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Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: funkyfresh on September 06, 2008, 04:52 PM
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Bought some nice white Tuff's and thought I'd bleach em to get them pristine white - tbh they weren't that bad, but wanted to see how white I could get them...
1st off, the bleach made the top surface mushy, but thankfully a good soak in clean water sorted that....
But, the worst part is that for some reason, all the grease i put on the alloy hubs was fine, except for one side, where it came off completely...
this is where I start to cry! :'(
the alloy is pitted, and I've tried Autosol, but it isn't making them shiny or even alloy coloured...
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/nn256/martinporter69/P1010146.jpg)
how am i gonna rescue this? I thought perhaps painting with silver enamel?
anyone else messed em up like this?
HELP! :daumenhoch:
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The only saving grace is its the drive side. Get a nice big sprocket to hide the damage.
Are you sure you did not get the bleach and the caustic mixed up?
Too concentrated mix I think?
Ad
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never ever had that problem the grease should protect the alloy even if not it just goes black
and a good polish and sorted never seen them go like that.
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Me neither ... I've bleached four white sets now with no problems at all :shocked:
What grease did you use and how long were they in the bleach. I always remove the wheels daily, wash off thoroughly and regrease the hubs before returning them to the drink
Try various grades of wet 'n' dry to smooth that hub out ... then hit it with Autosol :daumenhoch:
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It was Tesco's thin bleach. soaked for about 36 hours. The side in question was face down , at the bottom of the tub, but dont see why that should have doen anything to the grease...
:'(
It was white lithium grease, BTW....
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I'll try wet n dry, but i think the pitting maybe too deep - its perhaps .75 mm in places, deeper that the stamped "skyway" logo...
I just dont want to make them worse...
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Good rub down with various grades of wet and dry should help that no end; never seen them go like that though before :-\
Might be worth rubbing some oven pride on the skyway logo to deepen it a touch :-\.
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Bloody tesco's saver's bleach! it was neat, but thats right isnt it? :idiot2:
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It was white lithium grease, BTW....
Maybe the lithium grease was your problem :-\ I've always used axle grease or pertroleum jelly which is very waterproof
Bloody tesco's saver's bleach! it was neat, but thats right isnt it? :idiot2:
36 hours in neat bleach is not good ... I've always used a diluted solution and checked the wheels daily
I'll try wet n dry, but i think the pitting maybe too deep - its perhaps .75 mm in places, deeper that the stamped "skyway" logo...
Give it a go anyway mate ... you've got nothing to lose now :daumenhoch:
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Sounds like the neat bleach was a bad idea then...doh!
I'll try sanding them over the next week, and post back the progress...
Thanks everyone for you advice, helping a twat out :LolLolLolLol:
m
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i used 18 bottles of tesco's value bleach but coverered the hubs in vaseline.
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i used 18 bottles of tesco's value bleach but coverered the hubs in vaseline.
Ditto :daumenhoch:
I use the tesco bleach neat and cover the hubs with vasaline - never had a problem ;)
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Buy some replacement nos flanges if the alloy is beyond repair :daumenhoch: i left mine in for a week each wheel and they were fine :-\ dunno what happened there mate
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live and learn...
best make sure you dont fook up the next set..
could start getting expensive :D
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I had that mushy surface layer problem, about the first mm was unevenly eaten away and then went hard. And then gradually went a really manky yellowy brown colour, really fooked up. Once in a while when I can be arsed I'm slowly sanding them back flat, with all the different nooks and contours it's a nightmare. I did leave them in neat bleach for close to a month, never again though.
:LolLolLolLol:
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I had a white set that did that, I left them in the tub for about 2 weeks :-\
It's time to get your polishing kit out...
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Doh, wet n dry mate. then get a big as* shiney sprocket to hide the rest.
nowt wrong with tesco value bleach but i use vaseline for the hubs :daumenhoch: , think you ve just been unlucky.
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i got one out the back in bleach at the minute, gave it a 30 minute blast of neat bleach, started eating the hub even tho its covered in grease, caught it just in time, watered it right down now and washing and re greasing it every night, only put it back in the bleach when i am around to keep an eye on it
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if yer goin to use grease to protect the hub use a waterproof one!!!!!!!! lithum grease will absorbe water :shocked: use bns grease or something else
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cheers for all the advice guys...
a quick rub with wet n dry has made a marked improvement. will post some pics soon.
next up is a dremmel type polishing kit to polish the erroded bits that are too deep to wet n dry...
2 questions:
1/ Can you get replacment alloy hubs? from where? Quick search of google and ebay completed listings revealed nowt...
2/ anyone know how big a dia an 18t freehweel is? Not sure whether it would cover much more than the 16t one i have already?
thanks in advance (again)
:LolLolLolLol:
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1. Yes, maybe speak to coloured tuffs on here, or put an ad up. You should only replace as a last resort though as the replacments are bolted :daumenhoch:
2. Should be fine to cover i had a 17t on mine :daumenhoch:
Paul
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18t will cover it easy, 17t shimano in nice shiny silver will do though.
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Right,
its been a while getting round to doing the polishing...
but i think i havent made much difference: :'(
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/nn256/martinporter69/P1000039.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/nn256/martinporter69/P1000041.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/nn256/martinporter69/P1000043.jpg)
(last pic shows other side of hub that had been polished by previous owner)
i started with wet n dry, then used a dremmel type polishing kit from B & Q - basically different hard to soft wire brushes and polishing pads
as you can see refurbing parts isnt my area of expertise :D
i'm not really sure what to do now?
any thoughts guys...really need your help on this one...
