crome vs. paint for frame?

[wizard69]

hey people I am taking my bike apart this winter and redoing all the bearings any ways I was thinking I should paint the frame then I thought it would be cool to have a chrome frame how much more would this cost than paint?
wich is more durable I would wan't something that would last for a few years or at least one.
does anybody have any pics of this?
and would it in any way weaken the frame?
my bike is a 1990 yz 125
thanx

 

[EricGorr]

The pre-treatment for decorative chrome plating includes a strong acid which will penetrate the welds and cause stress cracks in the future. Instead get a couple of cans of PJ1 Frame Paint

 

[wizard69]

what is pj1 frame paint?
wear do I get it?
how well does it stand up?
what colors does it come in?
thanx

 

[smprider0783]

I would get it powder coated it lasts a really long time, is durable and looks good, but you can expect to pay around $200 to have it done. I wouldn't use the pj1 paint to do it, i used it to paint my yz frame and it didnt hold up you could just scratch it off, and i used the exact same method that was instructed on the can, the first time it was horrible so the second time i put on ALOT of coats and it lasted a little longer, but if you want to try it i know you can get it from chaparral or dennis kirk and maybe rocky mountain and its like 5 bucks a can

 

[gibbs_6]

My luck with PJ1 is just the same.It scratched off real fast and easy.I have never had a bike powder coated so I have no opinions there, but have heard good things about it.:confused:

 

[wizard69]

would it work to sand blast it then clearcoat it?
I'm looking for that honda bare frame look
but I don't want it to rust

 

[wizard69]

oh ya is ther any downsides to powder coating and were can I get that done?

 

[MONKEYMOUSE]

Tip

PJ1 is junk! It looks nice if ya paint it and clear coat it. but 1 or 2 rides later it warn off in all the place your legs/boots rub. just spend the money and get it power coted or get some good spry paint and clear coat. If ya ask me PJ1 is what you use to get a few more bucks for your bike when your selling it.:cool:

 

[KawieKX125]

PJ1 is extremely durable. Sandblast the frame, use their primer, then paint it with alot of light coats, then use alot of clearcoat. It is almost as durable as some bad powdercoat jobs IMO and costs alot less.

 

[John.T]

You could always get the frame Nickel Plated, So it will look just like a FMF pipe! Alot of the pros around here had it done and it lookes really cool.

 

[gibbs_6]

John T. do you know the price to get your frame nickel plated...sounds like it would cost a pretty penny.;)

 

[TM-Frank]

I wouldn't waste my time and money on a paint job, even with the best paint in the world. It won't last a season of riding. Save the money for a new piston or something else useful.
The nickel plating sounds good to me. Here in Germany every street legal vehicle has to undergo a Tech-Inspection every 2 years at an institution called TÜV. They will start a lot of trouble when you show up with a chromed motorcycle frame (for the reasons Eric described above) but will accept nickel plated frames.

Frank

 

[Adam 982]

nickel plating

my friend had his 96 CR250 frame nickle plated back in the day.. the thing looked sick.. it was all black (including black gas tank) and had flourescent red powdercoated hubs and a few other trick accents.. :)

 

[MikeT]

Have a good bodyshop paint it with an epoxy type paint. That will last a long time and won't scratch off.

 

[motometal]

you made an excellent point, Eric, but there may be a way to work around this. I have seen many welded parts chrome plated, so it must be possible.

With fasteners, we do what's called a hydogen embrittlement (prevention of) bake after plating, this prevents a specific type of embrittlement. This is popular on critical parts such as fasteners, and is done at a relatively low temp, I believe 300-400 degrees F.

Some of my comments may not apply to the type of chrome plating you are referring to, as most of my experience is with zinc chromate...not sure.

 

[David Trustrum]

2 pack epoxy is fine but you need a specialist to paint it as it’s toxic to apply which is why they wear proper air feed respirators, or they are dumb if they don’t. If you want to spend a few bucks or know a spraypainter that isn’t totally sick of his mates constantly asking for perkies this is what I’d go for. Make sure you do the masking well. Have powdercoated frames & it looks & lasts well also but there are drawbacks & I’d rather not go down that path again.

