standard finish on RZV frame?

[2smokefan]

Hi All,

I have just started a restoration on a RZV500,

what was the factory finish on the frame ?

is it just bear aluminium, or was there a coating over the Aluminium?

my first job is to get the rolling chassis sorted.
my frame and swing arm has quite a bit of oxidisation on it, so I was going to send it in for vapour blasting or media blasting, but I'm not sure whether I should paint it after this? or clear coat ?

thanks
Neil

[rd84]

Anodised aluminium - brushed finish on the main frame rails.

Cheers
Paul

[2smokefan]

thanks Paul

[whale]

mine is near new at RZV500r @ 4700kms with factory tyres and restoring it but pretty much perfect however frame is aluminium clean not anodised and has strips of clear film up the frame cradel main rails 400mm x 60 will post photos as when i got mine thay had gone brown but have had them re-made removed with heat and acidtone. will post pics soon
Whale

[silverstrom]

mine is near new at RZV500r @ 4700kms with factory tyres and restoring it but pretty much perfect however frame is aluminium clean not anodised and has strips of clear film up the frame cradel main rails 400mm x 60 will post photos as when i got mine thay had gone brown but have had them re-made removed with heat and acidtone. will post pics soon
Whale

Those clear strips are from the factory for shipping purposes. They are supposed to be removed when the dealer sells the bike. You can put them back on your bike if you want to, but they are not supposed to be there.

I had them on my TZR frame and also used heat and acetone to remove them.

[nzminis]

the frame is anodised and made to look liked brushed alloy

john is right the strips should have been removed

[jredgrave]

Well this seems as good a thread as any to ask...
So if you had decent (but not perfect - some marks and scrapes) RZV frame how would you re-finish it?

Etch, sand, fill and powder silver?

And talking about powder coat does anyone know what alloy the RZV farm and swing arm are made from? Is a powder coat bake hot/long enough to change the temper?

Thanks,
jason

[nzminis]

others have take it back to bare and used scotch brite to get the brushed look back and had it cleared

a good painter should have no problem getting the factory finish . it would take some time but you would be able to get it close

base coat and then add your brushed look and then use a matt clear

[kpke]

Well this seems as good a thread as any to ask...
So if you had decent (but not perfect - some marks and scrapes) RZV frame how would you re-finish it?

Etch, sand, fill and powder silver?

And talking about powder coat does anyone know what alloy the RZV farm and swing arm are made from? Is a powder coat bake hot/long enough to change the temper?

Thanks,
jason

Jason, I have been told by powder coaters that you cannot fill voids and then successfully powder coat. That is using JB weld or something to that effect. I believe you will need to sand out any imperfections or if they are horribly deep weld and then sand to your desired finish.

I researched reanodizing my frame but it got very complicated so I ended up with powder coat.

Will powder coat change the temper? It is my “opinion” that it will be just fine. YMMV