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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: tfi_friday on May 14, 2017, 02:07 PM

Title: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 14, 2017, 02:07 PM
I've restored a few sets of these now and it's relatively straight forward but the prices of Tech 7s are a bit silly for a clean set so to clean up might save a few quid.

Here's what I started with. They came on an 1987 GT PFT I picked up for £40 (complete bike)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WHptM8ee0r0/WRfEW2L3V1I/AAAAAAAAEkg/Ev-JTos69VUzLV8QhF7aobYYQ4R8FGytQCHM/s640/blogger-image--1252890702.jpg)

Not in bad shape, but I need a white/silver for my next build and there's heavy rust on the locking pins.

That's where I started first remove the locking pin spring and to dremel the rust off the top of the locking pin as best I could. Stuck the spring in Citric Acid at the same time.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5bKbXF5Wpaw/WRfET2gShJI/AAAAAAAAEkc/QqkKJpb4YQUCQQ1aHwC0b3sShLFfCjuMwCHM/s640/blogger-image--485254162.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DCoEEJy2QMk/WRfEZ8qIc5I/AAAAAAAAEkk/pywDtPF8X3UZitq5uCtfra8tc2DoF3l3gCHM/s640/blogger-image-397353849.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4c1J6gRsBL8/WRfEl0QBSWI/AAAAAAAAEk0/j3eWWnsYl5MHWsC1iJtoKrEIk_ra1vHEgCHM/s640/blogger-image-30310091.jpg)

To get a nice finish on the bolts and locking pin I put the end of it in a drill and spin it around against sand paper. Works great and fast to do.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kpmay00qIjc/WRfEQmXny_I/AAAAAAAAEkY/6iUBnTiljMcoGdAoFAfiVKREZgVaGbC5ACHM/s640/blogger-image--52042924.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yi2CdmRoes0/WRfEc9FJ-rI/AAAAAAAAEko/XB0Gkw0lv2ksBafyQpMA1zgZOSvU8W42ACHM/s640/blogger-image-1627098432.jpg)

With that done, it's to remove the paint (black is paint not anodiized)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--ftlcQ1DSDU/WRfEoy-NROI/AAAAAAAAEk4/52uWoKGltMwX7YbQF5dGJU3p4Br88x6VwCHM/s640/blogger-image-1205185222.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pKAHNPkaz0A/WRfEf3AeJaI/AAAAAAAAEks/kqNAup700CYT6zLhBBpZMetJ6DtonZzzQCHM/s640/blogger-image-2085413767.jpg)

Then it's just to clean it up and remove the small blemishes from the body and levers.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vAK4jn-1qAo/WRfEjGsDMaI/AAAAAAAAEkw/EG1cKwv670Qd9LK0BxdEbmWMw07ZHX03gCHM/s640/blogger-image--208519086.jpg)

All done and ready for paint/powder

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I5sxz2D8SzQ/WRfErigZOHI/AAAAAAAAEk8/tJ6kc0-WBmg5VmHe8BYTxsGvI4VVsf8pwCHM/s640/blogger-image-435977787.jpg)

Here's a couple of sets I restored earlier

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GIYPhTCjp30/WRhXF-yCUAI/AAAAAAAAElQ/iQqgYY9sOWg88m47EdLGZMokXff535SOwCHM/s640/blogger-image--937151533.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BQCEc_kp3AA/WRhXJd430DI/AAAAAAAAElU/Ur64dRBnSZYw3u_RBKRjISM5WAL-IUxRQCHM/s640/blogger-image--221358028.jpg)
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: Andyboy77 on May 14, 2017, 02:32 PM
Excellent job and guide!  :4_17_5:  fistblump
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: BMX1973 on May 14, 2017, 09:52 PM
Very nice.  :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: griff on May 14, 2017, 09:56 PM
Nice work  :4_17_5:
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: CustardLips on May 14, 2017, 10:22 PM
Bolts, drill and sand paper... great tip.  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: Taipan on May 14, 2017, 10:49 PM
Nice resto  :daumenhoch: and if these can fetch this money  :shocked: god knows what yours will fetch  ???  :daumenhoch:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OLD-SCHOOL-BMX-DIA-COMPE-182-TECH-7-FREESTYLE-LOCKING-LEVERS-OG-WHITE-/182564081461?hash=item2a81aacf35:g:vD4AAOSwfRdZDxBx
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 15, 2017, 09:30 AM
Bolts, drill and sand paper... great tip.  :daumenhoch:

Gives a nice brushed finish...

