Project 30 is in the reassembly stage, and with the rebuilt shock installed I'm finally able to install the wheel assembly. One of the many details involves refurbishing the chain adjusting hardware, consisting of the end plates and "outer washers," in Honda-speak.
These parts live in a harsh, neglected environment but are visible and will really detract from the finished bike if left in this sad state (right).
(Below) After cleaning, I begin with wet-sanding the aluminum to remove the surface corrosion and get down to clean metal. In this case, I'm using a worn piece of 320-grit paper — the level of corrosion will determine the grit used. The side plates, though made of steel, get the same treatment. Any sanding marks will remain, so I sand in one direction to create a "grain," in this case lengthwise. The plates are now ready for buffing.
These parts live in a harsh, neglected environment but are visible and will really detract from the finished bike if left in this sad state (right).
(Below) After cleaning, I begin with wet-sanding the aluminum to remove the surface corrosion and get down to clean metal. In this case, I'm using a worn piece of 320-grit paper — the level of corrosion will determine the grit used. The side plates, though made of steel, get the same treatment. Any sanding marks will remain, so I sand in one direction to create a "grain," in this case lengthwise. The plates are now ready for buffing.
(Below) The screw heads and adjusting nuts are cleaned with a steel wire rotary brush, mounted in a drill.
(Below) Buffing isn't strictly necessary, of course, but I think a light buff gives a finished look. The level of shine depends upon the amount of buffing, but I just keep it light so, hopefully, the parts don't look out of place when mounted on the swing arm. I dress the wheel with a "Tripoli" bar from Eastwood — this is a mild cutting compound; for a finer, brighter shine I can progress to a white rouge compound, but in this case I'll stop with the Tripoli. The steel side plates get the same treatment. For a good primer on buffing parts, check out Eastwood's video.
The final step is to protect the fresh finish on these parts. I have a new favorite for this important task — Sharkhide Metal Protectant. (This is worthy of a separate post, but you can find details here.)
(Below) The finished parts now compliment the swing arm area, rather than detract. This task took about 1.5 hours of easy labor but the results will last for years.
(Below) The finished parts now compliment the swing arm area, rather than detract. This task took about 1.5 hours of easy labor but the results will last for years.
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