Swing arm paint or anodise

[Dirty]

I'm thinking about painting (powder coating) the ally swing arm I just bought. Any one else done it or have any suggestions. I was wondering whether anodising might be a better option but it has some steel inserts which may be an issue, I'm not sure?

Also considering cutting off the hugger mounts. Don't want a hugger and they look ugly :rolleyes:

[utopia]

I've pondered this for a while.
Seems a shame to hide the ally with powdercoat, but its durable.
Anodise would look great, say in a silver or grey colour or perhaps black, but could chip and scratch.
I think I'd just polish it ...then maybe satin it with a scotchbrite pad if shiny isn't your thing.
You could then lacquer it, but it'll get chipped sooner or later so I'd be inclined to leave it bare and just repolish it every now and then.

[Albie]

Personally I wouldn't paint an alloy one. It deserves a polish or a polish and a brace welded on. I would sooner get a steel one powdercoated satin black if I was keeping a neutral frame ie silver or bronze/gold.

[Mr Gazza]

Well there is powder coating, and then there is Mirror coating.....
http://www.aeromax.me.uk/

[utopia]

Ooooh, you chav ! .......;)


Personally, I'm a big fan of things that have a finish which goes from the surface right through to the other side.
Stainless, titanium, polished ally, carbon fibre, plastic etc.
I dislike coatings of any kind, which can chip, flake or otherwise degrade. ...apart from tank paint , maybe.
Anodising is maybe a halfway house as its a surface treatment rather than a coating.

[Dirty]

Yeah I love shiney metal too but the silver at that end of the bike draws the eye. If coloured black it will 'camouflage' into the rear wheel and make it look less 'fussy'.

[Albie]

Yeah I love shiney metal too but the silver at that end of the bike draws the eye. If coloured black it will 'camouflage' into the rear wheel and make it look less 'fussy'.

Not trying to be funny but did you get the alloy one for weight or looks. The shiney objects serve the purpose of being bling. Just like wearing a gold ring painted black. I would as I said paint a steel one as your not racing and wont notice weight loss. Only my opinion :biggrin:


I got my ss600 one as was steel

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l209/albies4/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1124.jpg (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/albies4/media/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1124.jpg.html)

I never mirror shined it

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l209/albies4/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1125.jpg (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/albies4/media/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1125.jpg.html)

The steel one had rust patches

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l209/albies4/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1131.jpg (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/albies4/media/Ducati%20600ss/IMG_1131.jpg.html)

[Mr Gazza]

Ooooh, you chav ! .......;)


You make it sound like a bad thing........:mand:

Hey Dirty how about carfully painting it in a white, grey and black urban camo scheme..? I dare ya..!

[Dirty]

Well there is powder coating, and then there is Mirror coating.....
http://www.aeromax.me.uk/

Mmmmm how far is Suffolk!

http://s13.postimg.org/dnz8wh5dj/image.jpg




Not trying to be funny but did you get the alloy one for weight or looks. The shiney objects serve the purpose of being bling. Just like wearing a gold ring painted black. I would as I said paint a steel one as your not racing and wont notice weight loss. Only my opinion :biggrin:

I got it because it's lighter, I actually think it's uglier than the steel version due to the Hugger lugs. I like the fact it's lighter, and fatter, I want it looking good and I want it black. Of course I want my bike to look good but on my terms, just shining everything would be wrong, hence the bead blasted pipes. Just because it could be shined doesn't mean it must be or that it fits in with the general look i'm after. If it was about skill level and rider feel I should have left it standard. I guess if I had a black ring I'd be happier if it was gold than if it was steel and the fact that people might look at it and not realise is kind of funny, perhaps that is why white gold is popular? Hope that makes sense :biggrin:

[Mr Gazza]

Mmmmm how far is Suffolk!

http://s13.postimg.org/dnz8wh5dj/image.jpg



By jove ..I think the penny has dropped....:D

[pompone]

Just leave the bloody thing alone :)

[Albie]

Mmmmm how far is Suffolk!