:LolLolLolLol:
thanks
m
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hate to put you down mate, but its a terrible shame :(
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Keep going with the wet and dry, they will get better. Go a bit more course to shift some of the pitting.
Scotchbrite pads to finish, green or red, green are slightly more abrasive.
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Keep going Martin , it looks as though they'll come back :daumenhoch:
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i think i'll carry on with a scourer then? the pitting need smoothing out more...
BTW,
if i manage to lay my hands on some replacemnt flanges, has anyone had them re-riveted, rather than using bolts?
or i was wondering about using bolts, but with some sort of cap to cover the bolt head and nut? did a qucik search on the forums, but no joy?
My mate works for a machineing company..he might be persuded to re-make some rivets for me, if there is someone who can actually do the riveting part?
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Theoretically riveting is just hitting it with a hammer.
Could be done fairly easily i should think, if your mate could knock up some more rivets.
Keep an eye out on ebay for replacement flanges, they do crop up.
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mate keep with the wet and dry ,through the grades then some autosol ,,believe me i know its mind numbing
but its just took me six hours a wheel to rub down some tuffs with the wet and dry ,but the outcome is priceless
my last resort would be to replace the hubs ,,,id sooner fill the pitting and spray with some enamle silver spray :daumenhoch:
all the best with the outcome dude :)
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I wouldn`t worry too much about the freewheel side, just put an 18t freewheel on like was mentioned earlier in the thread and it should cover the flange anyway :daumenhoch:
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18t will cover it easy, 17t shimano in nice shiny silver will do though.
I'd agree with Joe on the freewheel solution. The absolute last thing you want to do is drill them out as the value plumets like a stone mate, so keep them original. I wouldn't go as far an 18T though as it will be unridable (unless they're going on a show pony)
What freewheel did you take off? I'm asking as I discovered one of my set arrived with a silver 17T Shimano on them. I'll happily send it to you to try it and if you think it covers enough for you to be happy with them. You can send me a 16T replacement of similar condition - not a "non-branded" one if you get what I mean though :daumenhoch:
If it helps, just let me know fella.
Spen
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Spen,
thats very kind of you...I have a NOS 16t Shimano freewheel that came of the wheels, if you want to trade?
i'm not sure how much bigger the 17t will be? I just measured the distance, tooth tip to tooth tip across the widest part, and its 71mm...
ta
Martin
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the side that is OK, i.e. quite polished, would look better if it had the "satin" effect that the normal flanges have, if was being picky.
can that be achieved somehow?
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the side that is OK, i.e. quite polished, would look better if it had the "satin" effect that the normal flanges have, if was being picky.
can that be achieved somehow?
A type of light scouring pad my dull it down ok ;) .
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i think i might find some bit of alloy to practice on 1st then...given my skill levels! :D
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Spen,
thats very kind of you...I have a NOS 16t Shimano freewheel that came of the wheels, if you want to trade?
i'm not sure how much bigger the 17t will be? I just measured the distance, tooth tip to tooth tip across the widest part, and its 71mm...
ta
Martin
I'll try and get a chance to measure it when I get home tonight Martin and pm you mate. I'm happy to send it to you and if it doesn't do the trick, you can send it back no worries. It's not NOS but it's clean enough mate, but we'll chat later.
Spen :daumenhoch:
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i know it's probably a stupid idea,but what about getting the pitting "leaded"like they used to do in the old days with car bodywork.obviously would have to be VERY careful with the heat,but it's easy to sand down and will polish up good.
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Martin - didn't get a chance to dive intot he shed to measure the sproket last night mate - late home, baby crying, wife knackered etc etc.... :knuppel2: I'll do it tonight with a bit of luck and send you a pic if I get a chance.
Spen :daumenhoch:
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As a few others have said, the grades of wet and dry is a mind numbing job but it will start to happen. The thing is with it being a hub it's awkward to get into so it feels like your getting no where. Just resign your self to chipping away a bit at a time. I did this with wet n dry and a lot of patience, didn't use the dremel until the last bit just to polish. What you have to remember about polishing is that, because the alloy has different strength metals in. Polishing will just polish and leave the pits, the surface has to be flatted 1st.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/ll167/glynn9371/kashimaxguts2.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/ll167/glynn9371/kashimaxguts1.jpg)
These are made of steel and a lot harder to rub down manually than alloy. It's just time and don't loose heart just yet.
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i'm not sure how much bigger the 17t will be? I just measured the distance, tooth tip to tooth tip across the widest part, and its 71mm...
Martin - it's 76mm across the tips of the teeth mate, so 5mm overall bigger. If you want to try it, let me know but I will try and get a pic with it on a Tuff flange as I have a spare one somewhere, I just need to find it :idiot2: :idiot2:
Spen
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Spen,
sorry meant to reply back yesterday... been manic myself, an i havent got a baby!...just a nagging missues, but aint we all ;)
i'll PM you my address, and if you do the same, i'll send my 16t to you?
sound good?
M
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No worries Martin
PM me your address and wait till mine arrives. If it's what you want and you're happy with the result, send me your 16T back. I'm in no rush as BMX takes a back seat at the minute (see previous post re: screaming child :2funny:)
If you manage to polish out the hub and want to keep your 16T, no worries, just send mine back - just trying to help out a fellow rider :coolsmiley:
Cheers
Spen
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ah Guys,
thanks for all your comments and help. Especially Spen who has made me a very kind offer...
Thats what this site's all about, and I love it for that reason!
cheers
Big love going out
:LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol:
M