Triumph block front corrosion

3234 Views 30 Replies 15 Participants Last post by reverb, Mar 8, 2012

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · Jan 10, 2012

On the bike im building, its got some pretty bad chip/corrosion going on around the front motor mount. Im looking at cleaning this area up, and attempting to cut/grind it all back a little. Anyone done anything like this?

My other option is building a box around it to hide it, and have it look like the Pre-Unit mount like in this pic of McKnuckle's 55 (Pic 2).

Orrr….. Just leave it and ride it. Any advice?

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La Dolce

· #2 · Jan 10, 2012

Not what you want to hear but that motor looks like a strong candidate for a sludge trap replacement. In that case you could give your motor halves a nice bath and it would be back to a more uniform color.

I kind of hear what you say about chips but cut and grind are strong words. I think if was to. I would go at it with different sand papers in the hand. I will smooth over rough spots and polish it up some.

sandergecko

· #3 · Jan 10, 2012

Split those cases, you will be really sorry that you didn't.
Do a search on here for sludge trap and find out why.

A bit of scotch brite will take that oxydation right off those cases, that is the least thing to worry about.

McKnuckle

· #4 · Jan 10, 2012

2

Here's a before and after pic of mine. I think that would polish out if you ask me.

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Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 10, 2012 (Edited)

Yeah, "Cut & Grind" might not have been the best words! though good to know its not going to be a real issue. Yep, i plan on breaking the whole motor down (following Wes on the DVD) once i find a new workshop to set-up in, and from what ive read that sludge trap had gotta go.

McKnuckle, Damn! they polished up all right!

Rob Axel

· #6 · Jan 10, 2012

if you are going that far send them out to be blasted, soda,vapor, walnutshell....do some research...

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 3, 2012

Sorry to bring this up again, but ive finally reduced my bike to a pile that can fit into a box, and have the head off being worked, and have another photo of the corrosion. Some if it is pretty deep, so scotch bright inst going to do. im wanting to do as much on this bike myself as i can, so not sure how much of it i can take back, or do i just suck it up and send it out... or, is this just plain old fuggged.

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swooshdave

· #8 · Mar 3, 2012

Looks like it came from the bottom of the ocean.

dvrogers

· #9 · Mar 3, 2012

wow. what the hell causes that?

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 3, 2012

Yeah i know, its pretty damn bad, but the rest of it is all A1. had the primary and timing cases off today and its all fine underneath. Literally looks like someone threw a cup of killer acid all over the front. Im wanting to cet it all back 2/3mm so it not so bad, but dont know the repercussions of that.

sandergecko

· #11 · Mar 3, 2012

O wow yeah that is pretty nasty. I didn't see that in the first picture.

'59

· #12 · Mar 3, 2012

meteor shower?

whatever, if the mounts still fit the frame I'd clean it up ( following rebuild ?) and ride it.
It's part of the bikes history / patina. What next, botox for bikes WTF!

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 3, 2012

Yeah, acne face Triumph! cosmetically im not bothered that much, as its my first crack at a full build, so a tidy up is fine. just wanted to see what the forum might have seen of this before. Its really weird because as you see in the bottom left of the last pic, it literally stops, the corrosion is only contained to the front area.

Daturat100r

· #14 · Mar 3, 2012

Seawater or lime off roads does this sort of damage ,the steel bits are a hassle but can be dissolved out with alum solution without affecting/damaging the alloy

Dave Carney

· #15 · Mar 3, 2012

How about getting some nice engraving done there

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 3, 2012

Ill see if Neo Dutch wants to come play in Melbourne. if worst come to worst, im going to make a little bracket that covers it all, and rounds it off like a pre-unit motor mount.

reverb

· #17 · Mar 3, 2012

...hello,
you should dismantle that bottom end, after that, you can check that front part from inside, then you ll see if you still have plenty of thickness to grind em off.
so, if you have it, grind it with 60 grit, will be ok
if you do not too much thickness better not grind or sand. In that case you can buy couple of cases, than in USA are cheap.

Jay Everyday

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 4, 2012

Cool. Ill hopefully have them apart this week to suss out the internals. If i was to replace them, what years/models are the same as my '68 T120R cases?

dvrogers

· #19 · Mar 4, 2012

Wishing you good luck sir. I hope all is well inside.

Englishman

· #20 · Mar 4, 2012

Yeah, this is why you need to wait for a good rain until you ride your bikes when there is still a bunch of salt on the roads from the winter. We've had a mild winter here, so they were literally dumping inches of salt on the roads just so they could use up their quota (next years is based on what they use this year). It's tempting to get the bike out on the first warm, dry day.

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