Getting rid of chrome.
Getting rid of chrome.
Here is my dilemma. I recently got back into the saddle after almost being killed on my 2014 FXDB. I purchased a 2016 FXDL. It is still at the dealership getting risers, bars, intake and exhaust installed. My only complaint about the bike is the chrome. I have three options. One is to spend the cash and purchase wrinkle black engine components from HD. That is going to cost a **** load. Option two is to take off the chrome pieces and have them powder coated. There are parts that cannot remove due to lack of facilities and tools to do so. Also the nearest powder coating guru costs a **** load. Option three is to take off some of the chrome parts and rattle can them. I like to do my own work on my bikes; I always have done my own work. Option three is the way I am leaning. I did some research on how to paint onto chrome but did not seem to come up with ant good answer. What are the best ways to go about it with rattle cans? How did you prep the chrome and what did you use? Thanks.
Well let's see. I did not get the bike to please anyone else. The cool **** about the FXDL far out weighs the chrome. So now are you more prone to answer or just going to continue to dog on my choice??
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 127
From: SW OREGON
It's a hard one to answer.. the question is why you didn't buy an fxdb and add the cool stuff you like. Seems that would have been easier.
That was my first option, but to add dual front brakes, mag wheels and a full fender was going to be more than the price of the FXDL. My first Harley was a 2014 FXDB and I loved it. But because I like the club style, it made more sense to go with the FXDL.
Tourer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 414
Likes: 8
From: NJ
I can't imagine your powder guy being expensive. I don't know where you're at or how many powder guys you have in the area. There are lots around me in South Jersey. I just disassembled my bob for powder. Doing my inner/outer primary, trans covers, cam cover, sissy bar, rear brake pedal, shifter pedal, an a few other odds and ends. Total less than $300. That was pretty consistent with every shop I went to.
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 421
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
I can sympathize. I, too, detest chrome. It's probably the chrome that caused your previous crash 
. I undertook to remove/cover as much of it on my ride as I could.
Probably the best way to do it is to have the Cr sandblasted off, & start from scratch with bear metal. I didn't. What I did was: degrease it good; then wetsand the living daylights out of it with 100 grit; follow that with 500 grit wetsand (all, I mean ALL "shiny" gone!); degrease good again & hit it with tack rag; then two or three coats of "etching" primer in quick succession (15 min apart); then very light sanding with 600 grit followed by tack cloth; then hit it with 2-3 coats of either VHT flat black epoxy, Eastwood Dead Rat Black single-stage catalyzed top coat (my fav), or black spray-on bed liner paint (tough as nails!). I've done all three, and they're all great & stand up well. I'm sure VHT Wrinkle Black would work just as well (particularly for motor parts that get hot).
. I undertook to remove/cover as much of it on my ride as I could.Probably the best way to do it is to have the Cr sandblasted off, & start from scratch with bear metal. I didn't. What I did was: degrease it good; then wetsand the living daylights out of it with 100 grit; follow that with 500 grit wetsand (all, I mean ALL "shiny" gone!); degrease good again & hit it with tack rag; then two or three coats of "etching" primer in quick succession (15 min apart); then very light sanding with 600 grit followed by tack cloth; then hit it with 2-3 coats of either VHT flat black epoxy, Eastwood Dead Rat Black single-stage catalyzed top coat (my fav), or black spray-on bed liner paint (tough as nails!). I've done all three, and they're all great & stand up well. I'm sure VHT Wrinkle Black would work just as well (particularly for motor parts that get hot).
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 214
From: Delawere
Anyway,the tool list it would take isn't all that extensive.Simple hand tools for the most part. And powder coating doesn't require a "guru" to do it. Find a shop talk to em and see what you can do to save them time as in prepping the parts for coating.No matter how you decide to do it,for the best outcome the parts have to come off anyways.
I was patient and watched eBay...a lot... I ended up getting all of my wrinkle black take off parts for a little over $200. The boy parts I didn't swap were the pushrods tubes and the lower rocker boxes. For me, since the cylinders have the contrast edges, the engine needed a little shine to tie it together. I then swapped them out when I did my 5k service and sold off all the chrome take off parts, breaking even. It took me a couple months to get the parts, but I knew I wasn't going to doing any swapping until I was draining fluids for the service.
It took a little more time and planning, but the end results were worth it.
It took a little more time and planning, but the end results were worth it.
Last edited by Vonswanko; Oct 20, 2015 at 08:54 AM.