Author Topic: Bleach has fooked my alloy hub Tuff's.... (Read 3249 times)

funkyfresh · « **on:** September 06, 2008, 04:52 PM »

Bought some nice white Tuff's and thought I'd bleach em to get them pristine white - tbh they weren't that bad, but wanted to see how white I could get them...

1st off, the bleach made the top surface mushy, but thankfully a good soak in clean water sorted that....

But, the worst part is that for some reason, all the grease i put on the alloy hubs was fine, except for one side, where it came off completely...

this is where I start to cry!

the alloy is pitted, and I've tried Autosol, but it isn't making them shiny or even alloy coloured...

how am i gonna rescue this? I thought perhaps painting with silver enamel?

anyone else messed em up like this?

HELP!

aditup 2234 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 06, 2008, 04:55 PM »

The only saving grace is its the drive side. Get a nice big sprocket to hide the damage.
Are you sure you did not get the bleach and the caustic mixed up?
Too concentrated mix I think?
Ad

harris · « **Reply #2 on:** September 06, 2008, 04:57 PM »

never ever had that problem the grease should protect the alloy even if not it just goes black
and a good polish and sorted never seen them go like that.

Steve P · « **Reply #3 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:02 PM »

Me neither ... I've bleached four white sets now with no problems at all

What grease did you use and how long were they in the bleach. I always remove the wheels daily, wash off thoroughly and regrease the hubs before returning them to the drink

Try various grades of wet 'n' dry to smooth that hub out ... then hit it with Autosol

funkyfresh · « **Reply #4 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:04 PM »

It was Tesco's thin bleach. soaked for about 36 hours. The side in question was face down , at the bottom of the tub, but dont see why that should have doen anything to the grease...

It was white lithium grease, BTW....

funkyfresh · « **Reply #5 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:07 PM »

I'll try wet n dry, but i think the pitting maybe too deep - its perhaps .75 mm in places, deeper that the stamped "skyway" logo...

I just dont want to make them worse...

MartyC · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:08 PM »

Good rub down with various grades of wet and dry should help that no end; never seen them go like that though before $:-\$

Might be worth rubbing some oven pride on the skyway logo to deepen it a touch $:-\$ .

funkyfresh · « **Reply #7 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:10 PM »

Bloody tesco's saver's bleach! it was neat, but thats right isnt it?

Steve P · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:13 PM »

Quote from: Funkyfresh on September 06, 2008, 05:04 PM

It was white lithium grease, BTW....

Maybe the lithium grease was your problem $:-\$ I've always used axle grease or pertroleum jelly which is very waterproof

Quote from: Funkyfresh on September 06, 2008, 05:10 PM

Bloody tesco's saver's bleach! it was neat, but thats right isnt it?

36 hours in neat bleach is not good ... I've always used a diluted solution and checked the wheels daily

Quote from: Funkyfresh on September 06, 2008, 05:07 PM

I'll try wet n dry, but i think the pitting maybe too deep - its perhaps .75 mm in places, deeper that the stamped "skyway" logo...

Give it a go anyway mate ... you've got nothing to lose now

funkyfresh · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2008, 05:16 PM »

Sounds like the neat bleach was a bad idea then...doh!

I'll try sanding them over the next week, and post back the progress...

Thanks everyone for you advice, helping a twat out

m

Bigfrawg · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2008, 06:14 PM »

i used 18 bottles of tesco's value bleach but coverered the hubs in vaseline.

phantom photon · « **Reply #11 on:** September 06, 2008, 10:22 PM »

Quote from: bigfrawg on September 06, 2008, 06:14 PM

i used 18 bottles of tesco's value bleach but coverered the hubs in vaseline.

Ditto

I use the tesco bleach neat and cover the hubs with vasaline - never had a problem

DIRTBIKER250F · « **Reply #12 on:** September 06, 2008, 10:28 PM »

Buy some replacement nos flanges if the alloy is beyond repair

i left mine in for a week each wheel and they were fine $:-\$ dunno what happened there mate

Jt · « **Reply #13 on:** September 06, 2008, 10:35 PM »

live and learn...

best make sure you dont fook up the next set..

could start getting expensive

mark 2 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2008, 01:13 AM »

I had that mushy surface layer problem, about the first mm was unevenly eaten away and then went hard. And then gradually went a really manky yellowy brown colour, really fooked up. Once in a while when I can be arsed I'm slowly sanding them back flat, with all the different nooks and contours it's a nightmare. I did leave them in neat bleach for close to a month, never again though.

ron burgundy · « **Reply #15 on:** September 07, 2008, 11:16 AM »

I had a white set that did that, I left them in the tub for about 2 weeks $:-\$

It's time to get your polishing kit out...

bmxbob · « **Reply #16 on:** September 09, 2008, 09:59 AM »

Doh, wet n dry mate. then get a big as* shiney sprocket to hide the rest.
nowt wrong with tesco value bleach but i use vaseline for the hubs

, think you ve just been unlucky.

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #17 on:** September 09, 2008, 12:47 PM »

i got one out the back in bleach at the minute, gave it a 30 minute blast of neat bleach, started eating the hub even tho its covered in grease, caught it just in time, watered it right down now and washing and re greasing it every night, only put it back in the bleach when i am around to keep an eye on it

sonic-1 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 09, 2008, 01:09 PM »

if yer goin to use grease to protect the hub use a waterproof one!!!!!!!! lithum grease will absorbe water

use bns grease or something else

funkyfresh · « **Reply #19 on:** September 17, 2008, 10:08 AM »

cheers for all the advice guys...

a quick rub with wet n dry has made a marked improvement. will post some pics soon.
next up is a dremmel type polishing kit to polish the erroded bits that are too deep to wet n dry...

2 questions:

1/ Can you get replacment alloy hubs? from where? Quick search of google and ebay completed listings revealed nowt...
2/ anyone know how big a dia an 18t freehweel is? Not sure whether it would cover much more than the 16t one i have already?

thanks in advance (again)

DIRTBIKER250F · « **Reply #20 on:** September 17, 2008, 10:34 AM »

1. Yes, maybe speak to coloured tuffs on here, or put an ad up. You should only replace as a last resort though as the replacments are bolted

2. Should be fine to cover i had a 17t on mine

Paul

JT71 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 17, 2008, 10:44 AM »

18t will cover it easy, 17t shimano in nice shiny silver will do though.

funkyfresh · « **Reply #22 on:** October 25, 2008, 04:03 PM »

Right,

its been a while getting round to doing the polishing...

but i think i havent made much difference:

(last pic shows other side of hub that had been polished by previous owner)

i started with wet n dry, then used a dremmel type polishing kit from B & Q - basically different hard to soft wire brushes and polishing pads
as you can see refurbing parts isnt my area of expertise

i'm not really sure what to do now?

any thoughts guys...really need your help on this one...

thanks

m

magna13 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 25, 2008, 06:00 PM »

hate to put you down mate, but its a terrible shame

fouronethreeoh! · « **Reply #24 on:** October 25, 2008, 06:49 PM »

Keep going with the wet and dry, they will get better. Go a bit more course to shift some of the pitting.
Scotchbrite pads to finish, green or red, green are slightly more abrasive.

Author Topic: Bleach has fooked my alloy hub Tuff's.... (Read 3249 times)

aditup 2234

mark 2

bmxbob

sonic-1

JT71

magna13

fouronethreeoh!