| Author | Message | ||
     Lake_bueller |
So after about 6 months of searching, I think I've landed an original S2 aircleaner and backing plate. The carbon fiber is "dull". What's my best bet for getting it looking close to original again? The rest of the bike will be getting stripped down and cleaned/polished over the long Wisconsin winter | ||
| Ebutch |
Any mettle polish.  | ||
| Two_seasons |
I recently rashed both the CF hamcan on my Hurricane air cleaner AND the CF belt guard/rear fender on my S2T. Trip to Philly with soft bags. Not happy. Ham can got rashed because the carb bracket (thanks for nothing DRAG SPECIALTIES) broke for a second time in a little over one year. HD dealers use the FAT BOOK way too much IMO. Searching for a solution to CF repair yielded mostly cheap fixes. There is a small company out in Oregon that does, from what I've read, amazing repairs to carbon bicycles. Maybe they could do an amazing job on you CF too. Here is the link...http://www.ruckuscomp.com/contact | ||
| Ratbuell |
If it's just dull, I've had good luck with plain ol polishing compound and car wax. Little elbow grease and she'll shine like new. | ||
| Norton952 |
I am not an expert on the carbon fiber per se but I used to teach an Aerospace bonded structures class and have 30 years experience in Custom auto body and paint. IMHO i would NOT use a metal polish compound. I would also be very careful and experiment with a variety of products on the inside of the Air cleaner in inconspicuous areas. 2 things to understand about any part that LOOKS like it might be carbon fiber. #1) Is it truly carbon fiber OR is it a wrap that APPEARS to be CF? Wrap material that has a appearance costs a fraction of real carbon fiber and in MANY cases its not real CF. Then the issue is WHAT is it made out of? There are many materials these days and not so easy to tell what its made out of. #2) Real Carbon fiber is generally made like fiberglass cloth matte. You then need to figure out what materials were used. See link below on types of resins typically used. Polishing bonded structures is USUALLY just like polishing a quality paint product. Use care and common sense but hard to go wrong using products specifically formulated for a catalyzed Urethane, Lacquers or Acrylic Enamel. While I buy my products at a professional Auto body supply shop you really cant go wrong with a company like Meguiars who have extensive experience in these kinds of products. Here is where I would recommend you start reading & research. (Or find a helpful counter person at a bodyshop supply store if you can find one.) See: http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.ph p?17579-Carbon-Fiber-Hood-How-to-work-on#MI1chDsjv s4m3qK0.97 Some polishes can be acidic and have seen people ruin the clear coatings on Alloy. One of my renters years back bought some Eagle1 wheel detailer sprayed it all over his truck wheels and was a VERY Unhappy camper. Test test test first! Many metal polishes are also very abrasive. Some come in various grades and less aggressive than others. Some also use strong concentrations of petroleum and solvents that might melt or damage the finish on the carbon fiber. There is in my limited knowledge several types of carbon fiber but most seem to have a catalyzed agent similar to fiberglass resins. Fiberglas typically uses 2 types Epoxy or Polyester. Now it seems more and more are using Vinylester. Each has their uses. See: http://www.sollercomposites.com/epoxyresinchoice.h tml One of my renters was working for a local company that allegedly was the world leader in lightweight Kayak and whitewater rafting paddles, Another guy i know was working for another company doing Kayaks and Surfboards and I toured both shops and the tech has come a long way. If it were me I would look at what plastic polishes are available. I have seen good results with a brand called Novus. And we have some stuff for Clear plastic headlight restoration that works really well. I would have to go to the shop and see what brands we have. I do want to say one thing as a paint and body guy. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use ANY products containing silicone! For the love of all that is Holy NEVER use any silicone based products. It contaminates your parts and makes it impossible to repair, refinish or repaint. It contaminates parts NEAR where you used it. NUFINISH, COLORBACK and others are pure garbage and I know paint and body guys who will kick your A## if you go anywhere near their premises with any silicone products. (I have some friends who work in high end restorations and custom painting and several incidents where silicone spray drifted across the shop and contaminated the spray booth filters. I cannot convey how upset everyone was) **NOTE** Silicone is commonly used a mold release agent in many applications in bonded structures. Its totally okay for swimming pools, patios and garage floor coverings. NEVER EVER USE IT for any application where you think you might need to perform any repairs or refinishing. As to that shop in Portland for the Bicycles, Interesting. I live near Portland but dont know of that shop but PDX is a big bike town and some pretty interesting tech is going on. I know some guys in that field. (Shops, marketing, fab) Here is a couple companies locally who are doing some really innovative tech when it comes to composites, See: http://www.rapidmade.com/pattern-and-tool-making-s ilicone-casting-molding-thermoforming/ (A lot of CF parts can be rapid prototyped) See: http://www.handhhydrographics.com/ The hydrographics is pretty amazing and I have seen some really cool applications in custom cars, the CeraKote is also pretty amazing and has some really interesting applications. See: http://www.fiberlay.com/prod-painting-supplies.php ?cat=Polish%20%26%20Compounds&subclass=800300107-8 053F25&startrow=0 This company has outlets all over the US and the world and a wide variety of products but they also specialize in CF as well as polishing compounds. I know a local shop that buys a lot of stuff from them. Lastly, Here is a irrelevant but fun factoid. When I was in the Air Force I worked in Tactical Combat Acft Ops, And I had several secondary specialties. EOD and Acft crash recovery. So when the alarms go off I would be sent to respond and one of the big concerns was if certain types of fighter jets crashed and burned or just caught fire it was imperative to extinguish certain flight control surfaces immediately and suspend the parts in special foam. These parts were at the time a classified type of Bonded structure that had many Carbon Fiber characteristics. super strong and lightweight. But when burned they produced an airborne ash material that bonded very effectively to electrical transmission components. Like super attractive and would short circuit electrical powerlines, radar, Communications anything. We were trained to suit up in biohazard suits and stop those parts burning at any and all costs. | ||
| Norton952 |
Does your Air cleaner look like this?? In the first pix is 2 products we used in my shop, the clear lenses restorer we have had good success with. The other is a product I cant find anymore. I had one source and he says the manufacturer is an eccentric that works when he feels like it and rarely produces the stuff anymore. It was truly a miracle in a bottle. I LOVED that stuff. Made by Alan Industries, called Tech shield. I am not certain this air cleaner is genuine Carbon fiber. It DOES have a Buell logo and tag on the backside so im certain its a gen-U-wine Buell part. The material on the backside does not have a shiny finish and is rough texture. It MIGHT be CF but I am not sure. Would have to research how to verify. (NO, its NOT for sale)   | ||
| Ratbuell |
The photos are a late tuber race kit filter. Thunderbolt filters are similar but a green CF weave. Yes, real CF, not a wrap. I don't believe there is any real "coating" on them, just the resin, with a buffed finish. Good advice above. I've used novus on windscreens and XB bodywork but it didn't cut enough for my filter so I used polishing compound. Not rubbing compound, that would be too coarse, but the polish/wax (+1 on meguiars) method works great for me. | ||
| Phelan |
I've had good success with a very fine grit (1000-2000) wet sand until any scratches are out, then put a few coata of clear coat on it, wet sand, and cut n buff that with 2000 grit wet sanding, rubbing compound, then polishing compound, then waxing compound. Comes out like glass. |