http://s13.postimg.org/dnz8wh5dj/image.jpg








I got it because it's lighter, I actually think it's uglier than the steel version due to the Hugger lugs. I like the fact it's lighter, and fatter, I want it looking good and I want it black. Of course I want my bike to look good but on my terms, just shining everything would be wrong, hence the bead blasted pipes. Just because it could be shined doesn't mean it must be or that it fits in with the general look i'm after. If it was about skill level and rider feel I should have left it standard. I guess if I had a black ring I'd be happier if it was gold than if it was steel and the fact that people might look at it and not realise is kind of funny, perhaps that is why white gold is popular? Hope that makes sense :biggrin:



Most powdercoaters can do special finishers. Me and rally got the fsie stuff silvered aluminium but be careful because any little blemishes like pits and scratches will look like cellulite. I rubbed all the powdercoat down flat and overpainted moondust silver for correct colour but it was a good base coat. Paint is better than powdercoat for finish but not protection imho.

You can get matt black done too. I see where your going and just giving advice as we do on here. Your bike your choice and we are here to guide and show pitfalls whether on prep or people to avoid going to.

These were done in an aluminium colour shiney powdercoat but see the pips and dinks and was prepped clean first by myself and was blasted as were the fork lowers.

http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab293/albie10/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7515_zps97e4e8d0.jpg (http://s873.photobucket.com/user/albie10/media/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7515_zps97e4e8d0.jpg.html)

The front shocks lowers and chainguard

http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab293/albie10/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7511_zps497208ab.jpg (http://s873.photobucket.com/user/albie10/media/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7511_zps497208ab.jpg.html)


After a rub down and paint and lacquer by me

http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab293/albie10/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7691_zps1dfc715b.jpg (http://s873.photobucket.com/user/albie10/media/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7691_zps1dfc715b.jpg.html)

http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab293/albie10/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7549_zps1f224e42.jpg (http://s873.photobucket.com/user/albie10/media/Fs1e%20restoration/IMG_7549_zps1f224e42.jpg.html)

[Dirty]

You make it sound like a bad thing........:mand:

Hey Dirty how about carfully painting it in a white, grey and black urban camo scheme..? I dare ya..!

Just the swing arm or the whole bike? :wallace:


Just leave the bloody thing alone :)

Can't....... Help.........myself........must.......tinker...... ..and ..........fettle.....trying.....to......stop...... .come .......round .......and ..........help........me.........fit........it.... ......quickly! :mand:

By jove ..I think the penny has dropped....:D

Yes, black chrome :)



You can get matt black done too. I see where your going and just giving advice as we do on here. Your bike your choice and we are here to guide and show pitfalls whether on prep or people to avoid going to.

These were done in an aluminium colour shiney powdercoat but see the pips and dinks and was prepped clean first by myself and was blasted as were the fork lowers.



I appreciate everything you wrote Albie. All points are valid and taken on board. It's always good to listen to the experiences of everyone on here. I'm not set on this particular path, hence the thread. I was particularly worried about chipping etc from painting. Also as it leaves a thicker layer it will get scratched during refitting. Good powder coaters know this apparently and apply accordingly. This was why I thought anodising might be the better option. I'm not after show bike quality. In fact I want it black so the eye is not drawn towards it anyway.

The Yam bits have come up well, looking forward to seeing it when put back together

[Grumpy]

The town where Aeromax are based,Beccles,is nearly into Norfolk, so from London a good 2hrs !!
I had a braced swinging arm made for the S4,and struggled to decide on a finish.
Three options have been considered.
Leave the arm as manufactured,plain.
Anodized or powder coat.
Plain was discounted as this finish would not fit in with the overall look of the bike.
Anodized was a strong contender,except that where the arm is welded, the finish would vary from the main part of the arm.
So the arm is at the powder coaters being finished in black.
I can post some pictures when it is returned in about a week.

[Dirty]

The town where Aeromax are based,Beccles,is nearly into Norfolk, so from London a good 2hrs !!
I had a braced swinging arm made for the S4,and struggled to decide on a finish.
Three options have been considered.
Leave the arm as manufactured,plain.
Anodized or powder coat.
Plain was discounted as this finish would not fit in with the overall look of the bike.
Anodized was a strong contender,except that where the arm is welded, the finish would vary from the main part of the arm.
So the arm is at the powder coaters being finished in black.
I can post some pictures when it is returned in about a week.

nice one, looking forward to seeing that. How's the other bit going/turned out?

