1984 R100RS fork slider question

I am doing a light refresh on my '84 RS, and have the the fork sliders off to clean up, replace seals, etc. I am taking a handful of parts to get powder coated, and was planning to get the sliders done as well.

My question has to do with the base plate on the slider. It is held in place with a circlip (see pic), and then under it is an aluminum plate sealed in the lower with an o-ring (see diagram from Snowbum's site). The circlip comes out easily enough, but I'm concerned about breaking the seal on the plate as I don't see the o-ring on the parts fiche and want to be able to replace it with the right size and material.

I'm wondering if I should just leave it in place and take the slider to get powder coated as is (they tape everything off that doesn't get coated), or if I should venture to pull the plate out. It seals up fine currently, so I'm fine to leave sleeping dogs alone, but I'm curious if the heat used when they cure the powder would damage the o-ring (which I'm guessing is original and geologically converted to some form of metamorphic rock) and create a leak that would require replacement anyway?

I also considered just painting the sliders, but prefer the durability of powder coat. Any insight on further dissembling the slider base plate from the slider, the o-ring source and size, or if disassembly is a fool's errand would be appreciated.

O-Ring

Your tag says Houston so you are near plenty of suppliers. Just take the old O-ring to a local rubber supply store (they make industrial hoses, etc) Most of them have an extensive assortment of O-rings of all types. Match it up and you're ready to go.

If you decide to paint, this company gets good reviews on their coatings-

https://www.duracoatfirearmfinishes.com/Default.asp

Application possibilities are extensive.

OM

I repainted the sliders on my 81 R100RT 2 years ago using VHT epoxy paint gloss black and was impressed with the results. A friend was a "powder coat nut" and after having his snowflake wheels done discovered corrosion after three years under the coating. The epoxy can be redone if necessary years from now. I wish I had sanded down the imperfections in the metal but I did not. Clean light sanding spray over old coating. I did a set of shock springs and they look like powder coat.
https://www.vhtpaint.com/specialty/vht-epoxy-all-weather-paint

Thanks for your insight everyone! I think I may opt to leave well enough alone and paint rather than powder coat them for now. I'll try the VHT epoxy paint or similar since I can source those easily. Maybe at some point I'll pick up a used slider and fully dissassemble it so I have a better idea for next time.

Paint and powder coat

I have found properly cleaned prepared and painted fork legs look and last just about as long cosmetically as powder coated ones. In regard to your friend's experience with his wheels and rust showing up under the powder coat, I would comment whomever did the job did a poor job of preparing the wheels and may not have used a zinc chromate base under the color coat.

Like anything in the business, there are shops who know what they are doing and those who don't. Just as in a great paint job, a great powder coat job needs a lot of work getting the parts ready to coat. Whereas paint involves solvents and powder doesn't, the need for cleanliness is exactly the same between the two methods.

A proper "paint" can last and be as durable as powder coat as long as it is the proper paint for the task and applied properly. Cheers, St.

jad01 said:

Thanks for your insight everyone! I think I may opt to leave well enough alone and paint rather than powder coat them for now. I'll try the VHT epoxy paint or similar since I can source those easily. Maybe at some point I'll pick up a used slider and fully dissassemble it so I have a better idea for next time.

Click to expand...

Here are a set of Koni springs I painted.

Update:
The paint on the sliders came out pretty good I think! We'll see how it holds up, but seems pretty resilient so far as I reassemble everything.

I also decided to install fork gaiters on the bike in place of the original "wiper rings". But, it appears that the top rib on the gaiter (red arrow) will rub on the opening in the fairing when the front forks are turned about 3/4 to full lock. I intend to install edge trim around the opening which will protect the paint, but am concerned about accelerated wear on the gaiter where it rubs. I also am considering lowering the top of the gaiter slightly.

All of this may be academic, as I don't spend much time with the fork turned that far, but my question is if anyone has addressed this on their own bike previously (RS or RT)?

I would lower the gaiter. While it will seal better in the position it is in now, I doubt there will be much difference. If you're the sort that worries about these things (I am in recovery on this issue) you can pull them up from the bottom after some dusty or wet riding to check how much, if any, dirt gets i there.

