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Stripping Powder Coat

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
Question for the people who have stripped paint / engineering folks.

I am thinking about stripping the paint off my '07 Yeti 303 as it's pretty beat and Yeti isn't know for its light paint coats. I will be doing a full strip-down and re-build before this next season and figure I can probably scrub 1# from the frame weight.

I intend to use this stuff as suggested in other threads. My bigger questions are around bearing fit post-stripping and getting around the tight spots of the frame to remove the paint.

Will removing the paint mess with bearing fit? How have you been getting into the tight spots of the frame? What about with the SOS pad scrubbing to brush the AL? How do you hit the hard/tight areas?


On a second topic, this thing is a tank. Without putting $1k+ into it, I am having trouble building it up less than 43#. I have debated going back to a DH-9, stripping it, and rebuilding it. I should be able to easily get it to the 38# range. I'd swap the majority of my parts, get the Vanilla RC Pushed and toss on a Ti spring for good measure. Am I batty for thinking about doing this?
 

ridiculous

Turbo Monkey
Jan 18, 2005
2,907
1
MD / NoVA
I think we have been over this before. I think your plan is a bit ambitious. Dont expect that 303 to be much lighter than 41-42. The 14 lb frame weight is killer. Get a nice tubeless setup, tune your suspension well and make it fit your body and be done with it.

Only the front triangle of the bike is painted so I dont know if you'll find 1 lb. ...American Airlines saved ~600 lbs by not painting their Boeing 757's and think about how big of a surface that thing is.

If you want a lighter more flickable bike I think you should consider dropping the 303 for something else. Having been a 303 owner and someone that has stripped a few things. The geometry and complexity of that bike is not worth my time and effort to mess with. But hey, call Yeti with your concerns and see what they say. Ask about doing some sort of professional media stripping/blasting to get the paint off or if they have a shop you can send it to.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
I think I'm coming to that conclusion. I really like the suspension feel, it's just butter, but I can't turn it for the life of me. That's a pretty big statement given that I came off of a DH-9 before this.
The more I look at it, the more likely I am probably going to go back to a DH-9 with a tuned shock.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
I have no experience with the DH9 but this sounds crazy to me.
Cost/Benefit Analysis. I will come out flat for a frame I am familiar with a better shock and Ti spring, if not any additional savings. Not really racing anymore, but just want to enjoy the riding. Plus, I can buy entire frames for replacement parts cheaper than a rebuild kit for most DH bikes. :thumb:

Actually a very good idea.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
It's always about money. Everything has a value, it's just what number is attached to it. That value could be 15 hours of hard labor or a $ amount. You can describe money as the value of time, which in all reality it is. But everything has a value and residual costs are part of that value.
 

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
It's always about money. Everything has a value, it's just what number is attached to it. That value could be 15 hours of hard labor or a $ amount. You can describe money as the value of time, which in all reality it is. But everything has a value and residual costs are part of that value.
You're too easy :p




Speaking of all about the $$$ you gonna be looking to unload that 303? What size is it?
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
You're too easy :p

Speaking of all about the $$$ you gonna be looking to unload that 303? What size is it?
Large and I likely won't take a loss.

As for the broke frame note, in all of my years riding Yeti's never once have I seen one break. Actually, I finally saw a DH-4 crack at the seat tube earlier this year. And I'm pretty sure those are a bit older than 7 years.
 

DHPeteinSC

Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
484
0
In the KY (jelly) E-town
Joker, I've always used this stuffhttp://www.amazon.com/Mar-Hyde-Tal-Strip-Strength-Remover-aerosol/dp/B000ZO28RE should be at your local parts store and it works great!!! make sure it's above 60 deg. outside and put the frame in the sun for a bit before you spray. If the wind is blowing, (be sure to wear eye protection) have some water and a wet rag handy cause if any overspray gets on you, it burns like a motherf**ker!!!!
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
I'm not a giant, just a wookie. Aaron (911) was a giant. He was a brisk 6'7" and rode a large DH-9 with a 100mm stem.