Topic: First Thread from a frequent lurker-Sharkhide on Polished Hubs?

[Dyrden]

So, Hello all.  I picked up a CB750 a couple of months ago.  Shes down to frame and engine now.  Ive read every post I could find on polished/brushed/painted/PC'd wheels rims and hubs.  Once you polish and lace up isnt it impossible to maintain the finish on the inside area of the hubs?  Ive seen and heard of issues with clearing over bare metal(spider webbing) so want to avoid that.  Has any one used the Sharkhide stuff?  Their site has pretty bold claims but you know how that goes... 

Im thinking powder coated rims, stainless spokes and brushed(scotchbrite) hubs but dont want them oxidizing in a year, so I dont know where to turn.  I live down in Miami so we get a lot of rain and humidity which is hell on bare metals.

Since pictures are cool and words are less cool heres the bike(planning on 18 or 19 inch rear wheel for a more symmetric wheel tire combo):

Ive got 75 triple trees and 82 CB900 shocks refinished sitting on a shelf and am planning on pulling the motor this week.

Untitled by bailey_james62@ymail.com, on Flickr

Nearly finished on this, so had to pick up the next project, hence the CB.

Untitled by bailey_james62@ymail.com, on Flickr

[Damfino]

I asked that very same question last month and got no response.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=83019.msg934322#msg934322

I saw them use it & recommend it on 'Two Guys Garage'. They were using it to protect the polished aluminum firewall and variuos other bits of a hot rod.

Here's a thread from another forum...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263596&highlight=sharkhide
And another...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258586&highlight=sharkhide
And last...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243160&highlight=sharkhide

If you do use it, let us know the outcome!

[swellguy]

I've done about five pairs of spoked wheels and powdercoated the hubs (various shades of black) each time. They're easy to keep clean and a pretty bulletproof finish. The set I'm building now for my 750 will have silver powdercoated hubs with unpolished alloy rims.

There are guys who can get pretty particular when they clean and detail their bikes. Harley Davidson sells essentially bike sized q-tips so you can clean your chromed wheel hubs. I guess it all depends on how fussy you want to get.

I think there is enough mixed reviews about clear coating or clear powdercoating over bare metal (say media blasted or polished alloy), that it's hard to predict how well hubs done this way will wear over time. My powdercoater won't do it.

[Dyrden]

I asked that very same question last month and got no response.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=83019.msg934322#msg934322

I saw them use it & recommend it on 'Two Guys Garage'. They were using it to protect the polished aluminum firewall and variuos other bits of a hot rod.

Here's a thread from another forum...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263596&highlight=sharkhide
And another...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258586&highlight=sharkhide
And last...http://www.ffcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243160&highlight=sharkhide

If you do use it, let us know the outcome!

Yea I saw it on two guys too.  I thought it could work for the hubs... maybe Ill have to guinea pig it.

[wildcatmahone]

I like my alloy mirror buffed and I heard good things about Sharkhide. So I bought a quart at like 60 bucks and found that stuff very difficult to apply as it dries WAY too fast even on small parts. . Seems like some kind of clear polymer resin and dries pretty hard. It's dries pretty transparent BUT you still get the prism effect when it's under direct sunlight. I may give it another shot but will spray it with my HVLP but I'm now leaning towards clear powdercoat now I have a setup for that...

[Toxic]

It is expensive but it needs to be applied as per their directions on the website to be effective.

[Ernest T]

I tried to clear coat polished aluminum, but the paint just ran off.  Then I got a tip to spray it with WD-40 first.  It sounded stupid, but I gave it a try and it works.  For some reason, the WD-40 residue makes paint stick.  Its been on a year and looks like the day it was polished.  I used Duplicolor clear engine paint.

[Dyrden]

I tried to clear coat polished aluminum, but the paint just ran off.  Then I got a tip to spray it with WD-40 first.  It sounded stupid, but I gave it a try and it works.  For some reason, the WD-40 residue makes paint stick.  Its been on a year and looks like the day it was polished.  I used Duplicolor clear engine paint.

That is crazy sounding and very counter intuitive.  Anyone else want to chime in on this one?

[Toxic]

Ya, I'll give this one a bump to find out if anyone else has tried the WD40 trick.

Def. counter intuitive

[Kong]

Deleted by author - don't know how it landed here.

[Damfino]

Deleted by author - don't know how it landed here.

I was just gonna ask you if you were in the right thread...

[cobrajunkie]

I just finished painting my spokes and hub with satin black Rustoleum. I didn't take off the clear coat on the hub and spokes had surface rust.  I've used Rustoleum on many car project parts and very pleased with how it holds up.  If you want to go polished hub, it won't be difficult to maintain at all. You might polish it once a season and wipe with window cleaner between polishes.