USD fork rechroming - VFR1200F

[Biker9090]

Had the unfortunate find that the RHS stanchion is pitted on my VFR. I'm not 100% sure if it's in the travel area or not yet as it's roughly an inch from where it meets the caliper bracket. I'm going to attempt to sand it down for the meantime.

I've contacted a few people who have said they won't touch them (KYB forks) as the threads usually get ruined in the caliper bracket. Is there anyone out there that CAN sort these out?

Last resort is an entire new lower at £250

[KTMsm]

Have a google and find the travel - subtract it from the upper position with no weight on the forks or just put a cable tie on it, as a tell tale, to see if you're using the area

No point worrying / fixing something that doesn't need to be fixed

Edited by KTMsm on Friday 21st April 12:31

[darkyoung1000]

As an ‘interim’ measure if it is in the travel area, a coating of 2 part epoxy such as Araldite applied with a razor blade around the fork works well.
There were pits in the chrome on my SV when I got it 25k miles ago, but the application of the Arldite kept the oxygen out and stopped it getting worse so I’ve never needed to replace them.

[fred bloggs]

The only way is to pay for a new lower leg, and fork rebuild. Anything else is prolonging the inevitable. Don't wait until its unavailable.

[tdm34]

I'd look at Philpotts, they've been doing it for donkeys years, they grind down the original chrome and then re-chrome in a much harder chrome finish
never heard a bad word said about them.....

https://www.pittedforks.co.uk/

[gareth_r]

Which companies did you ask?

Fork legs should be hard chrome plated.

HCP&G, for example specifically mention USD forks, but say that the castings must be removed.


https://www.hardchromeplating.co.uk/forks-rechromi...

EDIT:
There are videos on youtube. There will be high strength threadlock, so a vice and heat will be needed, or the services of a professional.

Edited by gareth_r on Friday 21st April 18:34

[Biker9090]

Brooks Suspension were the ones who said no.

I've looked at a few chromers but we're talking eight weeks turnaround time and with summer coming that's a no.

T tech suspension doesn't seem to think it'll be a problem and can get stanchions at 120 each so I just hope he can do it

[Steve Bass]

gareth_r said:

EDIT:
There are videos on youtube. There will be high strength threadlock, so a vice and heat will be needed, or the services of a professional.

This^

I've done a few of my Duc forks and it's not that hard.

A long bar to put through the holes at the top of the stanchion and a decent heat gun to soften the high strength thread lock the fork feet are held in with and they come out easily enough.

As has been mentioned above, a short term fix is to remove the fork stanchion and epoxy the holes. make sure you wet & dry the epoxy down so it's imperceptible to the touch and it'll last until you are ready to completely rebuild.
Honestly though, I would look at replacing them as the chrome is wearing thin and if holes are appearing, more will come along. A short term fix might get you through summer or a ale but it's a bandaid at best...

[FNG]

Last time I used a heat gun to soften the loctite, when I removed the stanchion the dent in it due to the grub screw fked the threads anyway.

Personally if a stanchion is 120 and a lower leg is 250 I’d just get the leg rather than paying someone to remove the stanchion and find it’s fked regardless.

[Biker9090]

FNG said:

Last time I used a heat gun to soften the loctite, when I removed the stanchion the dent in it due to the grub screw fked the threads anyway.

Personally if a stanchion is 120 and a lower leg is 250 I’d just get the leg rather than paying someone to remove the stanchion and find it’s fked regardless.

Yeah he's gonna strip the right one down as either way the internals will need to be dealt with (full k tech piston kit and springs). If the casting gets ruined I'll get the entire lower. He has worked wonders on shocks before though.

[Biker9090]

Just thought I'd reply to this.

T Tech Suspension in Croydon did this for me in the end. One new stanchion (left side only had minor pitting and right at the end of travel) plus a full fork service Inc seals for £300.

[black-k1]

Good result.

[Fundoreen]

Glad its fixed for not too much cash.
Can we please have normal way up forks back where its pretty easy to do yourself. Rubber gaiters as well as they look cool.
I dont want my critical shiny bits hit by rocks.
Im sure its been noted that in crashes frames are the thing that bends instead of forks thanks to this 'improvement'.