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Message started by sunny on 01/21/05 at 09:14:48

Title: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/21/05 at 09:14:48

i have a couple of questions.
what are they made of?
and how do you prep them for painting?

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Greg_650 on 01/21/05 at 11:39:36

You are going to paint your spokes?

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/21/05 at 13:01:04

yes. they look nasty and it will be much cheaper than buying new wheels.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Greg_650 on 01/21/05 at 13:21:08

Going to paint the wheels too, I guess? An aweful lot of little details to paint, and I can't help but wonder how much spokes actaully vibrate while rotating. Are just the spokes a mess?

They might be chrome covered, but I tend to think they are galvanized and either one will be hard to paint.

Of course, if you are determined to do this then you need to start by removing the wheel and cleaning it real good, and I imagine that you'll need to sand the surfaces rough too. And use a primer.

I wonder if you can have the wheels coated by someone?

Of course, don't forget that spokes occasionally need to be adjusted too.

Sure that you can't just sit down and polish them real good?

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/21/05 at 14:47:47

i don't want to paint the rims as they are in excellent shape. all shiney and stuff.
did use polish on the spokes but no shine whatsoever was to be had.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by gitarzan on 01/21/05 at 15:22:14

If they are galvanized, use zinc chromate primer.

They'd look nice in shiny black or a nice swirly aluminum paint.

Mine are cruddy too, but I never gave it a second thought. (kinda like teeth, I guess) :-X

Title: Re: spokes
Post by jbird on 01/21/05 at 19:20:15

hey sunny try using a fine steel wool its great for removing rust and such

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Michael on 01/21/05 at 22:10:22

Greg_650 wrote:

They might be chrome covered, but I tend to think they are galvanized and either one will be hard to paint.

Greg....I think you are correct on the galvanized. Mine have turned the color of an old galvanized nail that has been kicking around 30 years......and Sunny is right....it is nasty.

I once had a guy pull up beside me at a mall parking lot and say."what a cool bike" .then his second question was "what's wrong with the spokes.....they make the bike look bad"......
From that day on, I have decided I would paint them when I got time. I assume the task will be slow and tedious, so will be interested in all the ideas you people have, and of course, Sunny's solution..............

cheers
Michael

Title: Re: spokes
Post by klx650sm2002 on 01/22/05 at 00:29:28

When I got KLX's 17" wheels I paid the extra and got stainless spokes, shiney all the time. Still have to polish the aluminium rims though.

Clive W :D

Title: Re: spokes
Post by bentwheel on 01/24/05 at 05:10:00

Use steel wool on each spoke paying extra attention where the spokes cross each other. Take your time and do a good job. It is tedious but you can bring up a shine. If you want to paint them, use anti rust paint like Trem Clad in gloss aluminum. The paint is thin so it covers very easily using an artist brush. No primer required.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by bentwheel on 01/24/05 at 10:32:34

Hey Sunny, here is a pic of a wheel I was refurbishing which has galvanized spokes. The spokes were rusty and corroded. I cleaned them up with steel wool and as a test, I painted two of the spokes to see if I liked it or not. The hub support is lined up at 12 o'clock. The painted ones are in the second spoke hole to the left and the third hole on the right side.

http://predator.bikepics.com/pics/suzuki-savage-86-bikepics-280387.jpg

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/24/05 at 11:38:47

thanks for all the suggestions, folks.
don't know when i'm going to do this but it'll be before riding season starts.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sluggo on 01/24/05 at 12:33:20

the spokes on my gn400 were the bane of my existance.
that machine was hard on those rear spokes. ( well maybe i had something to do with it also.)i went through three rears sets. so i've waited to chime in on this one.
during the time the oil drains check the tightness of all the fastners on machine. includin the spokes,with the wheel of ground spin i gently and use a 10 mm wrentch to let the spokes drag by. you should hear a constant tone around the wheel. loose ones will appear off note.
tighten those you found loose repeat spin.

sunny
there are several options availble dependend on time, money, skill. some have been mentioned and could work to your satisfaction.

the best and by far the most time consuming is to delace the wheel, prepare and paint spokes, relace wheel. like i said it is time consuming and takes a degree of skill. i tried it once and ended up sending it out, it cost me about 80 bucks then. but doing it that why would bring you the best results.
maybe you could go with a powder coat at that point.
of course it's sooooo easy to spend other peoples money. ;D

but with the help of all the people here it should be a job you could undertake succesfully.

keep us posted.

sluggo

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Savage_Rob on 01/25/05 at 13:56:29

Before riding season? Dry roads, 79 degrees and partly cloudy in Dallas today. Of course it's supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow and the 50's later in the week with some rain possible... but Carpe that Diem while it's there!

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/25/05 at 14:17:05

well, i'd carpe that diem except i'm having some health issues that keep me from riding. hopefully cleared up by march.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by gitarzan on 01/25/05 at 16:26:31

sunny wrote:

well, i'd carpe that diem except i'm having some health issues that keep me from riding. hopefully cleared up by march.

Me too. I've a bad case of cold butt.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Savage_Rob on 01/26/05 at 11:03:14

Sorry to hear that Sunny. Take care of yourself so you can take advantage once the relatively dependable riding weather arrives.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 01/26/05 at 12:22:49

hey. no worries (well, not many). i am on top of the situation.

i just have to see an endocrinologist and get some tests run. i realize i am probably overly optimistic, but i wouldn't be "sunny" if i wasn't.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by gitarzan on 01/26/05 at 14:02:47

That's the best attitude.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sunny on 02/17/05 at 11:12:42

sunny wrote:

just thought you all'd like to know: it seems that it is just an over active thyroid. we thought that it was something much worse.
i start on some meds today and will have further testing next week to pinpoint the source of the problem to fix it good!
and my tax refund will be in soon so i hopefully will be back on the road by the end of march! woohoo!

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Savage_Rob on 02/17/05 at 11:17:57

Good news, glad to hear it!

Title: Re: spokes
Post by Susan on 02/18/05 at 20:12:24

sunny -- I'm very glad to hear it! :)

Title: Re: spokes
Post by PerrydaSavage on 02/19/05 at 02:45:57

8)Hi sunny ... glad to hear that your health problem isn't serious ... my Dad had an over-active thyroid over 20 years ago ... got treatment and has been fine ever since ... so, nothin' to worry about!
Back to the spokes issue ... brought some garbage out to the backyard shed last evening and took a look at my hibernating Savage ... remembered this Thread and noticed my spokes ... gawd! The Bike is less than 2 years old and the spokes look like crap already :( ... not a bit of shine left on 'em ... guess 'zuki went cheapo with galvanized spokes instead of lacing the wheels with chrome ones ... doesn't bother me a great deal, but nice shiney chrome spokes woulda been nice :P
Betcha the sluggo's Bobbed Savage would look cool with white-walls and the wheels powder-coated red with shiney bright spokes!

Title: Re: spokes
Post by sluggo on 02/19/05 at 05:01:59

and just when i thought i had it figgured out.

PerrydaSavage wrote:

Betcha the sluggo's Bobbed Savage would look cool with white-walls and the wheels powder-coated red with shiney bright spokes!

hmmm.....
i think where i'm going is a high gloss black paint scheme, and sticking with the chrome wheels. i'll just have to keep up on the clean up. which opens up the topic. is there anything one can do to prevent the deteration of the spokes? other than cleaning after each ride.

as far as the whitewalls go is, i had difficulty finding one that would fit. so i comprimised with the raised white letters. i'll have to look harder next time around.

Title: Re: spokes
Post by gitarzan on 02/19/05 at 06:09:43

I saw some company that made WW for the rear tire, But I never did find front tires, either.