Most can spraypaint is garbage. The only success I have had is with . . . PJ1.

The preparation is all important & it is worthwhile getting the frame stripped or sandblasted (use only fine material).

Heck I've seen someone galvanise his frame. Gives it a 1960s East German appeal. Hate to think what stresses occur.

 

[wizard69]

whats galvanised and why would there be stresses?
So does anyone think that sandblasting my frame then clearcoating it would be good or bad?
I think this is the way I want to do it but I don't want to wreak my bike.
thanx

 

[woods_rider1]

I am not sure if clearcoating bare metal will prevent rust and corrosion. I can say that a few years back I had a CR 250 frame sand blasted and powdercoated and it was amazingly durable. I called around and finally took it to a bicycle shop where they powdercoat their stuff, and it cost about 150.00

Hope this helps

Brian~

 

[David Trustrum]

You don’t want it galvanised, unless you are a bit sick, which my friend is.

Sandblasting gives a dull matt grey appearance not shiny, but is an excellent key for paint.

 

[wizard69]

what do you do to prepare a frame for powder coating?
do you have to take the bearings out and then will you need new ones if you take them out?
how hard is?
how do you mask it so no paint gets in the holes?

 

[David Trustrum]

Yeah you have to take the headset bearings out (replace with new) & totally strip the frame of all ancillaries. The best way of blocking the holes is to use special rubber bungs else you have to tap out threads & the races won’t go in again.

There is also some concern if moisture gets under the powder finish it will be trapped there & rust without detection, which is why Propane tanks are no longer powder coated I believe. A good preparation job & finish with a decent powder will alleviate this risk.

So masking off for sandblasting with normal masking tape & a 2 pack wet paint is much easier than a full bearing out strip.

 

[Jaybird]

Emron.
I witnessed a fella paint a truck with Emron (Dupont I think) and after he was done, he chucked a handfull of rocks at it...all he had to do was wipe the dust the rocks left off and you couldn't tell he had hit it. It is mucho expensive paint.

 

[cujet]

Chrome and nickel plating are similar, in that most chrome shops nickel plate before they apply the chrome. Hydrogen embrittlement is a worry with certain types of welds and either process. However, dirt bike frames do not generally stress the welds as highly as an aircraft engine mount, so hydrogen embrittlement is not as much of a worry. With my riding style and weight("B" 225 LBS), there would be no worry about weld cracking on my bike if I chrome plated the frame. If you choose to nickel or chrome plate, my suggestion is not to worry about weld cracking unless you are Seth Enslow.

Dupont Imron is a tough paint, however there are better alternatives available, such as glasurit. Imron reaches it's toughest state when baked on at 225 deg F for a large number of hours. If it is not baked, it is no tougher than any other auto paint. We use Imron in jet nozzles, it holds up well only when baked.

Chris

 

[Hucker]

Hey cujet, what would be the prep work on getting a bike either chrome/nickel plated? I was planning on get my bike powerder coated this winter, but the sound of chrome/nickel really sounds good. Would the frame have to be hand sanded down to bare metal before the chrome/nickel could be apply? What about the chrome/nickel actually making some of the holes smaller? I don't think powercoating adds as much surface area to a bike compared to chroming. Or does it? Any help would be appreciated..

thanks,

Bill

 

[cujet]

Before chrome or nickel plating, all the paint must be removed. The bolt holes may end up a little tight, especially with chrome, so be sure to let the chrome shop know about it. You can use a good quality paint stripper to remove the paint. Be very careful not to scratch the frame, as every little flaw will show up. The smoother the surface is before plating, the better it will look after the plating.

I like nickel plating, it looks like chrome when new and after a few months it dulls a little, leaving a nice high tech look. Of course it is not as tough as chrome and will age over time. However it is generally far less expensive and protects against corrosion.

Chris