13
                          How good is the corrosion resistance on that black finish? Every black finish I know of for bolts is usually pretty poor compared to Zinc. Looks good though...
                          1980 GS1000G - Sold
                          1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                          1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                          1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                          2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                          1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                          2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar..... - FOR SALE!

                          www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                          TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hi, I see you are in Victoria, if you make it over to Vancouver there is Pacific Fasteners, on 1st avenue between Boundary and Gilmore, they a surly bunch but they have a massive inventory of metric stainless at very reasonable prices. I am sure there is an equivalent in Victoria, a place called Indufast but I have never dealt with them. Honestly ask a fisherman, they'll steer you away from the pleasure boat marine supply who will rob you for metric stainless.
                            You can also buy a cold galvanizing spray at any industrial supply store, it goes on grey and is very effective, and you can paint over it. You see it on chainlink fence posts where they weld the hinges on etc...

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X