I’m tempted to repaint my RS Totems to match a new frame.

I’ve painted car mirrors / bumpers before with rattle cans, but that paint wouldn’t last long on a bike used over winter.

Are there any options for having forks repainted without damaging heat treat etc?

I rattle canned mine a couple years ago with no issues (although I no longer own the bike so cant say how they fair now) – if you do it right and use good paint it’ll last.

Lots of folks recommended plastikote to me, it all fell off- tried again with an acid etch primer, it still all fell off. (and it was all regulation prepped- I resprayed my motorbike to prizewinning standard so I’m not a doofus) I don’t know of a better option though. Hammerite gets lots of recommends but I did my commuter frame with that and it’s pretty delicate.

here’s the thread I did on mine – it was written in a rush so sorry for all the typing mistakes.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/singualr-hummingbird-fork-respray

Tempted to try rattle cans and just put loads of lacquer on the top to protect the paint.

By plasticote do you mean plasticised primer / paint, sort of stuff used on plastic bumpers? Never used that.

Any tips for removing silicone residue. The amount of £1 shop silicon spray those forks have seen means they’ll need rubbing down well for any new paint to stick 🙁

monkeyboyjc, nice thread. Good result on those forks. Might have to give that a go 🙂

Best advise I can give is take your time and use the best primer,
paint & lacquer you can.
Leave a good amount of time (at least 3 or 4 days) after finishing them before riding as its still be curing. I put mine on the bike after 48hrs – but left it another 3/4days before riding.
Oh and prep with wet & dry between all coats (left that out of the write up).

Ta

When I did car mirrors before I rubber down between coats with 1500g wet/dry paper and that seems to do it. The lacquer was tricky as i couldn’t tell how thick a coat was putting on 🙁

I’ve done loads, treat it the same as any other aluminium to be painted.

The lacquer was tricky as i couldn’t tell how thick a coat was putting on

just build up the lacquer with lots of very, very, thin coats – just a light dusting.
Took me the best part of a sunny Saturday morning.

The key is the preparation, a fine coat of etch primer (Acid 8 aerosol) followed by build primer, a mist coat of black. Next day rub down the black until it’s all gone with 1000 wet or dry and water. Clean off any residue with light solvent (pre-paint wipe). Apply colour starting with a mist coat, wait ten minutes then another slightly heavier coat and so on with ten minutes between each coat until satisfied/covered.

Excellent thread! I want black forks to match a black frame, as my white lyriks are a bit scratched and stained. This is pretty inspiring. Anyone know where I can source replacement RS decals?

http://www.slikgraphics.com/collections/fork-decals-rockshox