[He11cat]

The aeromax black chrome is lovely.
However the shiny chrome finishes can be a mare and not last.
The best thing I would do is have something small done and see what you think and test it .

[pompone]

Can't....... Help.........myself........must.......tinker...... ..and ..........fettle.....trying.....to......stop...... .come .......round .......and ..........help........me.........fit........

Have you got lights in that garage of yours?

[jarv]

I personally believe shiny doesn't equal good, unless you are looking to bling the whole thing. (Which I don't think is where you are.)

I would go for a durable silver (close to original alloy-ish) colour - probably powder coated.
Something that looks standard.
If you did it black it might look a bit out of place? - Unless you have the frame done the same colour...

Don't become a slave to the finish.
Polished = maintenance = headache! he-he...

I'm a bit scared of anodised finishes.
As has already been said, the welds and any imperfections will show up - and there's the issue of colour fade over time.
(At least with black and colours... not sure if it would show up with silver).

[Albie]

I have gone through hundreds of hours worried about colours finishes in the last 6 years. Starting with the s4 I converted to single sider. I ended up powdercoating all frame swingarm and wheels red. Glad I did in the end. It flowed nice . My next project like you is killing me even now thinking what to do with the swingarm. Its a café racer project for simplicity lightness no thrills Yamaha srx400. Swing arm was silver but want it satin black. The frame is box section square tube 1" in a kind of battleship grey. That too will have to be satin black. Wheels are the same as Rd350 YPVS and black centred but polished rims and edges. Thinking satin black again but all over ?. White tank red stripe through centre running through bumstop seat also white with frenched in led round stop/tail light. Front mudguard shortened and painted red. Half blacked engine and the rest polished with original chrome headlight. Blacked fork lowers and maybe red powdercoated shock springs.And running the single cylinder twin pipes back out into a twin pipe exit rather from the two into one standard system.
That's next winters project I have had for 2 years now. Weighs around 125 Kilos
You have to talk about these things as you say to get opinion whether good or bad.

Just make sure everthing is finished properly before you get stuff done. A good finish will only happen if the base is good whether paint. p coat. anodise or chrome. zinc etc. Colour can disguise but only in the right light.

[Dirty]

Have you got lights in that garage of yours?

Yes but not good enough to work under. Sadly no power in my garage.


I'm in 2 minds about colouring it. Long term (3 yrs ish) I'll be replacing it anyway. I don't think painting it will be an issue but cutting the lugs off might not be the smartest decision financially. Then again if I made smart financial decisions I probably wouldn't have bought it in the first place.

Maybe I'll attack it with some matt black spray cans :chuckle:

[Mr Gazza]

I'm a little bit mystified by the hugger lugs. (wonderful alliteration..:chuckle:)

The swing arm on my 900 just has threaded holes for the hugger, the only lugs are for the hoop.?

[Dukedesmo]

I'm a little bit mystified by the hugger lugs. (wonderful alliteration..:chuckle:)

The swing arm on my 900 just has threaded holes for the hugger, the only lugs are for the hoop.?

Older versions had 'L' shaped brackets (like the 851/888 before) then they changed to threaded inserts.

I originally had a swingarm with the threaded inserts and then bought an older braced swingarm that had the 'L' brackets, however I cut them off and fitted nutserts as I had just bought a new CF hugger (cost more than the swingarm!) that was the later type.

This pic shows the 'L' brackets or 'hugger lugs' before I cut them off;

http://www.ducati.ms/gallery/files/9/3/7/0/p1010658a.jpg

And after 'de-lugging';

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/members/dukedesmo-albums380-22116.JPG

[Dirty]

Why did they brace the older swing arms? I have to say I like the brace!

How did you de lugg the hugger lugs (:))and end up with such a nice smooth finish?

[Grumpy]

nice one, looking forward to seeing that. How's the other bit going/turned out?

IT's getting there, I hope to collect the finished item on saturday :mand:

Why did they brace the older swing arms? I have to say I like the brace!

There are engineering companies who will brace an arm, I wouldn't recommend where mine was done, they had 2 attempts before the arm fitted correctly.

[Albie]

Why did they brace the older swing arms? I have to say I like the brace!

How did you de lugg the hugger lugs (:))and end up with such a nice smooth finish?

Just do it carefully without a huge grinder.or be in control of it.