ACF50 advice

Ibex

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Ihave used this product for a few years now and been generally happy, apart from using quite a bit of it. I cannot resist retreating the bike every time I wash it in the winter - despite the fact the maker suggests that this stuff last upto 12 months?

I have been told recently I'm doing it all wrong, washing the bike with a pressure washer after a ride out on winter roads. Apparently I should just use a garden hose and the ACF50 will survive it?

I had another few hundred miles to do this week across the chilly northwest and the bike was well blethered in salt when I got back. Given that it had been well coated in ACF50 after it's last trip out a couple of weeks ago, I just had a go with the garden hose this morning. First impression: the bike still looks like it just came up a farm lane with lots of road dirt/grit apparently stuck in difficult places. The sort of thing a pressure washer would shift....

I don't mind the bike looking a little used over winter so long as it isn't dissolving slowly under this residual dirt and grit - but how can I be sure?

How do others use ACF50 and what can it survive by way of washing? I'm not completely convinced it survives a hundred miles up a wet M6!

Dave
 
My understanding is that once ACF'd you only need to rinse any gathered salt off with COLD water via a normal hose (not pressure washer).

At the end of the salty season clean the bike with a pressure washer (cold water only) applied carefully (Don't hold it focussed on one point (especially any kind of CV/bearing joint)).

Bike will be as good as new.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
 
Plenty people would stone you for using a pressure washer at any time!
When I had a GS I just gave it a rinse like you have the last time. It doesn't look great but then the bike looks like crap within a couple of miles anyway. Bike was always OK in the spring when it was cleaned off properly.
 
My bikes have all been pressure washed. No bearings have ever failed from water damage. I’ve had paint ripped away but IMO, it’s better have loose crap removed so I can get the damage sorted before the metal underneath gets even more damaged.
ACF50 works ok but the thicker products work even better even if they do make your bike look like a shed until spring when they are cleaned off.
 
My bikes have all been pressure washed. No bearings have ever failed from water damage. I’ve had paint ripped away but IMO, it’s better have loose crap removed so I can get the damage sorted before the metal underneath gets even more damaged.
ACF50 works ok but the thicker products work even better even if they do make your bike look like a shed until spring when they are cleaned off.

Agreed - the pressure washer doesn't do the damage itself, its the user. If your home has pathetic water pressure, like mine, then the pressure washer is a great aid (used sensibly) and why pay for ACF50 then wash it off?
 
The bits that corrode first and always make a bike look very secondhand are the various nuts and bolts around the bike . Replace many of these and you've solved part of the problem already . Then get a can of ACF50 spray some into the cap and 'paint' the ACF50 onto the remaining nuts and banjo bolts with a small artist brush . Heavily paint most bolts, be aware it does run, but If done with extreme care you can even lightly paint parts like discs bolts (which you would never be able to spray) which can quickly look crap when exposed to road salt . This sounds time consuming but it only takes 15-20 mins in the garage to go around my Honda which strangely seems to have a very high number of engine bolts , bolts on the shaft drive and rear wheel compared to my Guzzi .

The rest of the bike should stand up to winter pretty well part from perhaps some smaller mild steel brackets that often have very little paint on them but they can usually be removed and powder coated? Finally whenever necessary I use a thinner , easier to apply anti corrosion spray like PPF52 or FS365 which is great to lightly spray over the rest of the bike (avoiding brakes ) and can be wiped all over using a micro fibre cloth.

Edit: I always use a power washer , wisely .
 
Get the parts bright zinc plated. It's not costly and can probably be done by post if you have nobody nearby to do the job. You can even put zinc over stainless which avoids most of the galvanic issues against aluminium.
 
I only preasure wash my GS when it's absolutely needed, like after a good offroad session where there's piles of mud stuck everywhere... if not, a quick rinse with the garden hose and some agitation works just fine.

I'll apply ACF50 every 6 months or so and really helps to keep up the bike just fine and I do use the bike everyday.

Agree with the gents above, I hate seeing rusty bolts, etc...
 
ACF 50 sprayed into the cap, then paintbrushed on thickly, it goes much further to his way.

Top up the areas which get rubbed or are known as vulnerabile to corrosion, ie the front engine cover, regularly and just leave it on until spring.
 


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