Major clean and preserve for my bike (UPDATED)

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Dec 2nd, '06, 20:30

Well I finaly got around to preserving my bike today. I got to work (it's my day off) around 9. I fitted a pressure switch to the rear brake master cylinder cos I'd had trouble with the plunger one that was on it.

Then I pressure washed the bike with our hot pressure washer, shamyed it off and had a coffee while it dryed. I put it on the ramp and took the pads out of the calipers, cleaned up the pistons, pads, etc and put some copper slip on the back of the pads, pins, etc.

I also put a new rear on, a Michellin Pilot Power. While the wheel was out I put the sprocket hub on the spindle and back into the s/arm so that I could get the rust of the back of the chain using my die grinder and a brasss cup wire brush. While the wheel was out I cleaned up the s/arm and applied some ACF-50. I also put it on the spacers etc.

Once the wheel was back in I applied the ACF-50 the the rest of the bike (except plastics), even the chain, by spraying it on or by brush and then cleaned the tyre walls. I then sprayed the black plastics with cockpit shine silicone and polished the fairing.

By the time I'd finnished the bike looked sweet. I took the camera with me so I could put some pics on this post but cos our my camera uses more power than HMS Ocean I only got one pic before the battery died (forgot to chage them). I rode it home on damp roads and it has obvoiusly got dirty again but I knew that was gonna happen. The whole idea was to get some preservative on it so it didn't corrode through winter. Because I used ACF-50 it will last for another year before I have to apply it again, the stuff eats salt and corrosion and was developed for the yanks to use on their navey aircraft.

If the bikes not to bad (my garage isn't lit) I'll take some more pics in the morning and add them.

Here's the link to the ACF-50 webpage. We sell it at Taylors for £13 a can which will last for ages, I hardly used any of the can today

http://worldwideaviation.co.uk/Motorcyc ... 20Main.htm

And if you also have a Triumph the best TFR (Traffic Film Remover) to use is CB25 Superbike wash which we also sell. This is because all the others I've tried (I'm a bike valeter so I've tried a lot) make the black on Triumphs go whiteish.

The bike was still clean in the morning so I took this pic. Check the rest out at

http://mikepparker.spaces.live.com/?_c1 ... 02_owner=1

For some reason I could only download 3 onto the site

mykee · Post by **mykee** » Dec 2nd, '06, 20:46

I hate to spoil your hard work, but I'm sure I've read a thread somewhere that states you should only put copper slip sparingly on the caliper pins and NOT on the back of the pads; it turns the rubber piston seals brittle and they will perish realy quickly.
(I may well have dreamt up this thread so will happily back down if anyone knows better)

mykee

silverfox · Post by **silverfox** » Dec 2nd, '06, 20:49

Hi mike,
you have been busy, I wish I stayed home today, went to westbay about 11.30am, stayed talking to 4 bikers there, as you do, left about 12.30pm got back near axminster, poured down, got back, the bike looked like gone through the river axe, so that's both of us cleaning bikes today, only mine has no fairing being a gsx 1400, interesting you work for taylors, used to get all my bike stuff there, that was back in the days ted from taunton used to work there, i will have to meet up & talk bikes mike one day, we live 4 mls from you, keep cleaning, all the best.

keith.

age · Post by **age** » Dec 2nd, '06, 20:51

Mine is still in the garage covered in dirt !

I have got man FLUE !!!

Age

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Dec 2nd, '06, 20:55

mykee wrote:I hate to spoil your hard work, but I'm sure I've read a thread somewhere that states you should only put copper slip sparingly on the caliper pins and NOT on the back of the pads; it turns the rubber piston seals brittle and they will perish realy quickly.
(I may well have dreamt up this thread so will happily back down if anyone knows better)
mykee

Good point!

I only put a very small amount of copper slip on the pads and pins. I didn't put any on the pistons, just a small amount on lube (Ultra 2040). You can also use a very small amount of ruber grease on pistons.