A bit of autoglym and a rad will polish them up also (just watch the rag and the drill)
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 15, 2017, 11:16 AM
Ready for paint :-)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qmhS-QAwFw/WRl-tMJxjqI/AAAAAAAAEl0/1yZYD2zZpEkv3V9jc1KSF3TciqRKPt9_gCHM/s640/blogger-image-1997942258.jpg)

Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: deeman on May 15, 2017, 11:20 AM
Great work Alan  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 15, 2017, 01:56 PM
Great work Alan  :daumenhoch:

cheers :-)

They're turning out nicely.

Cleaned up the levers since they won't be painted and started painting the bodies.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nrzIfnRrQ-Q/WRmilcDKoNI/AAAAAAAAEmI/QJPJ7OTQddovCArshEJPt3K42FEQg6nbgCHM/s640/blogger-image-883545496.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QdF7dmkXoxY/WRmiidYKH4I/AAAAAAAAEmE/0Hnhz-S0xGoVKibvAySqua588Ug6kUWDgCHM/s640/blogger-image--2103407218.jpg)
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 15, 2017, 05:28 PM
...and done!

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r4UNs9yIVXg/WRnXAC6ULpI/AAAAAAAAEmc/0ju1mCamnU0jhceAfSf1VQIOrDA3IWR7ACHM/s640/blogger-image--668050541.jpg)
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: brimfull on May 07, 2018, 11:55 AM
Hi Alan, sorry to drag this up but I've just bought some that need restoring. How do you get the locking lever and spring off and back on - do you need a press or something?
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: kalex on May 07, 2018, 12:48 PM
Blimey how a year flys by, I thought this was a recent thread until I saw the date.
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 09, 2018, 01:42 PM
Hi Alan, sorry to drag this up but I've just bought some that need restoring. How do you get the locking lever and spring off and back on - do you need a press or something?

The spring is easy to remove, just pop if the start of the sprint over the lip of the locking button and move the spring round and around the locking button till it comes off.

The locking button can be painted/powdered without removal.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qmhS-QAwFw/WRl-tMJxjqI/AAAAAAAAEl0/1yZYD2zZpEkv3V9jc1KSF3TciqRKPt9_gCHM/s640/blogger-image-1997942258.jpg)

The lever is bolted in place... not a rivet like Tech 3

Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: brimfull on May 09, 2018, 10:51 PM
Hi Alan, sorry to drag this up but I've just bought some that need restoring. How do you get the locking lever and spring off and back on - do you need a press or something?

The spring is easy to remove, just pop if the start of the sprint over the lip of the locking button and move the spring round and around the locking button till it comes off.

The locking button can be painted/powdered without removal.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qmhS-QAwFw/WRl-tMJxjqI/AAAAAAAAEl0/1yZYD2zZpEkv3V9jc1KSF3TciqRKPt9_gCHM/s640/blogger-image-1997942258.jpg)

The lever is bolted in place... not a rivet like Tech 3

Thanks dude  :nuts:  fistblump
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: Taipan on May 10, 2018, 05:23 PM
Is that a pair of your refurbished levers on ebay for £350  :shocked:
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: PHIL9HUF on May 11, 2018, 01:11 AM
Great job Alan  :daumenhoch:
Didn't they only make them for 1 year ?
Hence not too many about that makes them expensive !
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 12, 2018, 06:41 PM
Is that a pair of your refurbished levers on ebay for £350  :shocked:

Nope all mine in use :-)

£350??? Bloody Nora
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: tfi_friday on May 12, 2018, 06:42 PM
Great job Alan  :daumenhoch:
Didn't they only make them for 1 year ?
Hence not too many about that makes them expensive !

Think it was a couple of years, but they broke at the clamp which also makes them a tough find
Title: Re: Dia Compe Tech 7 restoration
Post by: PHIL9HUF on June 08, 2018, 01:06 AM
There is a nos pair in an auction on eBay for over £900!


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