Fork Chrome Plating

[Rob65]

I'm renovating a set of ESD forks and wondered if anybody has any strong recommendations or "best avoided" stories. A few services I have looked at have mixed reviews and TBH I don't trust random internet opinions and would prefer club ones.

The local plater for me is Hard Chrome Plating Ltd, Mansfield, again one with mixed reviews so if anybody has used them I'd be grateful for your experiences.

On the other hand I'm not too precious about buying replacement pattern ones but I have a fair few pitted sets in the garage and would rather recycle unless there is a really good argument on price and quality to buy pattern ones.

[Uncle Bob]

I have only used Philpot http://www.amphardchrome.co.uk/ for some 650 tubes back in the 90's and more recently my 1100 tubes 2 years ago.

The chroming both times I would say was great for me. The price was i think about £160 and that was picked up and sent back I think.

However the lead times are normally long and also they were returned both times with the wax masking still on, which for a home user to clean off isn't so easy. First time I had access to an industrial steam oven thing that cleaned them up great. Second time I just had to boil kettles of water and keep pouring over them until it was gone. Still worked but why can't they just clean up as part of the process?

The 1100 tubes however are 37mm apart from the (approx) 99mm above the bottom bush, where they are about 36.6mm. Philpot just made them 37mm all the way down. I emailed them about this but they ignored me. I wasn't that happy about it as I assume Suzuki made them that way for a reason, but used them as no other choice and they do seem OK, but then I don't ride it on the twisties like I do my TZR!

I might have to get the Swiss Katana (my other 1100) tubes done so I would be interested in your experiences if you get them done. I did see the Mansfield place as well but as you say, mixed reviews.

Someone mentioned possibly contacting (Googling) Hydraulic ram rechromers as well, it's the same thing really.

UB

[Rob65]

Thanks to both of you for the quick reply Blix and Uncle Bob. I'm luke-warm about pattern stanchions just because you don't know how good the metal grade or the chrome thickness is. If someone gave me a firm recommendation I'd probably give it a try but otherwise I'd always refurbish. Bob, your comments about Philpot back up what I'd read about the quality so they were one of my first choices. Like you say, leaving masking on is seriously sloppy but I'd live with that if the finished chrome is good.

[Kryten]

I used Philpots for mine, but cheated and sent them the whole lot for a refurb, not cheap but there was a good reason for me doing it that way.

Touch wood they have as good as an ‘80s set of forks can be.....

[katmarch]

Used Phillpots for mine many years ago, still working fine very good finish, however had to give them a good clean when they were returned as had grinding waste still in the legs.

[johnr]

+1 for philpots. they know their stuff, do a good job, dont charge the earth and have a good reputation in the old bike world. ive used them before, doubtless i will use them again too....

[Rob65]

I just thought I'd close this post with some feedback. I ended up sending my fork tubes to Philpots rather than Hard Chrome Plating Ltd on the basis the forum comments suggested they were lower risk. They sent their courier to collect, promised max 6 weeks turnaround and had them back with me in two. I don't know if I was just lucky or if they have listened to feedback but they were properly cleaned and stripped of masking. As you can see from the pics, there are some differences to the standard plating - I've taken a pic against another old ESD tube. Diameter is 37mm and quality very good. The top has not been beveled and like Uncle Bob's, they did not grind back the lower area above the bush. Still, I think they charged me £200 and as replacements are now about £240 they do work out good value and the steel may be a better grade that the Chinese alternative although I have nothing to support this.

If you are interested, the fork lower in the first pic has been painted with Cerakote burnished bronze. I may put some details of the rebuild in the projects section as the whole bike will be done in this paint as a bit of an experiment.

[Rob65]

Hi Blix,

I'll post you some more pick over the next few days on my restoration post just loaded. The Cerakote has a lovely grainy finish as it goes onto the metal directly. It may be about temperature and thickness but as Mark Dunford is the only manufacturer trained supplier in the UK I'm sure he knows it's capabilities. He takes his time and god knows how he makes any money at it.

[Uncle Bob]

I'm going to get my GSX250SSN Katana exhaust Cerakoted, as it has the original mild steel one on. My local powder coat place (Aerocoat in St Olaves, Norfolk) say they are factory approved (which might be different to factory trained). They quoted around £130 for the exhaust.
However they just did a powder coat job for me on a Honda PC50K1 which is great but once I unwrapped the whole frame at home, I could see the exhaust bracket which is welded to the frame was belt and I think when they were hanging it up they probably dropped the frame (before coating applied), Grrr. I have straightened it but it has compromised the coating a little, it's only a PC50 though so I'll live with it.

[pookie]

Hi Rob, had my 250 Kat exhaust ceramic coated with Cerakote nearly two years ago and it still looks like new, got mine done by Wesley Dunford (must be a relation to Mark) at Hi Spec coatings in West Sussex, it cost £160 for the whole system which I think is great value, it's still fun going for a thirty mile ride and then just a couple of minutes after switching the engine off putting your hands around the downpipes 'cos they've already cooled down, I'd recommend this coating to anyone