Powdercoating

2 strokes 4 life · #1 03-24-2009, 08:04 PM

What color should I powdercoat my frame and swing arm?

I am only coating them because I have rust starting to form in places and I want to hit it hard before things get worse and it seems like Powder coating is the strongest thing to use.

I was thinking black but what eles might go good with a blue plastcs.

THANKS!!!

aardouzie · #2 03-24-2009, 11:46 PM

Yellow!!!!

Cruiser · #3 03-25-2009, 08:50 AM

I dont suggest powdercoating the swingarm.. but the frame,, I liked the hammered finnish that GMP did on his 03 frame a few years ago.. They have some very nice finishes,, I'd go with a silver textured finish if it was me..

reiterrider · #4 03-25-2009, 09:47 AM

You can always polish the swing arm, at least on the sides to remove scratches, etc. Then you don't have worry about touching it up with paint in the future.

BTW While powder coating is super durable, it scratches fairly easy.

Go to this site and see the different ways you can adjust the colors for the front bike frame and rear triangle.
http://www.santacruzbikes.com/bullit....php?builder=1

The top color is the frame the bottom color is the swingarm

GMP · #5 03-25-2009, 12:12 PM

The issue with powdercoating the swingarm has to do with the heating process to melt the powder. Not good on an aluminum structural part unless you know enough about the design and materials to prove otherwise.

Somewhere on this board there may be a pic of my '03 freshly done. If not I'll find it at home. When I was in Houston with Boomer he just picked up his frame done in a thick gloss black, very nice too. Mine held up well and I would do it again for sure over paint.

2 strokes 4 life · #6 03-25-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMP

The issue with powdercoating the swingarm has to do with the heating process to melt the powder. Not good on an aluminum structural part unless you know enough about the design and materials to prove otherwise.

Somewhere on this board there may be a pic of my '03 freshly done. If not I'll find it at home. When I was in Houston with Boomer he just picked up his frame done in a thick gloss black, very nice too. Mine held up well and I would do it again for sure over paint.

Alright I might just leave the swingarm by itself. I am thinking of a black with a silver flake or mabe just silver texture of some sort.

Thanks for all the info.

Boomhauer · #7 03-25-2009, 08:38 PM

I had mine done with an industrial bakeware powder coating. It is 4 times thicker than the regular powder coating you get. The factory powder coat was at the most 5 mils thick. My new coating is no less than 15 mils thick.

So far it has held up really well. Trust me it is very thick! Black would be the route I would go but then again that is just me.

Boomhauer · #8 03-25-2009, 08:47 PM

Oh yeah I forgot to mention to make sure you fill every bolt hole with an old bolt. Also be sure to drive your steering stem bearings & races out and pack the tube with aluminum foil! You will thank me later.

GMP · #9 03-26-2009, 07:39 AM

Also, to save time later sanding off powder coat where you need an electrical ground like on the inside motor and coil mounts, use a larger washer with a sacrificial bolt. I left the races in the head but used big high temp rubber stoppers I got here at work to cap everything.

2 strokes,

It sounds like what you are looking for is exactly how I had my '03 done. A black base coat with silver flakes, hammertone finnish. The guy happend to have a lot of that powder at the time so I got a real good price. Black is common and they should always have that. If its something more unique and they have to order powder then you pay a bit more. I saw a quad frame stripped, polished to high luster, and clear powder coated with a red tint. Not for me, but looked cool on the quad and shows that you can do anything you want.

GMP · #10 03-26-2009, 07:50 AM

Also, to save time later sanding off powder coat where you need an electrical ground like on the inside motor and coil mounts, use a larger washer with a sacrificial bolt. I left the races in the head but used big high temp rubber stoppers I got here at work to cap everything.

The shop I used bead blasted my frame, and a lot of the factory nickel was loose and flaked off. Before I dropped it off, I also spent some time with a chisel removing weld spatter. It was winter, so one day when my wife was out I put the frame in the shower and scrubbed every crevice (behind motor mounts, etc.) with a brush and Simple Green, and put the frame on top of my wood stove for a day to dry out any trapped moisture inside. Make sure you do this anyway or when the frame is baked the steam escaping the vent holes in the frame will wreck the finnish. The better clean and prep the better the result.

It sounds like what you are looking for is exactly how I had my '03 done. A black base coat with silver flakes, hammertone finnish. The guy happend to have a lot of that powder at the time so I got a real good price. Black is common and they should always have that. If its something more unique and they have to order powder then you pay a bit more. I saw a quad frame stripped, polished to high luster, and clear powder coated with a red tint. Not for me, but looked cool on the quad and shows that you can do anything you want.