[Cosy]

I have recently bought an xr400 which I would like to strip down to powder coat/repaint the frame. Are there any tips/techincal sections or do's and don'ts that anyone can offer please?

I am considering using one of these two firms unless anyone knows better?

Windridge Coatings – Powder coat steel using architectural powder coaters to paint in Kent

Maldon Shotblasting and Powder Coating - for all your shotblasted and powder coated projects

Appreciate any comments. Also anything about the oil through the frame/repaint advice perhaps?

Regards

Cosy

 

[Pieeyedpiper]

Not much really, but I used a local firm that had experience of doing bike frames, particularly dry sump ones. It a bit different to powder coating steeelwork.

They should shot blast it first and then seal up all the frame holes, especially the oil tank ones.

When I got it home I hung the frame up and flushed the oil tank through with kerosene before re-building and filling the tank.

I did expect powder coating to be thicker though, but it does seem pretty durable.

 

[Cosy]

Thank you, does it take approximately one day to strip and two to rebuild again?

Soda blasting seems like a good option. ANy thoughts?

 

[416cc]

Soad blasting? That's a new one on me...never heard of that before.

The big question that I would ask any bike frame painter is have they any experience of bike frames, do they give a guarantee, who is expected to do the masking of areas that you don't want blasted/stripped/painted...& of course...how much.

I made the mistake of expecting a stove enameller in Croydon many years ago to do the job properly...& they completely mucked it all up...enough that they had to do the job again.

If you were in North-West Kent it would be easy to suggest someone, but if you're in South-East Kent I wouldn't know who to recommend.

 

[Cosy]

Soad blasting? That's a new one on me...never heard of that before.

The big question that I would ask any bike frame painter is have they any experience of bike frames, do they give a guarantee, who is expected to do the masking of areas that you don't want blasted/stripped/painted...& of course...how much.

I made the mistake of expecting a stove enameller in Croydon many years ago to do the job properly...& they completely mucked it all up...enough that they had to do the job again.

If you were in North-West Kent it would be easy to suggest someone, but if you're in South-East Kent I wouldn't know who to recommend.

I live in North West (near Brands Hatch). XR400 is now being stripped in the garage. First strip I have done so being a bit careful and cursing corroded fittings. Any advice/places would be grateful. Was thinking F1 Moto at one point?

 

[paulc]

take pic's as you do it to help with the rebuild,you will forget something thats a certainty

 

[416cc]

There's a Kent TRF meeting at the Moat pub opposite the Oakdene tomorrow evening (9th Nov) at 8.30pm. There'll be a number of XR owners there who'll be able to advise on the places that they have used in the past for frame painting, so if you were to make it along i'm sure that they would pass on some relevant help & advice.

In the past I have used the place behind the motorbike shop in Crayford for painting my cast road wheels, but i'm not sure if they're there any more. For bits like the engine mount plates, they're a reasonable quality ally that can be anodised. I had my ones done in red on my XR400, with numerous other bits that I made like the wheel spacers, rear disc & sprocket protectors also done in red at Star Anodising in Slade Green Star Anodising & Finishing Ltd.

 

[Cosy]

There's a Kent TRF meeting at the Moat pub opposite the Oakdene tomorrow evening (9th Nov) at 8.30pm. There'll be a number of XR owners there who'll be able to advise on the places that they have used in the past for frame painting, so if you were to make it along i'm sure that they would pass on some relevant help & advice.

In the past I have used the place behind the motorbike shop in Crayford for painting my cast road wheels, but i'm not sure if they're there any more. For bits like the engine mount plates, they're a reasonable quality ally that can be anodised. I had my ones done in red on my XR400, with numerous other bits that I made like the wheel spacers, rear disc & sprocket protectors also done in red at Star Anodising in Slade Green Star Anodising & Finishing Ltd.

Thanks, I live 7 mins from the moat and often go oakdene on a Wednesday evening. Currently the XR is being dismantled so if I pop down it will be via car.

All subframe is off, tank, plastic etc, just engine, wiring, swingarm/shock assembly and front wheel setup. Hope to get it down next two/three evenings, was considering having the engine rebuilt whilst it was out? 15,000 km so about 9K miles now.

Thank you for your input.

Yes the camera is coming in handy. Did not realise it was a relatively easy bike to work on. Very impressed, does the shock need to have spring clamps on prior to removal, the bike is on a bike lift presently.

Like those adonised bits and pieces, think I am being tempted to rebuild most of the bike now.

 

[416cc]

I think that the majority if not all members will be arriving by car. I have to visit a friend in West Kingsdown so as to pick up some user evidence forms & to drop off a seat base for repair before recovering...not easy to carry on the back of a Yam R1.

You won't need a spring compressor to remove the rear shock, just unbolt it from the frame with the back wheel off the ground. There have been a number of people on here who have had a problem removing the swing-arm spindle due to insufficient maintenance by previous owners, so there's plenty of good advice here before having to resort to angle grinders to cut the thing out.

I think that the good thing about a complete stripdown from when you first own the machine is that when you do need to do something to the bike in the future then you will have a far better idea about how it all works. I did this with my KTM. It was stripped down from when it came out of the box from Austria & everything was removed, checked, lubed up with fresh grease & oil & reassembled. I know that they say you can race it out of the box, but I doubt very much that David Knight does this, so why take the chance.

Take your time, be methodical, & be precise.

 

[Cosy]

To remove the engine from the frame, is there a way to do it without removing the rusted downpipe flanges?

At the point where the swingarm spindle is solid, plus the exhuast/engine removal combo may mean take it somewhere to be address, then powder coated.