Could someone please explain to me how, once I remove the grime from say this rear brake adjuster and brake rod, I will be able to prevent it from going rusty as it will no longer have an oil/grease protection layer? Should I maybe chemically blue it using a gun bluing kit for example? The same goes for non-painted parts such as nuts and bolts? Or do I have to paint everything.
I suppose 1 simple way of protecting it while you have it off the bike is to spray with a clear lacquer.
This preserves the bare steel colour , which it would have been.
Morning,
I'm replacing nuts and bolts with stainless where possible on my a65 rebuild,also you may be able to get parts like the adjuster made in stainless by an engineering co. Dave.
Thank you. Replacing nuts and bolts with stainless is a great idea. Polished-stainless are the guys for that I think. Arguably there aren't many parts that will be neither chrome or painted so I just need to keep any bare metal parts with a coating of oil/grease.
Zinc plating
Hi,
There are quite few stainless brake rods with adjusters out there so probably one that will fit.
Zinc plating is an option which I am trying out. First attempt not very good so starting again. If I can get it right it should look right as not as shiny and chrome but more in keeping perhaps.
Dave.
Most fasteners will have been zinc plated as a cheaper alternative to cadmium. Bright passivate more likely than colour.
I found a comany in Nottingam that do zinc and at v good prices.
I think I'm going for non-polished stainless. Saw a bike recently with the rear brake rod painted so I think I'll go that way. The brake adjuster will be cleaned up and treated periodically with ACT50 (as suggested by a member of the Bantam Club forum).
So here we are a few months later. I put together a nickel plating kit and plated every part before starting the rebuild. The rear braking rod was too long to plate so I used gun bluing fluid - looks great. Also taught myself to paint so the black parts are black base and 2k lacquer. Should be less risk of corrosion.