I put gaiters on my 81 RT and have no rubbing issues at all. Installed as they should be.

ccolwell said:

I would lower the gaiter. While it will seal better in the position it is in now, I doubt there will be much difference. If you're the sort that worries about these things (I am in recovery on this issue) you can pull them up from the bottom after some dusty or wet riding to check how much, if any, dirt gets i there.

Click to expand...

PAS said:

I put gaiters on my 81 RT and have no rubbing issues at all. Installed as they should be.

Click to expand...

Thank you both; I definitely have some interference between the gaiter and the fairing. I appreciate your insights- I'll look at it again this weekend with fresh eyes. I think everything is aligned correctly, but maybe I've missed something. If need be, I'll try lowering them to see if I can gain some clearance.

Something to check

Just a note, having two bikes an RS and RT, I have found if the lower fairing mount bolts come loose, the faring can shift in place. After I found this one time, I have started to inspect the two bolts regularly.

There may be a chance if one or both bolts are loose and the fairing is out of place, it could cause rubbing. St.

Powder coating caution....

It should be remembered that the powder coating process bakes everything at 400+ degrees, so there is a high likely hood of damaging things like O rings if left in place. I think that in general, there is too much faith placed in the power and durability of powder coating. It certainly has its place, but it is not the be all and end all of finishes that many think it to be. As a previous post mentions, a lot depends on not only the prep, but on the shop doing the work. I work full time professionally as a metal fabricator, and have seen my fair share of powder coat failures, ranging from poor adhesion (resulting in massive flaking of the finish), to heavy orange peel and overcoating (resulting in things being filled that shouldn't be filled, or build up and blobs that can't be sanded out), to powder coating right over residual blasting media, necessitating a full strip and refinishing of the parts. I have also seen improper cleaning of residual oils or even sharpie marks being being baked out in the process, leaving discoloration (or even clear marks in the case of sharpie residue) that will easily ruin a lighter colored finish. I have also observed that there is a tendency to 'over coat' parts by most powder coaters, resulting in a plastic looking finish, that doesn't have the beauty of a good paint job.

When sending motorcycle components for powder coating, I think it critical to find a shop that has a reputation for working with cars or bikes (not just the cheapest guy down the road), otherwise you can expect things like bearing races, threads, etc. to not be masked properly during the process, which can be difficult to remedy once coated.

Another important point to remember, is that a powder coated finish cannot be touched up as easily, or as satisfactorily as a paint finish. It can be done, but it is difficult to get good results in my experience.

Powder coating definitely has its place (we send things out regularly), but one must proceed with caution when doing so, and not blindly expect fantastic results just because it is powder coated.

Choose your vendor carefully, and prep, prep, prep!

ECJ

Gaiters To Fairing Clearance

I recently refurbished the front end of my 95 R10RT. I had both 11 rib BMW gaiters and Rancho RS1952 gaiters on hand to try. The BMW gaiters were too, "fat" and woulda rubbed the fairing when turned lock to lock, as described above. The Ranchos were skinnier and cleared the fairing. They were also more pliable, and just easier to work with. I returned the BMW gaiters to Ted Porter, who had suggested I try the Ranchos. He was right.

Well, I think I found a solution for the moment at least. I ended up lowering the top some, and then I used pipe insulation (1 1/4") between the top of the gaiter and the lower triple clamp. I adhered the split in the insulation with Permatex black adhesive caulk. I cut the old bellows to make the trim around the fairing opening and adhered it with the same caulk. Overall, I think it came out OK. It protects the part of the fork stanchions that would otherwise be exposed, and looks a little more finished. It also fits the opening perfectly. My short test ride up the street suggested the gaiters had enough room to compress when the fork compressed under braking, but time and real-world riding conditions may prove otherwise... I can see I'll have to go around and double check all of the body panel screws and other fasteners now to be sure I haven't missed anything- it looks like I already have one trying to escape!

I'll have to keep my eyes open to see if I can come up with a better solution in the long run, but visually it is practically invisible unless you are really looking for it. The fork lowers look good as well. I think that paint will hold up- thanks to everyone for the suggestions and insight!