what's the best ground procedure after powdercoating frame

[amamet]

I sanded down all the ground points, engine mounting points and chased the holes with a Dremel after powder coating my frame. now im wondering what to do about the bare metal.  do I hit it with a little satin black which is really close to the powder or leave it bare?  I realize this frame will outlive me baring any unforeseen catastrophes but it is nice and rust free
thx
allen

[Chuck in Indiana]

*Assuming* you didn't get crazy with sanding  I'd leave it alone, apply some Vaseline and a star washer to the ground point, and forget it.

[Groover]

Bare, I just buttered them up with some ACF-50.

[amamet]

Never assume chuck. Haven’t you seen the odd couple. It was done neatly, and I think the powder is way to too thick for just a Star washer anyway.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Never assume chuck. Haven’t you seen the odd couple. It was done neatly, and I think the powder is way to too thick for just a Star washer anyway.

You said you had already sanded it. I wasn't saying do nothing, I was just saying do nothing to what you've already done. I *try* to say what I mean.. but that doesn't always happen. I should have said leave it bare.

[John Croucher]

Bare, I just buttered them up with some ACF-50.

If you have never used this stuff, it is the best for a lot of applications.  It cleans and protects.  Not a lubricant though.  Just ordered another can.

I spray in a cup, brush it own, spray shop towels and wipe and just spray it in hard to reach places.  And it really cleans and shines old parts while protecting. 

non toxic, non flammable, safe for electronics.

[malik]

And designed to help prevent corrosion of exposed aluminium. Good stuff, and works as an effective penetrating oil. A little goes a very long way.

[John Warner]

Whatever protective you go with, keep an eye on it regularly.
Powder-Coating is great, but unlike a good Primer and Paint, once it's 'breached' in any way, corrosion can spread unseen under the surface.

ACF-50 is excellent, but need re-applying occasionally, particularly if the Bike's used in rain a lot, or you use a Power-Washer on it.

[v7john]

I wish you'd asked before sanding. I prefer to add an earthing system which doesn't rely on the frame which leaves it unscarred. It's not that hard to do.

[n3303j]

If you have never used this stuff, it is the best for a lot of applications.  It cleans and protects.  Not a lubricant though.  Just ordered another can.

I spray in a cup, brush it own, spray shop towels and wipe and just spray it in hard to reach places.  And it really cleans and shines old parts while protecting. 

non toxic, non flammable, safe for electronics.

Manufacturer rates ACF-50 as a lubricant as well as a protectant. My experience agrees. It's a great product to spray directly into the handlebar switchgear and ignition locks for both its lubricating and protective capabilities.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Powder-Coating is great, but unlike a good Primer and Paint, once it's 'breached' in any way, corrosion can spread unseen under the surface.

This is a *very* good point. I restored an airplane one time that the previous builder thought it was a good idea to powder coat the landing gear legs. They take a lot of abuse, and the coating on the axles was chipped in places. They were rusty underneath the powder coating to the point they would have eventually failed. Maybe not in my lifetime, but in somebodies..
Neil Young was right.. Rust never sleeps. 

[Kiwi_Roy]

You should be grounding everything to the engine or gearbox, aluminium is a much better conductor than rusty steel.
Update: Where you have to connect to the chassis I would use a little grease under the lugs, it will exclude any water and hopefully ward off rust for a while.
Vaseline is my grease of choice for electrical connections or switch contacts.

[John Warner]

That does depend on there also being a good electrical link between the Engine/Gearbox, and the Frame.
It also depends where all the Earthing points on the Loom are connected.

[wirespokes]

I wish you'd asked before sanding. I prefer to add an earthing system which doesn't rely on the frame which leaves it unscarred. It's not that hard to do.

i'm guessing you add a heavy gauge wire for a ground lead and run it back to the transmission?

I got a bike with a powder coated frame and swing arm. The powder coat had gotten chipped in places and when I went to touch it up, found that wide areas of rust had grown under the paint. The rusty areas were much much larger than the original chip.

[amamet]

well, instead of just making a grounding block, which in hindsight sounds like a grand idea being freshly powder coated, I sanded down my ground points then sprayed a light coat of satin black over.  almost can't even tell unless you look for it. I also chased the holes and left them bare.  star washers used too.  all hardware gets an acf50 bath prior to installation.  ive removed every nut and bolt on this bike, and now that im intimately familiar with it, it will be easy to check it over occasionally during the winter months.  granted, as long as I did everything correctly it won't explode on me when I first start it or kill me first time taking 'er out

Allen

[geodoc]

Handy for spot-facing places where grounds go on a powder coated frame:

https://www.skygeek.com/aircraft-tool-supply-4000-9-aircraft-counterbore.html






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