Plasti Dip & Chrome

Muahahaha

Hi all, Im soon to begin doing a full detailing upgrade on my motorbike while Im converting it into a bobber and was looking for opinions on plasti-dip. Specifically I am getting two new tyres in a few weeks and my mechanic is going to give me the rims and the suspension forks for the weekend before he fits the tyres on the following Monday. Anyway the rims are chrome and have quite a lot of rust spots and streaks on them while the spokes are absolutely caked in years of road and brake dust that I need to get off before doing anything.

So I want to change the colour from chrome to matt black. Initially I was going to get them powder coated for around 120 a rim untill I came across plasti dip. On the face of it it seems like a great DIY option that will save me a good few quid once Im willing to put the prep hours in.

Ive read these forums a bit and the plan for the rims would be to use a good degreaser like Bilt Surfex to get all the brake dust off. Then Im thinking IronX to deal with the rusting. Would that be enough prep before moving to coating the rims with Plasti-dip or is there anything else I should be doing?

On Plasti dip itself Id welcome anyones comments and experiences with it. In my case the motorbike is outside 365 days a year and I ride it rain, hail or shine. So I need to be sure plasti dip is not just some gimmick that will start peeling off in a few months time. Can people give me an idea if it is a good product, what is its longetivity and also how does it perform months later when you are cleaning with abrasive cloths, does it tend to peel off?

The next phase of this upgrade is planned to be taking the fuel tank and mudguards off and giving them the plasti-dip treatment too. So before I go full on down the plasti dip road I wanna make sure its a good bet.

dar83

If you prep correctly, Plastidip will last for as long as you want to keep it. Make sure the surface is squeeky clean, as in, clean enough to lick!

Also, I would siggest doing the plastidip application after the tyres are put on, as the process of doing that may cause the edges to be disturbed and lift and you don't want that to happen! Generally with plastidip, the best course of action is to spray whatever it is you want to cover in situ, don't remove or separate it.

Edit: Just to add, for Plastidip prep, make sure you warm the can before use for 30mins or so near a heat source (be careful of course!). This will help quite a bit with smooth and even application, also do not underestimate the need to follow the shaking instructions on the can properly. Give it a good shaking for at least 30-45 secs, then spray like you would any spray paint. Start with a very light layer or two, give it 30-45mins between coats and build it up. If you want it to last a long time, then I would suggest doing 4-5 coats. This will also help with removal when the time comes and will make things a lot easier on you the thicker the application is.

Muahahaha

Thanks for the info dar83, very helpful

MetzgerMeister

You'd be better off with Bilt Hamber AutoWheel or Korrosol for the brake dust. Iron X won't do anything to remove rust but Bilt Hamber do a product called Deox Gel which is ideal for this. Another option is their hydrate 80.

Also if it's of interest to you, I use a Blaster sidekick for drying my car wheels and blowing water out of the cracks and crevices. It was originally made to remove water from motorbikes after washing. It does a superb job each and every time.

Muahahaha

Great info Metzger Will get a litre of the Bilt Autowheel for sure. Just on the rust and Deox gel- is it a rust remover or also a rust preventer? Ive had no major problems getting rust spots off the chrome in the past with an abrasive cloth but it always comes back a few months later. Rather than me fighting a running battle with rust is there any product out there that will prevent it from appearing again?

MetzgerMeister

Muahahaha wrote: »

Great info Metzger Will get a litre of the Bilt Autowheel for sure. Just on the rust and Deox gel- is it a rust remover or also a rust preventer? Ive had no major problems getting rust spots off the chrome in the past with an abrasive cloth but it always comes back a few months later. Rather than me fighting a running battle with rust is there any product out there that will prevent it from appearing again?

I think the Bilt Hamber hydrate80 is what you need so based on the description of their site:

hydrate 80 Rust Converter
Traditional paints and coatings applied to corrosion give disappointingly short-lived performance because they simply hide the underlying and continuing corrosion - the failure is first seen by blistering of the coating and the rapid breakthrough of rust.

hydrate 80 provides powerful protection to rusted steel surfaces, its electrochemical function stabilises existing corrosion by converting the iron oxides into a protective metal complex, it also combines with surface moisture and oxygen depriving the corrosion process of the conditions it requires. Paints and coatings applied to a hydrate 80 treated surface demonstrate amazing improvements in long-term performance.

hydrate 80 provides a superior stable barrier to prevent further attack. The cross-linking polymer formulated to provide the tough non-rubbery barrier tenaciously grips the metal surface forming an ideal base for further coatings, paints or anticorrosion wax.

Importantly for long-term protection Hydrate 80 doesn’t contain chlorine which is known to transform into corrosive hydrochloric acid in rust converter applications causing under-film blistering and destruction of paint finishes or other coating products.

Long-Term Performance

The long-term performance of hydrate 80 has been proven to significantly increase coating life in independent tests conducted by the German TÜV organisation under conditions of VDA 621-415 (6 cycles, or 1008 hrs) which included exposure to hot salt-spray, 100% relative humidity and drying atmospheres with each cycle lasting 168 hours.

hydrate 80 was awarded “Practical Classics” magazine “Best Buy” and “Product Recommended” after a long-term trial comparing it to 12 other products - in fact hydrate 80 was applied to more heavily corroded steel than the competition and still outperformed them. hydrate 80 has been used to arrest and prevent corrosion in diverse applications - from massive marine installations to classic and historic vehicle restoration hydrate 80 provides dependable long-term protection.

https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-and-rust-treatments/hydrate-80

Muahahaha

Just had a look at it there and its exactly the type of product I need. Pricey stuff but if it does the job it will save me a world of hassle down the road. Thanks for the tip.