Stanchion rechrome

[Murf]

Just stripping my forks and found the chrome on the part of the stanchions that was hidden while the weight of the bike was on the forks is worn through and the steel quite rough. So it’s a rechrome. I would use aftermarket but  can’t find any at the right price, either to expensive or to cheap.   
So it’s Philpotts £290 inc return postage, 6 weeks turnaround, or Brooks £200, return postage extra, 8 weeks turnaround.  So Brooks maybe £60 less than Philpotts when you include postage but I have no idea what their quality is like. Has anyone used them for stanchion rechroming?
 BTW HCP in north Notts have closed down.
Thanks

[Johnwebley]

I used Dynasurf,Sandbach,

For my RD125 AND CB200

good prices, and seems very good quality



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[Murf]

Thanks
I didn’t know about Dynasurf, I will give them a call tomorrow and see what their prices and turnaround time are like.

[Bryanj]

Phillpots have a good rep and will rechrome the top fork nuts in same price

[Oddjob]

Dynasurf have stopped doing motorcycle forks for some reason. Shame as they aren't that far away from me.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

On my 400NA Superdream I could not justify a re-chrome bearing in mind the poor end value of my current project, I bought these on ebay after a recommendation from another site.

They arrived well packaged, the correct size, I am happy with the finish, they fitted without any problems.
I am unlikely to ever wear them out. There were cheaper ones and dearer ones elsewhere.

Not sure if they sell them for your model, might be worth checking as an option as the seller sells them for other Hondas.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/146382412998

[Murf]

Hi Ted
Thanks for the info I did have a look at something like the stanchions you have but was wondering about the quality, do you think they are hard chrome plated and ground or just chrome plated.  Though I am not sure the early Honda ones weren’t just chromed, what ever it was it wasn’t very thick.

I can understand where you are coming from with cost of rebuild v finished value, I am possibly at a sort of break even point at the moment (not counting labour of course), I still have some spending to do so will be over by the time it’s finished. 
Hopefully I will have a nice looking good riding bike at the end, I have just excepted it as a labour of love and have decided to strip it right down now and get the frame painted.  Should have just done this at the start but wanted to keep some patina. Given up with that now and just want shiny 😁

[Murf]

Thanks for all your replies, always helpful as usual.
I did call Dynasurf but as already mentioned they are not doing bike stuff any more, I was told they are too busy with other work. 
Anyway I have decided to give Brooks a try and will get my stanchions in the post today or tomorrow. 
Cost is £199 + £25 return postage, they apologised about high cost of return postage, but say they have to send them tracked, signed for, and insured as they can’t risk losing some rare and unobtainable stanchions.
I will let you know how they turn out in 8 or 9 weeks time.

[Murf]

Well I got the forks stripped, the gunge/oil that came out was the foulest smelling fork oil I have ever come across, it was something of a cross between the old town gas we used to get and onions. I had to use my organic fume mask to complete the strip down, then get a shower and wash my clothes 🤬. Even when clean the stanchions still smelled of it.

The stanchions had a little bit of a bow in them, maybe 3mm measured in the middle, I checked with Brooks if they straightened the the stanchions before grinding and chroming, all they would say was they checked everything was in spec before starting work on them.  I didn’t feel that answered my question so knowing that Philpotts did check and straighten as required I sent the stanchions off to them.

What a great service and great result, the stanchions were very rusted and pitted at the top where they had been under the shrouds and well worn in the working area but have come back like new but better. Really well packed as well.
What a great result I would definitely recommend Philpotts £299 inc return post.  They actually turned them around in 10 days but as I was on holiday they held off posting them back until I was back home, really good and easy to deal with.

[Laverda Dave]

I always use Philpotts, never had any problems with them (I always take and collect). Stanchions I had replated by them in 1989 are still as good as new.
As for the foul smelling fork oil, submit it to a crisp manufacturer as a new BBQ flavour, it can't be any worse than some of the flavours available!