Re-chrome a fork tubes

[Addy Leung]

I collected some USD GSXR forks for upgrade but most of them need to replace the tubes as they used and the chrome were worn out or poorly rusted. But they are stright and strong. I do not want to throw them out. I like environmantal if it can be recycle.

Do you know, where will provide this fork tube re-chrome service?
How much it will be?
Buying a new USD fork tube for GSXR1100 here in Hong Kong is about US$300 . It is very expensive if you are going to buy two for one bike.

I know there is one in US - http://www.frankmain.qpg.com/
but never get respone by the contact field.

Hope you would have good suggestion.

Addy

[srsupertrap]

Since you mentioned the environment, rechroming anything has been greatly affected by RoHS Compliance which is the European Union Directive to encourage safe recycling and protect the environement. Many of the "old" plating techniques do not meet the prohibited substance spec limits:

Cadium 100 ppm
Lead 1000 ppm
Hexavalent chromium 1000 ppm (Used in traditional chrome plating)
Mercury 1000 ppm

Hexavalent chrome has been replaced by trivalent chrome and so the number of platers has dwindled.

Replating a fork tube sounds much easier than it actually is, First the chrome is stripped than the copper layer is removed. If the steel tube has nicks, pits or rust than the machined surface has to cleaned up, while maintaining the functional "tight: .0003" roundness specification. This is probably why you didn't get a response from Forking by Frank. It's probably cheaper to buy a set from him than replate a rusty set of forks.

I purchased a set of Forking by Frank fork tubes for my BMW R100RS and they were excellent. They would be my first choice since they have the technical expertise.

[robertob]

You might have better luck in the UK, aka "land of rust". They have companies that specialize in rechroming fork tubes. Here in the US, aka "land of throwaways" there aren't any places that I could find that specialize in it - only companies that supply new tubes. Frank's tubes are around $250, so not much cheaper than new ones there.

[hampshirehog]

There's a few places that re-chrome forks in the UK, eg

www.fitforx.co.uk/

However, it ain't cheap (£80 a leg when I had a pair done a while back). New ones might be cheaper.

[salty_monk]

Doubt it's going to be less than the £150 for new ones though especially with shipping.... Dan

[tone]

These seem to be the best people to use for rechroming forks in the uk, ive heard nothing but good things about their work, not sure about their prices but its well worth asking :-D

http://www.amphardchrome.co.uk/