Cleaning the Final Drive

[cogsman]

Hi All,

Any idea what this crackling is all about and how I can clean it? Any help would be appreciated.

[Bighead]

Looks like the clear coating is cracking,I have never seen one do that but I would suspect it will have to be buffed to remove it.

[cogsman]

Bighead is this a job I can do myself? And more importantly, would the clearcoat need to be reapplied?

[Chrisj CMA]

I wouldn't try re-clear coating.  I think sanding is the only way to get that old coating off.  Then I would paint that final drive.  The earlier ones and the Interstate ones are all painted.  Only the 2000-2003 Stnd/Tourer  final drives were polished and clear coated.  Then you could pick a cool color if you didn't want to just paint it silver like everyone elses.

It should be fairly easy to sand the coating off although time consuming.  You should be able to do it just fine.  Then paint with a good spray paint made for outdoors and you will have something unique.

[Jess from VA]

I once removed all the clear coat from some bike forks with about 5/6 cans of Gummout carb cleaner ('86 HD).  Got under the edge of the clearcoat with the tiny spray tube nozzle, then kept pushing the edge further down.  It was a toxic spill, but I wanted the chemical to do it, and not work my hands off doing it.  I do not know if it would work on the Valk final drive (or any other clear coat today).  Or paint stripper.  You have to be careful with aluminum and chemicals, wet sanding may be more judicious and more work.

No need to reapply it, but once it's off, then you can polish the metal (aluminum) (and then keep polishing it once in a while).  I would not go to all the work getting it off and then spray paint a clear coat back on only to have it degrade again. Once polished, keep it waxed.

They only mostly show on standards without bags; tourers and interstates, only the bottom shows a little.

The best time for that project would be at a tire change with the pumpkin pulled; then you could clean it and buff it with high speed drill and buffing wheel/compound.

Those spiderwebs look like something got on it, or heat, or both.  I hope it is not under-full of rear end dope, which would cause heat.  Or too close to a space heater or something.

INFO:
http://thepontiactransampage.com/clear.html

[Bighead]

As Chris stated I wouldn't re clear it. I also like the idea of painting it to match the bike
I was going to state sanding it off also or like Jess suggested find a chemical that would dissolve/ loosen it.
It is pretty simple to,take off of the bike onece the tire is off 4 bolts and done.

[BobB]

I have used a chemical paint stripper to remove the clear coat from the brake/clutch master cylinders and the cam shaft covers, before polishing them out.  It's the easiest way.  Polishing with the clear coat on burns through the coating...

[salty1]

I have used a chemical paint stripper to remove the clear coat from the brake/clutch master cylinders and the cam shaft covers, before polishing them out.  It's the easiest way.  Polishing with the clear coat on burns through the coating...

  Don't sand it. After using paint remover you could paint it silver as from the factory. Just clean it up well and use a 3M pad to scuff it up before you paint it. Some here have polished their final drives. Aluminum can take on a pretty good shine.

[gordonv]

To me those look like pressure cracks from being over tightened.

I was wondering how brake fluid would do in it's removal? Everyone has an open bottle around from bleeding there brakes/clutch. If not, go out and buy a bottle, change your fluids, and then use the left over.

[sandy]

When I polish the fork lowers, I start with oven cleaner to remove the clear coat. You crackling pattern is the old coat degrading. As others said, sand the housing and polish with a Mother's powerball. It looks bad but I'd wait till my next tire change.

[vicnelson]

I agree that it looks like the clear coat that is cracking and there are several good suggestions to repair the damage. I wonder what caused it, just age or has there been some severe heat issues?

[CoachDoc]

There is a stripper called Aircraft that I have used numerous times to remove clearcoat from vintage Hondas. Takes it off easily and completely but wear gloves when you use it and try not to get any on you. Then you can either polish or paint metallic silver.

[desertrefugee]

If you're going to polish the aluminum, then the suggestions for removal are all valid.  Polished aluminum is a great look - a much deeper luster and than chrome.  But it is hard earned. Either use chemical strippers, which are a PIA a while the unit is on the bike.  Or go by hand and starting with 220 or 400 grit sandpaper working gradually up to 1000 or even 2000.  Then get out the polishing wheel and after that the Simichrome - or Mothers.

I've stripped and polished an awful lot of aluminum. The results can be beautiful but it's a lot of work.

If you'd rather paint it, I don't believe stripping all the clearcoat is necessary.  Just rough surface up evenly with fine sandpaper (400ish), mask things off and spray the heck out of it.  You would probably end up with a much better job if you just pulled the rear drive and did it on the bench.

I have never seen that cracking either, but suspect it could come from rapid temperature changes...just a guess.

[billyjakester]

check this website and read up on their instructions - first page.  If you begin sanding the surface you will be in for a long ride to gradually remove the microscopic scratches before it's smooth again.

bill


http://buschshineproducts.com/super-shine-aluminum-polish-p-3.html

[cogsman]

So if it is due to heat...

What kind of external heat issue would be causing this crackling? Something from the exhaust?

Or is it possible that the final drive itself is heating up to the point that it's causing the crackling?

[hubcapsc]

So if it is due to heat...

What kind of external heat issue would be causing this crackling? Something from the exhaust?

Or is it possible that the final drive itself is heating up to the point that it's causing the crackling?

If the final is heating up that much, you could feel it. On your next ride, near the end,
put some spit on your finger and reach up in there and touch your final drive. It is
OK for it to be "warm"... something is wrong if the spit sizzles...

I hope, and expect, that the crinkling is merely cosmetic... have you
had this bike since new? Maybe the other guy lived in Arizona and had
to park in the sun at work everday for 10 years or something... or
someone splashed water on it when it really was hot... or...

-Mike

[pancho]

Your going to need to take it off and do a bit of sanding to make sure that there is no cracking,,,  probably not but it looks a bit worrisome around the shock bolt, I would surely want to check.. I would check my drive fluid immediately to rule that out,, just remove the filler plug and stick a straw in there to make sure you have lubrication. 

It almost looks like scratches, like someone rode around with a sack of nails for saddlebags. When you clean it up you could paint it any color like bighead suggested.

[Bambam650]

My guess is that's a clear powder coat finish on there.  I read another article not too long ago about removing this type of clear coat.  The owner first tried using paint stripper and when that didn't work he used oven cleaner, which seemed to do the trick.  If you plan to polish the case then I would not sand anything.  Any sanding you do will only have to be undone.  I suspect the case will clean up very nice once the coating is chemically removed.  Once you have it polished it should be fairly easy to maintain with metal polish and some wax.

[big poppa pump]

I just stripped the clear coat off my final drive 2 days back. Used Aircraft paint stripper. It started bubbling right away and within 10 minutes the entire clear coat bubbled off. Used #2 steel wool to remove everything and cleaned up with water. Will be painting it black in the next few days with POR-15 Engine Enamel.

[cogsman]

Thanks guys. Going to attempt this weekend. Bambam, you'd recommend oven cleaner then? Based on what you read?