cast wheels

[dyrberg123]

Hi guys, anybody who have experience with refurbish of the cast wheels like on GT 200/250 and GS series? What i am curious aboutis the methodto get them back to original look.

The aluminum on the spokes are more of a machined surface than polished, so how to achieve that again?

The painted part, well i suppose i just haveto mask all the non painted parts and then remove the masking afterwards..

So to sum up things- i have an idea how to, but could be handy if someone shared their experience with us.

Thanks in advance

[Alan H]

I had the GS550 alloy wheels that are currently on my GT550 lightly shot blasted and powder coated metallic silver.



Other pics on pages 19/22 on the thread here - http://www.kettleclinic.co.uk/kcforum/v ... &start=180" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tz375]

I cleaned them up using normal methods and scuffed the exposed parts with a Scotchbrite scourer and masked them off and spray painted the black parts.

[dyrberg123]

Thanks for the replies, tz your method is more or less what i also had in mind.. What color of the scotchbrite did you use, and how did you treat the exposed aloy parts to prevent corrosion?

Thx

[Vintageman]

There are acid based Aluminum cleaners (Brighteners). Stuff they clean pontoon boats with for example. That will cut your work time down significantly. It takes the oxidation away very well and a little aluminum each time

I cleaned my 77 Yamaha RD400 wheels this way for example and they were very oxidized to start. And, in 77 they were not yet polished smooth on machined edges like later RD400 years so that alone made them nice and bright and all oxidation gone... Sure you'll still need some elbow grease, multiple applications plus Scotch brite coarse levels and Al polish if you want to get some Al shine back on machined edges. Paint should hold once oxidation is gone.

[dyrberg123]

I have a little trouble identifying if the painted part of the castwheels are black - semigloss just gone old, or if its antrazite / dark grey?

Any clues out there?

[tz375]

I thought that they were black in a mid gloss, but most are now a little faded and dull. I paint mine gloss black because it is easier to clean and hides dirt. I would swear that RG250 wheels were a dark gray or anthracite type color but my memory may be playing tricks on me.

[dyrberg123]

What rg do you mean, the early RG 250 / x7 or the gamma?

[tz375]

Gamma - the original RG250 with crankcase reed intakes http://www.suzukicycles.org/RG-series/RG250-Gamma.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

On that site, the wheels look semi gloss black - or white, depending on year or market. Ours must have faded - like the memories. It was a while ago that my son had one.

[dyrberg123]

I have one too, really in need of overhauling.. The bike is a wreck, bores on +2 and etc - so a pile of work.. and money!

But its in the barn with all the othe projects, just waiting for the time to come..

[tz375]

It was a fantastic bike. Handled way better than any of the RD400s I had at that time. Didn't have the low RPM torque of an RD400 but so much faster pickup. The bike seems to respond well to crankcase reed port mods too and they are easy. Only thing better back then than a Gamma was a YammaGamma with YPVS motor.

Now an RS250 Aprilia or RGV can make as much power as the average RD350.

[dyrberg123]

I actually have collected parts to build a yamma gamme from a wreck Rg the has no motor too, and bought some of the magazines with articles I have crossed, but that will ba a time consuming project..

For the original GAMMA i have theres currently on last size, is the any known bigbore solutions, or will i need new liners?