Modifying Chrome

[Gray Ghost]

Elizabeth just got a new to her 2002 Kawasaki 1500 Classic (6547 miles). It had a nice looking light bar on it but no windshield. So we ordered a windshield, it came in today and I was trying to put it on. Turns out the lightbar is made by Jardine and it is in the way of mounting the windshield mounts.

 

In looking at it, if I could trim off about a quarter inch from each side where it partially wraps around the forks, I could get the windshield on. I have never tried to cut a chromed piece though and am interested in any feedback one of you much more experienced folks would have.

 

The first pic is the bike, second is the odometer (6500 miles on a nearly seven year old bike is criminal), third shows the mounting screw and area I would need to trim, the fourth is a view from the side with one of the windshield mounts.

[skydoc_17]

Hi Cliff,

What a beautiful bike! Your wife is one lucky gal! Here's the deal about cutting thru chrome, Think of chrome plating as a "skin" which covers the entire part. If you have a dremel tool or an air driven friction blade grind thru the chrome plating all the way around the part, When you have exposed the layer of copper under the plating or go below it you can then cut thru the part itself with a hacksaw, or just continue to cut thru the part to be removed until it comes off. Here lies the rub, the base metal is going to be most likely carbon steel, and is going to rust. Problem 2 is now that you have exposed an "edge" on the chrome plating, you run the risk of the plating peeling off of the rest of the part due to wind, moisture, etc. I have had pretty good luck buffing up the exposed end, and clear coating the end. It is not going to be as shiny as the chrome but it will be covered and will not look any worse then it did from day one. Another option is to get a can of "cold galvanize" (Tractor Supply) and dab the ends with a brush. It is silver in color, covers the base metal, prevents rust, helps with the peeling somewhat but looks just awful! If you decide to use the clear coat method I have found that the poly coatings have a tendency to "fish eye" (little circles) on chrome plating, I use the Rust-Oleum Specialty Lacquer, (Wally Mart) A few light to medium coats as apposed to one heavy slogging coat works really well, you should be able to feather the Lacquer pretty easily. I use brake cleaner on metal parts to remove the wax before I clear coat. DO NOT use brake cleaner if the plated part is plastic! You could melt the entire part! Lastly, I have a milling machine and would be happy to mill the ends off for you if you do not have adremel tool or air grinder with a cut off blade. You mark the part, send it to me, I mill off the ends, buff and clear coat it, send it back to you, you install it, and it's a done deal!

Any questions, Please ask, Oh yea, I have been a machinist for 36 years, In case you were wondering.

Ride Safe,

Earl and Jean

[Gray Ghost]

Hey Earl,

Thanks for your reply. I was a little hesitant so I contacted Jardine about the issue. I won't ever buy anything Jardine on my own again, that is for sure. So since they weren't any help, I dug out my dremel and did the surgery myself. Glad I did now because what I thought would work and marked out wasn't quite a big enough cut. Have the windshield mounted now. It has to be set at it's highest level to mostly clear the driving lights. I am going to figure out a template and try to get a machine shop here to fabricate some extenders so I can scoot the driving lights themselves forward just a bit.

 

Again, thanks for the information, it helped a lot.

[skydoc_17]

Hi Cliff,

I'm glad to hear that you were able to fix the problem yourself. I have found that more than once that with the shared knowledge of this group I have been able to muster the courage to try things that I would not normally attempt. (electric things come to mind for me!) Glad I was able to help, I hope you and your wife have many wonderful rides together.

Earl and Jean

[Eck]

Question Cliff,

Im sure this is too late to suggest, but....

Could you have by chance relocated the chrome piece on the plexiglass windshield by "slotting" the mounting holes or even drilling other mounting holes next to the exsiting ones in the plexiglass and not trim or mess with the chrome at all??

 

or maybe "slot" the mounting holes in the chrome piece and in the windshiled both to provide clearence ?

Edited October 15, 2008 by Eck

[IH Truck Guy]

Hi Cliff....Now that your wife has a sweet ride,you guys will have to ride up to the Badger state so you can color that one in on your map.. Take care

[yamahamer]

Hey Earl,

Thanks for your reply. I was a little hesitant so I contacted Jardine about the issue. I won't ever buy anything Jardine on my own again, that is for sure. So since they weren't any help, I dug out my dremel and did the surgery myself. Glad I did now because what I thought would work and marked out wasn't quite a big enough cut. Have the windshield mounted now. It has to be set at it's highest level to mostly clear the driving lights. I am going to figure out a template and try to get a machine shop here to fabricate some extenders so I can scoot the driving lights themselves forward just a bit.

 

Again, thanks for the information, it helped a lot.

 

When you get an idea what you need send me a rough draft. I run a machineing center here in birmingham will see what we can do. you can PM me or send it to mrussell@physec.com

[Gray Ghost]

Question Cliff,

Im sure this is too late to suggest, but....

 

Could you have by chance relocated the chrome piece on the plexiglass windshield by "slotting" the mounting holes or even drilling other mounting holes next to the exsiting ones in the plexiglass and not trim or mess with the chrome at all??

 

or maybe "slot" the mounting holes in the chrome piece and in the windshiled both to provide clearence ?

 

The chrome piece was the lightbar itself. Rather than being a tube, it is a upside down U with right angles. One of the sides fit very close to the fork so that the mounting bracket for the windshield could not get up to where the mounting screw was. I ended up slotting the lightbar enough to allow the mounting piece to get into position and it works pretty well, except that the driving lights are so close to the windshield I really need to move them forward just a bit.

 

But thanks to Earl, I now know that my trusty Dremel can slot chromed pieces without a lot of hassle.