Shock spring paint

[HBFL_imp]

I'd like to see my 13's shock springs black like the 14. I'm wondering how rattle can paint would hold up under the flex, any thoughts?

[Desert viper_imp]

I would powdercoat them.

[Retsel_imp]

You'd have to "rough them up a bit" first. And use a flexible paint. What about Plasti Dip?

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[ChipBeck_imp]

Paint would not hold up well. They need to be dipped in flexible material. Your cheapest option is probably to buy those black springs from Honda.

Chip

[pekingduck]

HBFL, I tried to reply to your PM but it is disabled on your end. But to answer your question, the paint on my Kayaba shocks held up fine. It was a normal gloss black spray can paint, not powder coated. I've painted springs for years, going back to the Girling days, and never had a problem. They do not have to be painted with any special paint.

The difference is that I took the springs off to do it, which you won't be able to do on your shocks - they are not designed to be taken apart. The chrome cover would have to be compressed about an inch before the shaft's jam nut is exposed. Re-assembly would be the hard part as you also have to hold the shaft firmly.

The 2014 shock springs are not available separately from Honda, so you might put a wanted ad for take-off shocks - many members have replaced theirs.

Most powdercoaters like to run their ovens around 400 degrees F so the paint flows smoothly and gives a nice gloss. Most of what they are coating are furniture and gates, nothing critical. Don't know how well they regulate the ovens or how long they are baked, but I don't like to powdercoat springs as they will lose their temper from excessive heat. I think their threshold is closer to 350F.

I had a bicycle frame with brazed lugs come out of the powdercoater's oven with loose lugs because the filler had melted away. That oven was way too hot.

[jtopiso_imp]

On this link there is a range of opinions wether if it's a good or a bad idea to powdre coat a spring:

https://advrider.com/f/threads/can-shock...ed.865892/

https://www.caferacer.net/forum/technica...rings.html

It's true that most performance springs manufacturers power cat theirs, but they know their process (temp/time) and materials, and your "local coater" probably won't.

So I'd stay on the safe side and not do it. I don't think it would affect the ride rate (stiffness), but the strength/hardness could be affected, amd this would have a direct impact on the fatigue life of the spring (it can creep or crack under cyclic loading).

[HBFL_imp]

Thanks for the feedback all, and thanks Pekingduck re: my IM, I fixed that. Good to hear your paint held up. If I proceed with paint or plasti dip, There is so much space between the 13's coils that I can wrap everything up with tape.

But most likely I won't do anything. It's just cosmetic preferences, but so are most of my mods.