Painting instead of powder coating advice.

jeffro503
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jeffro503
Edited Date/Time 5/16/2015 1:07am
I'm in the process of giving my 2006 RM250 a complete make over and I wanted to get the swingarm and sub frame black. Instead of going the powder coating way , what do you guys recommend on how to paint it?

I was thinking of using a " self etching primer " after I get the surfaces all cleaned up and oil free ( which I haven't figured out how to do properly ). And then just priming and painting them myself.

And advice from some of you bike restoration guys?
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ToddWitten83 5/14/2015 11:53pm
5/14/2015 11:53pm
black epoxy paint followed by a 2 part polyurethane clear
Premix
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Premix 5/15/2015 5:05am
5/15/2015 5:05am
Aircraft stripper, prep the hell out of it with red scotchbrite, wipe down with wax/grease remover, self etch primer, rough up again, rustoleum professional grade (can be found at lowes/HD) then your choice of clear.

I would avoid doing the swingarm, even the ones that are powdercoated look rough with a couples months worth of use. If I recall correctly those RM swingarms are clear ano'd. Just leave it as is.
Dtat720
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Dtat720 5/15/2015 5:35am
5/15/2015 5:35am
Ano it black. Hard anodize can be done in clear or black. Stock form is clear. It can be stripped in a caustic bath, (lye and water) this bath will remove everything, leaving it ready for finish after a thorough rinse with distilled water.
mxtech1
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mxtech1 5/15/2015 7:00am
5/15/2015 7:00am
No matter how well you prep, paint is never going to hold up to the MX environment. It may look good for awhile, but it will always peel/chip/rub off.

Your money is much better spent on anodizing or powdercoating. Do it right the first time and you won't have to worry about it again.

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jeffro503
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jeffro503 5/15/2015 8:26am
5/15/2015 8:26am
Some great advice here guys , thanks. I didn't even think about doing an anodizing. And from what I remember it's quite a bit cheaper than powder coating and a lot lighter too. I'm on the fence about doing this. My frame is already powder coated black and it looks great , not 100% sure if I want to go through with the swingarm and sub frame just yet.
scooter5002
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scooter5002 5/15/2015 8:58am
5/15/2015 8:58am
The subframe could be taken to an automotive machine shop, and tossed into the hot tank for a while. Strip the paint and the oil right off, and then it's rinsed with water after. A few bucks well spent, and no elbow grease required. Another thing you can do is hit it with oven cleaner, and then wash it off with water. Attack it with Brake Klean after, and it'll be pretty oil free after that.
racinstation
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racinstation 5/15/2015 9:10am
5/15/2015 9:10am
Powdercoat or anodize. Do not waste your time with paint. The bottom of both sides of the swingarm and the chain area are abused a lot and the paint will just not hold up. It is better to pay twice as much for powder coating than do have to paint it 3 or 4 times over the next 3 or 4 years.
Dirtysmile56
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Dirtysmile56 5/15/2015 10:59am
5/15/2015 10:59am
jeffro503 wrote:
I'm in the process of giving my 2006 RM250 a complete make over and I wanted to get the swingarm and sub frame black. Instead of...
I'm in the process of giving my 2006 RM250 a complete make over and I wanted to get the swingarm and sub frame black. Instead of going the powder coating way , what do you guys recommend on how to paint it?

I was thinking of using a " self etching primer " after I get the surfaces all cleaned up and oil free ( which I haven't figured out how to do properly ). And then just priming and painting them myself.

And advice from some of you bike restoration guys?
Jeff, sent you a PM. Let me know what you think.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 5/15/2015 6:44pm
5/15/2015 6:44pm
jeffro503 wrote:
I'm in the process of giving my 2006 RM250 a complete make over and I wanted to get the swingarm and sub frame black. Instead of...
I'm in the process of giving my 2006 RM250 a complete make over and I wanted to get the swingarm and sub frame black. Instead of going the powder coating way , what do you guys recommend on how to paint it?

I was thinking of using a " self etching primer " after I get the surfaces all cleaned up and oil free ( which I haven't figured out how to do properly ). And then just priming and painting them myself.

And advice from some of you bike restoration guys?
Dirtysmile56 wrote:
Jeff, sent you a PM. Let me know what you think.
?? Patrick I didn't get a PM from you. Are you sure you sent one out?

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