xs1b fork sliders

Triggerton III

XS650 Enthusiast
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Hi All
I had the fork sliders chromed. Just about to put them back together and I noticed they are all corroded i inside any ideas on ways to clean the out? also is the damper rod removable. I guess if it is, it would be easier to clean the insides.

Thanks
 
Yes and yes. You’re going to need a tool to hold the damper rod on the inside. I’m sure someone will chime in on that.

I would recommend a round copper brush the likes of which you would use to clean a shotgun, but you’ll need bigger. Copper or aluminum is OK. Don’t use a steel brush as you may cause more corrosion. Keep your fork oil clean going forward.
 
You're talking about the fork lowers, right? I do not know if the XS1B damper rod is removable. I have never seen or read anything that would indicate that it is. If it isn't removable, cleaning the inside will be a trick. This will take some work setting up, but here's what I would do: Attach the fork to a slow rotating motor, so that it very slowly rotates end-over-end. Put a handful of small, sharp sheet metals in it, and cap the end. An hour or so of that should leave the inside spotless.
 
https://www.harborfreight.com/5-lbs-rust-cutting-resin-abrasive-media-93832.html

@DogBunny offers solution that I like, but I believe the media in the link is a safer choice. Does the XS1B have aluminum sliders? Look for a bolt on the very bottom of the slider for damper rod removal.
I use that media, it's great stuff, but I think it's too big for this application. You want really tiny screws -- there isn't much space between the damper rod and the tube wall.
The 70-71 forks are completely different from later years. They do not have the bolt on the bottom.

I use the media you linked to to clean rusty gas tanks. I tumble the tank in my clothes dryer. Clothes dryers tumble too fast -- centrifugal force keeps the media in one place, it does not tumble through the tank, but it still moves enough to work. You just have to keep repositioning the tank every ten minutes. It really works great on all of the outermost tank walls. Getting it to work on the tunnel is a bit of trick, but with some ingenuity you can get the media to clean it too.
 
I use the media you linked to to clean rusty gas tanks. I tumble the tank in my clothes dryer. Clothes dryers tumble too fast -- centrifugal force keeps the media in one place, it does not tumble through the tank, but it still moves enough to work. You just have to keep repositioning the tank every ten minutes. It really works great on all of the outermost tank walls. Getting it to work on the tunnel is a bit of trick, but with some ingenuity you can get the media to clean it too.
That's exactly how I do it. I use old sleeping bags and pillows to fill the drum.
 
yeah zilla don't show that damper as a separate part., hmmm
I talked to TooManyXS1Bs about this. The 1973 and later fork lowers are cast in aluminum as a single piece and then machined.
The 70-71 lowers are welded steel. They consist of a steel tube with a welded-on steel axle-holder assembly that caps the bottom of the tube. The damper rod is welded onto that axle-holder assembly. So, no, the damper rod is definitely not removable.
those pyramids from hf contain abrasives not my go to inside fuel containers.
63672_I.jpg

The HF abrasive that Marty linked to is described as "unsaturated resin". I believe that it is pure plastic.

63673_I.jpg

This abrasive media, also from HF, is advertised as "Blended abrasives in ceramic medium". This is the one that you want to keep out of your tank. The first abrasive is safe, I believe.
 
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