Best Cylinder Replating

[gthoma23]

I have an '03 CR250, and just took apart the top end. While inspecting the cylinder, I noticed that I had 2 small cracks on the exhaust bridge. One of the replating websites said that if it's cracked, it has to be welded, does any1 know if that's true? I know if it's deep enough it would need it, but it said any crack.

Also, I know this topic has been covered before, but who has every1 tried for replating? If you could let me know the good and the bad, it would help a ton. And if u could also put the turn around time.

Thanx

 

[mideastrider]

I don't know "the best" but I have used US chrome and had good results. I think turn around was about 3 weeks.

 

[RM_guy]

Yes it has to be welded and US Chrome can do it.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Yes it has to be welded and US Chrome can do it.

The guy who did the really incredible welding for US Chrome passed away some time back. Welding a bridge in a cylinder is a specialty operation that can't be done properly by some guy whose only qualification to weld is knowing how to turn the machine on. ;)

Millenium is the only plating company I know of that has done the R&D to understand the proper way to weld a cylinder and then heat treat it properly to keep from forming an overly brittle heat affected zone from the weld.

 

[RM_guy]

Good to know. Thanks. I had a cylinder welded by US Chrome several years ago and was very happy with it but it must have been the "good guy" that did it.

 

[gthoma23]

cool thanx. and really the cracks aren't on the exhaust bridge, but just above it.

and has any1 decided to just get a bigger bore instead of welding it? cuz it would be cheaper than a weld. but one shop said that more than likely it would still need to be welded, but another shop said it would probably be okay. can't member the shops, but it was either u.s. chrome, millenium, landcourt or powerseal.

i think i'm gonna go w/ either millenium or landcourt, cuz the turnaround on u.s. chrome is 17 business days. millenium and landcourt are less than 5-10.

 

[RM_guy]

It will depend on how deep the crack is and they won't know until they bore it out. They may even assume it needs welding and just do it, no matter what, to be safe.

 

[erklep]

sent mine to powerseal and they came back great!

 

[scottreath]

us chrome

interesting...i didnt know our welder passed away! to my knowledge, we've used the same welder for 11 years now so either Im living in the twilight zone, or your ignorant or maliciously lying. Let me know his name so i can get out a sympathy card!

 

[_JOE_]

The guy who did the really incredible welding for US Chrome passed away some time back.

That could be a LONG time ago, you gotta remember, Rich has been around for "some time". ;) :nener:

 

[scottreath]

trust me....he knows better.
plus in this guys capacity as "expert moderator"....i would expect more professionalism, research, fact checking or lets face it...integrity.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

I stand corrected.

I foolishly connected the expert welder I met that was doing Eric Gorr's customer cylinders with your company Scott. Sadly this incredibly skilled gentleman is no longer with us.

Fool that I am I assumed that the painstaking process that he developed (and so generously explained to me) to deal with the heat affected zone caused by welding and the stress relief process he came up with to ensure a reliable weld was being used by your company as well.

It never dawned on me that you would forego that process to do it in house. (This is the point where I get fitted for the asshat) :whoa:

Eric was kind enough to call me and set me straight last night. Needless to say I was a bit confused, but thankful for being corrected. Scott is correct, my fact checking in this instance was painfully lax.

When I asked Eric why he would go to the trouble and expense to drive to Madison to get his cylinders welded when there was someone right down the street in house at Scott's company that was doing it as well, he laughed and said "you're the genius, see if you can figure it out. ;) ".

So I would like to formally apologize to Scott Reath for having the audacity to associate a highly skilled professional doing high quality work with his company.

I can assure you I won't be foolish enough to make that mistake in the future. ;)

 

[scottreath]

that was cute....needless to say youre a talented cheerleader, your sincerity and prefessional way you handled that is impressive. Best of luck to you in whatever it is you do in you real career.