125-200cc 06 Wr125 Redo - Done

Pic 010

I sand the covers until I remove all scratches, dings and wear marks. I start with 120 grit and end with 220 grit (Electric sanders). Then I wet sand starting with 600 grit paper and end at 1000 grit, before polishing. I usually do not sand the edges of the covers around the bolts and sides. With the wire wheel, you remove the anodizing and it leaves like a pitted cast finish. When you polish the edges, it comes out really good. This is another little trick I do to cheat and save time.

Pic 011

Shows my ignition cover after polished. Next I use an automotive touch up brush and paint red acrylic enamel over the grey anodizing, left down in the emblems. You can always get a sheet of clear number plate sheets to cut out and install in high rub areas. After they get scratched up, peel them off and stick a new one on.

Pic 012

Thought I'd show you what the brake lever looks like against the frame. I still have to paint the tip, after I sharpen the cleats with a file. It was corroded and rusty.

Go to your local John Deere Dealer. Get ya a good ole can of John Deere Blitz Black spray paint. I think it holds up great and doesn't burn off. Really is equal to the factory Husky color. Their John Deere Muffler Black is a little more flatter. Put it on, in just enough, to cover it coats (4-5 coats instead on two medium to heavy coats) in 60 + degrees or it'll run. Make sure you sand it with like 320 to 400 grit paper. Then wipe it down with lacquer thinner to remove any grease before painting.

After I wash the bike, I usually spray the pipe with WD 40. Right before I go ride, I wipe the excess off. Pipe usually stays nice till I repaint it every winter.

very cool- thanks! no dealers here that i can think of but ill google it. i think i can get that at kragen, not sure. big restrictions on spray paint here in the ghetto. any other 'auto-parts store' type stuff suggestions?

Try and find it, because it holds up really good and is the correct color. I stumbled on it accidently from a left over can I had, when I painted my tractor.

Heck yeah! But I get to throw my leg over it first this spring. Hoping he'll get some races on it before July.

Thanx!

I have a before pic I will try and post at the end.

Great! Glad it helps! Because of all you guys and this great site (CH), this is all possible.

That is going to be a beautiful bike when you are done!

Thanks, I usually don't go to this extreme unless the anodizing and parts look terrible. After I looked up what a new swingarm would cost. I turned and ran the other way.

That bike would never want to go back and live at Razor's place.

Thought I'd show you the clutch cover since I completed it.

Pic 001 This next project is something that I really enjoy (bull) and is very time consuming. It is cleaning the rim and re polishing the spokes. So this is what I have been up to, behind the scenes.

Pic 002 First I had to get rid of the duct tape rim strip. I don't recommend doing this because it held water/corroded the rim and was heck to pay, to get off. Get the regular rim strip because the tube puts pressure on it and helps seal out water/mud. This tape just kinda floated across the spoke nipples and there was alot of mud and water still under the tape. The rim was corroded more than it should have been.

Pic 003/004 Shows the tape and goo mess left after removing the tape in pieces.

Pic 005 I had to use a tooth brush and lacquer thinner, plus scrape the tape residue off.

Pic 006 Next I'll use my air wire wheel to clean the rim up on the inside and remove any corrosion. I am also going to check the inside for any sharp burrs. I will remove them with sand paper. I will come back later before installing a new rim strip and prime the inside of the rim since I had to wire wheel into the anodizing to remove corrosion. Priming it with primer or paint will help keep it from corroding again. I also, might put a dab of silicone in the ends of the spoke nipples (Inside the tube side), so that water/mud doesn't get to them under the rubber rim strip.

Pic 007 Shows close up of Rim/Spokes

Pic 008 Next I am using my spoke wrench to remove one spoke at a time. I do this so my wheel doesn't get out of true.

Pic 009 I will be using Turtle Wax Chrome Polish along with a piece of a Scratch pad.

Pic 010 I removed one spoke and nipple to restore at a time.

Pic 011 Rub down each spoke with the scratch pad/chrome polish. Kinda just like you are sanding it. It will removed any oxidation and Krud.

Pic 012 Next I hit the nipple doing the same thing.

Pic 013/014 Next using my floor mounted polisher. I polish the spoke and the nipple to a chrome like finish.

Pic 015/016 Next using a tooth brush and lacquer thinner. I clean the spoke hole in the hub and also the rim where the spoke seats.

Pic 017/018 Next I use anti seize lube on the spoke threads. You'll never have to worry about ever having them seize on you if you have to tighten your spokes. I always do this on my brand new bikes, as well, so I never have problems tightening spokes or rounding the nipples off with a wrench.

Pic 019 Shows the spoke installed again and tightened. I generally tighten my spokes by sound. I tighten them till I get a nice ting sound. I suppose one of these days, I'll invest in a spoke torque wrench.

Pic 021 Next I remove my hub bearings/seals.

Pic 022 I remove the circlip holding the one bearing in the hub. I went ahead and drove the bearing out with a punch. They are all shot and went straight into the trash can. I wanted to show you how you can pop the seal out of a sealed bearing, clean it and repack it with new grease but Seahorse did an excellent thread on this in the WR/CR125 index.

Pic 023 Shows the rear rim and spokes completed. I also bolted on a new 52T sprocket. I will have to order new hub bearings/seals and install them later. Below is the front rim before I tackle it. Kind of gives you a comparison sitting beside the re-done one.

I'm surprised you're not going with black wheels. You could poilish the hub too. Or maybe powder coat it black, red, or even white. I think white would look cool, like a BMX bike. Silver wheels will look like the older style, not the new look Husky is using. Black would also mellow out all the bling too. Really make those polished parts pop.

But keep the great build report coming please. I'm enjoying it.

I also had some time while my wheels are being powder coated, took my triple clamps off, and followed your directions to take the casting marks off. I am leaving it unpolished because nothing else on the bike is. But it really makes it look cleaner like some aftermarket clamp. Very cool idea and help. Thanks.

Bet they do look good!

Polish the hubs , you really want to put me over the edge? I agree with you, polished hubs and black rims. So how many want to see if I can do this?

I did my 06 RMZ 250, polishing the hubs and put black excel rims on. I really stink at lacing and truing wheels from scratch (I found that out on the RMZ). I had them so messed up that I had to take them to the bike shop. Those hubs are a tough to do, they are as bad as doing an intake manifold on a car. There won't be a way for me to get down in the spoke areas real good by the axle spacers. I could in-lay black in that recessed area? Let me call around today and price rims. I'm sure I would need spokes as well?

I will also talk to the Dupont auto body rep to see if I could use, like a basecoat or clearcoat on the existing rims? I have some black basecoat left over from my GTO and also Clear. I might have to get a flex additive and add it to the paint, so it won't chip?

I will also look at anodizing costs/powdercoating.

Kathy and I are going to take off for Florida for a week. I need to roll on this bike when I get back and get it done in February. I still have my 08 250/09 125 to go thru, paint the frame white on the 08, and decide if the 09 goes 144 or 167.

Thanx

Darin

Darin,

Have a great time in Florida. This bike is really going to be stunning. IDK about the hubs. I also suck at lacing and truing wheels. Way back when, I had my own jig and I still had to redo the process a few times virtually everytime.

...unlike Mel Gibson in Southpark last night.

so not fair. yer's is getting all new and shiny. mine's looking closer to death every time it goes out.