Never use to much of any grease on brakes as it can melt when it gets hot.....all over your pads!!

baskie · Post by **baskie** » Dec 3rd, '06, 20:52

mykee wrote:I hate to spoil your hard work, but I'm sure I've read a thread somewhere that states you should only put copper slip sparingly on the caliper pins and NOT on the back of the pads; it turns the rubber piston seals brittle and they will perish realy quickly.
(I may well have dreamt up this thread so will happily back down if anyone knows better)
mykee

its fine. stops them binding and squealing. im sure he didnt plaster the back of them anyway. sure it will be fine,

oh btw how much do u charge??? lol. would love to have my bike that clean before i sell it.lol

age · Post by **age** » Dec 3rd, '06, 21:55

Washed mine today

As for greasing your pads, At phase one we use Beringer calipers and we can only clean them with soapy water as brake cleaner will damage the seals.

Age

Jonny · Post by **Jonny** » Dec 4th, '06, 09:56

Wow I'm so impressed by that. Good effort!

Shame that its impossible to keep bikes looking that way through the winter.

I may have to take my bike to the local pressure washer...

jason · Post by **jason** » Dec 4th, '06, 11:28

good job - I now feel compelled to go and buy some ACF-50 !!

"Shame that its impossible to keep bikes looking that way through the winter. "

Its not impossible - you could use my failsafe "keep your bike clean" method; lock it in your shed/garage never to see the light of day for a few months and use your car

Tom L · Post by **Tom L** » Dec 4th, '06, 12:38

i dont even have a garage

i was inspired by your efforts to clean my bike, i spent 20 mins on sunday in the slating stinging rain and hurricane winds (i live in a windtunnel block of flats) trying to polish mine, then i lost my sponge, its got blown away so i [Censored] it off and went inside. I hate winter

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Dec 4th, '06, 19:43

baskie wrote:
mykee wrote:I hate to spoil your hard work, but I'm sure I've read a thread somewhere that states you should only put copper slip sparingly on the caliper pins and NOT on the back of the pads; it turns the rubber piston seals brittle and they will perish realy quickly.
(I may well have dreamt up this thread so will happily back down if anyone knows better)
mykee

its fine. stops them binding and squealing. im sure he didnt plaster the back of them anyway. sure it will be fine,

oh btw how much do u charge??? lol. would love to have my bike that clean before i sell it.lol

Baskie's right. If you don't put anything on the back of the pads or pins they rust which can cause brake binding. You only need to use a small amount though. I use Wurths CU80 which is a copper slip spray and sprays very fine. Place your pads on some newspaper and give 'um a quick dustin. I also put a very fine smear down the sides of the backing because if that rusts the pads will stick. I do work on bikes for a living.

Jason said

good job - I now feel compelled to go and buy some ACF-50 !!

"Shame that its impossible to keep bikes looking that way through the winter. "

Do it. From what I've been told and read on the website you can ride it through ewinter. If you've got ACF-50 on it when you wash your bike it'll come up gleaming. The stuff eats salt and corrosion.

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Dec 4th, '06, 19:44

Tom L wrote:i dont even have a garage

i was inspired by your efforts to clean my bike, i spent 20 mins on sunday in the slating stinging rain and hurricane winds (i live in a windtunnel block of flats) trying to polish mine, then i lost my sponge, its got blown away so i [Censored] it off and went inside. I hate winter

Sorry

You should have just sprayed some Motoclean 900 over it and let the rain do the work. If winds are that bad then you've got natures pressure washer

Little Loris · Post by **Little Loris** » Dec 5th, '06, 11:22

I think a pressure washer would take my bodywork off.

Maver-Nick · Post by **Maver-Nick** » Dec 5th, '06, 13:43

Gsxrage wrote:Mine is still covered in dirt !

Ditto... and that's how she'll stay...

Bugger all this cleaning malarky, just ride it in the rain on a windy day...

deej · Post by **deej** » Jan 2nd, '07, 22:31

nice write up there mike, you do obviously have too much time on your hands but at least your using good products.also for a triumph your bike looks quite good mate.

age, russells obviously not using the right brake cleaner, some of the lesser known and less respected brands will eat piston seals, our cleaner is the only one that wont perish the seals on the dispensers so should protect caliper seals