Scratch on Boxxer stanchion

[GTBoy]

I have a nasty scratch on my boxxer stanchion, just above the seal, hence the seal is leaking. I am have been told that you can use nail polish to fill the scratch, has anyone tried this, and if so does it work, and how do you do it.
And does anyone have a ball park figure for a new stanchion
Thanks

 

[Hard Nox]

Ohhh! Problem! $$$!

Yeah, Harder Nox and I have both got scratched stanchions - 2 bikes in 2 weeks! However, yes, you have done right for now. It's only good for a short while, then as you seem to have found out, it's time to spend $$$. I'm lucky, because I've got room for about 6" of travel up to the scratch. So I'll be watching this thread to see what other responses you get.

Good luck!

 

[ona rampage]

I scratched my forks a while ago, and posted a similar question....try doing a search for the responses... (was around Feb to April I think).

I had heard the nail polish option as well, but no-one had really had any success with it, and it seemed to be a little harder to do in practice then it sounded. Might be better spending the $$$ and getting something done properly (i.e. new stanchion).

Good luck.

 

[toodles]

If it's only a fine scratch you should be ok. If it's causing leaks - ie damaging seals - smooth it out with some very fine wet and dry paper and it should run ok (albeit ugly) once you replace the seal in the affected leg as it will have been dmaged by the scratch. If you've gouged it good - it might not be structurally reliable so best bet is to swap it with one of your mates stanchions when they're not looking.

 

[Daver]

Don't worry. If you want it to be repaired perfectly on the cheap get some putty and give the scratch a good clean using some isopropyl alcohol. Next fill the hole/s in with the putty, and let it set hard. After this, get some 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper or a super fine file and make it smooth.

By doing this there is no way for oil to escape from under the seals making the fork "normal" again. If you do this you will also have to replace your seals (if the current scratch has hurt them) and top up fluid. This is the cheapest, easiest and safest fix.

If you just file back the scratch so it is smooth you will still have a hole for fluid to escape through. The only time to worry would be when the forks are either Titanium Nitrate coated (gold or slippery silver) as the scratch will cause the material to flake off, ruining the forks.

EDIT: I have used this before and it works perfectly, If you are in Sydney you can get Stan at Bike Addiction to do it- its inexpensive and works well.

EDIT (2): A new staunchion is $400 from memory.

 

[Grip]

Or... you could do it properly :roll: Take a ride to a bearing supply outlet... BBC etc... and ask about liquid metal compounds (can't remember the names, sorry). Mixes up like 2-part epoxy... sets like... well... METAL and then you spend a bit of time with the wet and dry to polish flush with the edge of the scratch.

If there was ANY raised edge to the scratch you may have damaged your seal, but try it first before you bother replacing it.

And if you're going to be doing all this with the fork assembled make sure you tape up the seal area just to keep out the VERY fine crud you'll be creating.

 

[toodles]

If you just file back the scratch so it is smooth you will still have a hole for fluid to escape through

Yeah true. I don't really worry about that myself but it'd probably bug some people.

 

[wombat]

Or... you could do it properly :roll: Take a ride to a bearing supply outlet... BBC etc... and ask about liquid metal compounds (can't remember the names, sorry). Mixes up like 2-part epoxy... sets like... well... METAL and then you spend a bit of time with the wet and dry to polish flush with the edge of the scratch.

What about something like Devcon F chief?
(no reason for picking this particular product, just curious as the stuff is sitting in the shed...)

 

[Hard Nox]

Or... you could do it properly :roll: Take a ride to a bearing supply outlet... BBC etc... and ask about liquid metal compounds (can't remember the names, sorry). Mixes up like 2-part epoxy... sets like... well... METAL and then you spend a bit of time with the wet and dry to polish flush with the edge of the scratch.

If there was ANY raised edge to the scratch you may have damaged your seal, but try it first before you bother replacing it.

And if you're going to be doing all this with the fork assembled make sure you tape up the seal area just to keep out the VERY fine crud you'll be creating.

Damn! I come to work and learn more from Farkin than from my job. :shock:

 

[toodles]

Or... you could do it properly :roll:

Try doing it properly? Grip - what kind of tradesman are you? :shock:

 

[Grip]

Sorry Daver. It looked like I was having a go at your method with my "Or you could do it right" post... yours actually appeared while I was posting and it's a perfectly fine idea. I've used "builders bog" on moto forks in the past and that stuff hangs on like the proverbial to a blanket... but I try and be a little more Techy nowadays and the liquid metal is just an upmarket version of what you said. Of course BOTH ideas are way cheaper than new tube.


Wombat... not sure if I'm game to say ANYTHING to you after making a twit of myself the other day :roll: but Devcon "F" (10611) is an aluminium putty that's machinable etc but more for castings (if memory serves) I'm sure it would work a treat on forks, but I'd probably be going for the Devcon "Aluminium Wear Compound" as it's harder and would be a little closer to the tube hardness anyway. Yeah... you reminded me of the name.

 

[wombat]

Hmmm, maybe it's not F that's sitting in the shed; the one we've got is the Ti one, I'll see if I can find the right name now......

Edit: it's just called "Titanium putty" (you'd think I could remember that...). Of course it's been lent to someone though and hasn't yet returned.

 

[maxwolfie]

Gravedigging time!

The other day, I lightly "polished" out a small rough on one of my Rock Shox Judy J2 stanchions - I used 2000 grit wet and dry sandpaper. The rough was very small to begin with, however it did have very, very minor burring around the edges. So I figured it would be better to be safe then sorry and get rid of the burrs. However a few days later, the area has lost a lot of it's shine. I'm just wondering if I should be concerned at all, as I know that the stanchions are anodised and I don't want it to rust, or otherwise get worse over time.

Not really worried about the look of it, you wouldn't notice unless I told you about it anyways. The "dull patch" is only really discernible in the right kind of light, even then it's not that obvious.