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Repair fork stanchion marks is it possible?

soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
Basically I have some avalanche DHF 8.5 and the stanchions have various marks and chips
Only very small but there never the less.
Is it possible to repair these?
I was thinking JB weld and then very fine wet & dry?
They are not sharp and do not cause leaks but I'm anal when it comes to marked stanchions.
 

reignofevil

Chimp
Jun 28, 2013
5
0
oklahoma city
Nail polish flakes off. JB weld, when applied carefully, works very well. I use it at my day job to repair 3500psi+ hydraulic cylinders. No issues in over 6 years.

Just have to make sure the effected surface is prepared and any high spots are removed carefully with a very small file. I use a small flexible spackle knife to apply. Then go behind it with an appropriately sized o-ring to shape it to the tube. Place it in front of a space heater on a level surface to speed up cure time.

Check for high spots, dress with your small file if necessary, and re install!
 

Freeridin'

Monkey
Oct 23, 2006
316
2
Colorado
If they're not causing any leaks leave them alone. Adding JB weld will not make them less noticeable or less leaky.
 
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soft-compound

Monkey
Dec 29, 2012
109
1
Well they don't cause leaks , but I'm just anal with these things as I like my stuff to be in good working condition.
It was not causing leaks but made markings on the bushing coating so better to be safe than sorry.
Just need to work out how to remover the drop out I think a tube clamp in a vice and some heat will do the trick.
 

blacksim549

Chimp
Oct 15, 2007
58
0
Quebec.
If they have sharp edges (that could damage the seals and bushings) sand them with a very fine sand paper (600). Only sand the scratch and not the area around.

I heard stories about putting on nail polish but that doesn't seem to but the consensus here.

Personally if they don't cause leaks I would just sand them a bit and leave them there.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
I repaired my Totem about three years ago with some Loctite aluminum loaded filler, it's not a 2 pot mix so I figured it would fall out but it's still in. Use a bunch of white spirits or metho to get all the oil out and you should be fine. Oh also the filler I used sands so easily, much easier than a plasticy type epoxy(never use JB so I don't know what it is).


I took the sharp edges of mine and ran them without being filled and the oil was black inside month, I was pretty surprised as the scratches were fairly high up the stanchion.