crappy nuts and bolts...

[Demorgan]

so, while my motor is on the bench, I'm looking at the big long mounting bolts and suchlike and they look like crap... rust, oily crud and alu white-dust, what the best way to get em looking nice? or at least not like shite.

 

[5twins]

They were only cad plated which doesn't hold up that well, obviously. I wire wheel them clean then paint them silver. My touch-up paint of choice for cad nuts and bolts is plain old Testor's silver model paint in the little bottles. I apply it with a Q-tip. It doesn't shine like chrome and resembles the original dull silver cad finish quite well. When I install the bolts, I anti-seize not just the threaded ends but the entire length of the bolt. This helps keep future corrosion at bay.

 

[Gibson]

I found that a small brass wire brush cleans up the rusted chrome acorn nuts well too.

 

[Signal]

Here is a link to a thread on home zinc plating.
http://http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26506&highlight=Zinc+plating
I have done this and it is pretty easy to get good results. Like everything preparation is key, get the part looking like it was finished before you start.

Here is my plating solution shopping list;
Zinc Plating Solution
4.5 Litres distilled water, rainwater ok, tap water not suitable.
300 grams Epsom salts
100 grams Zinc sulphate. This is used to treat sheep for facial eczema and can be bought in small quantities on trade me.
200ml white vinegar
1/3 bottle of corn syrup (optional) Available from countdown.


Watch out for the heavy metals when you clean previously galvanised parts.

 

[Demorgan]

cheers! i think home-replating might be a stretch too far, but good to know... just wanna clean em up a bit, not look too new, and show up rest of bike! yeah, my route out of where i live involves a half mile dirt track and then 10miles slow london traffic, which in winter is messy and wet...so i aint looking to get her too shiny and new looking (as if!)

 

[Gibson]

I don't know if this helps overseas, but Home Depot sells polished metric stainless acorn nuts here in states. I was able to replace all of the rusty valve cover and instrument cap nuts with SST. They should hold up very well...

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Try boltdepot.com