FRONT FORK RE-FINISHING
This page shows and tells how I re-finished the front forks on my Cavalcade.
I know there
was some debate on re-finishing the front forks. Mine was in desperate need
of re-finishing, so I decided to see what I could do. And I am quite
satisfied with the results. I started by taking the front wheel, fender,
brace, and calipers off. Took about 1/2 hour. I then sprayed on some paint
remover, let sit for 5-10 mins, then cleaned it off. That took off the clear
coat and took about 20 mins. I then used 320 grit sandpaper and sanded
pitted areas till the pits were gone, followed by wetsanding with 600 grit
to remove scratches made by 320 grit. Total time sanding was about 15-20
mins. for 1 fork. I then used polishing compound and a polishing pad in my
cordless drill on high speed to polish the sanded area back to a "stainless
steel" shine. This took about 10 mins. I will then put on a clear coat to
protect it for another 15 years I hope. If you follow these steps, you will
be amazed at the difference it makes. So in a days time, you can have front
forks that look like brand new. I was surprised at how little sanding it
took, and how quick I was able to do it all. Hope you find this informative.
Oh, BTW,
Now would be a good time to lube the speedo cable to assure it dont break on
ya too.
The first pic shows one fork sanded and buffed out, and the other fork untouched. The second pic shows the before again, and the finished product after I clear coated them. Click on them to see a full size pic. What a difference huh??
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