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Rear spring refinishing

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Jerry
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Rear spring refinishing

#1 PostAuthor: Jerry » Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:00 pm

One for the metal finishers out there….
I need to refinish my chrome rear shock springs to black. For the finish I intend to powder coat them unless advice says otherwise. Question is, would you strip the chrome off first, or trust the powder coaters to blast them?

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warren3200gt
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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#2 PostAuthor: warren3200gt » Tue Sep 30, 2025 8:31 pm

In my experience the blast media to remove Chrome needs to be pretty abrasive and wont leave a great finish for powder coat.
I wanted a set of red springs on an old set of period girlings and was advised by the coaters to plastic coat straight over the chrome after smoothing any rust spots.
Not being a fan of plasticoat as it seems to split easily and nessescity being the mother of invention I went in search of another solution..
I settled on red heatshrink tubeing threaded on the spring then oven baked then finished off with a coat of clear gloss acrylic.
No issues over the last three years.

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PUM 488 June 2026
76 Z900A4, 77 Z650B1, 77 KZ650B1, 77 Z1000A1, 82 Z1000J2, ZRX1100R.

Jerry
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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#3 PostAuthor: Jerry » Tue Sep 30, 2025 8:44 pm

Bloody hell Warren, I’d have never thought of that, but how clever!!!

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KeithZ1R
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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#4 PostAuthor: KeithZ1R » Wed Oct 01, 2025 5:56 pm

Jerry wrote:Bloody hell Warren, I’d have never thought of that, but how clever!!!


Yep Genious :up will be logging that one for future reference :clap
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kev edwards
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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#5 PostAuthor: kev edwards » Fri Oct 03, 2025 2:39 pm

As a former plater, surface coater and metalurgical chemist as long as the chrome is not lifting and you give it a good clean go along with Warren's shrink tubing, powder coating is more susceptible to stress cracking and nowhere near as cheap as shrink tubing.

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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#6 PostAuthor: Speedie » Sat Oct 04, 2025 9:36 am

Best post I've seen anywhere for a long time! Made me smile :lol:
Genius! :D

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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#7 PostAuthor: Jerry » Sun Oct 05, 2025 4:07 pm

That’s me sorted then! Thanks for the help Warren!

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warren3200gt
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Re: Rear spring refinishing

#8 PostAuthor: warren3200gt » Sun Oct 05, 2025 4:30 pm

:up
PUM 488 June 2026
76 Z900A4, 77 Z650B1, 77 KZ650B1, 77 Z1000A1, 82 Z1000J2, ZRX1100R.


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