Aluminium Pannier Cleaning

[Zx9man]

I will just have to take your panniers off when you are not looking and put my ones on your bike that way you will have to do hem lol

 

[LotusMartin]

Lotusmartin

Thanks for going through the pain barrier on this one. The results look great fella, i fancy doing this but on the basis that the better half already says i'm a grumpy B'tard and i have no patience, i will look for another way, as i cant afford a divorce. How scuff resistant will the lids be to your boots do you think?


Sent using Tapatalk

Hard to say re the scuff resistance. I think if you accidentally kicked it when getting on/off - you'd get away with it, but if you stood on a box an turned your foot it would definitely mark. It wouldn't be that hard to cut out a panel and replace with a spare bit though, you'd hardly see the join. I have tonnes of off-cuts that I'll keep for that purpose.

That said, if you kicked the Alu it would probably scuff.

I don't expect it to last more than 2 or 3 years, but it peels off with no residue.

Nearly finished - will post some photos tomorrow in the daylight. Will try and show the worst imperfections so you know what to expect if you give it a shot.

 

[LotusMartin]

Here are some more pics. I've tried to pick out some of the worst bits where I screwed up - just so if anyone tries this they are realistic about the end result. I'd say you could do a better job with more patience - it still took me 16 hours+



<a href="http://s1382.photobucket.com/user/LotusMartin/media/B390E6B4-9503-4FF4-8F20-C865046803D9_zpsplzs2jqs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1382.photobucket.com/albums/ah277/LotusMartin/B390E6B4-9503-4FF4-8F20-C865046803D9_zpsplzs2jqs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B390E6B4-9503-4FF4-8F20-C865046803D9_zpsplzs2jqs.jpg"/></a>

 

[Roadrash Rider]

They look the business fella.
But looks like a hell of a faff. How long to you think its taken to so the full set?



Sent using Tapatalk

 

[LotusMartin]

They look the business fella.
But looks like a hell of a faff. How long to you think its taken to so the full set?

LIke I said maybe 16-17 hours? I had to give them all a good clean first and a bit of a scrub in places with a scourer, took me ages to get all the catches off and even longer to get a couple of them back on - there's not much accessibility on the nuts so its a fiddle. The actual wrapping you get the hang of and definitely get neater as you go along - by far the worst bit turned out to be the feet and reflectors on the top box. Because they stand so proud its hard to cut accurately around them and you'll end up with gaps. The Lids are also pretty fiddly around each of the 4 tie down bars.

I'm thinking I might add some extra layers on the top box and off-side pannier where I'm bound to kick them getting on - just to give it a bit of extra protection, and then if I scrape it I can just peel off a layer

Top tips -

1) get a shit load of scalpels - at least 20. They go blunt quick and its a pain to cut then.
2) Get some felt edged 3M applicators - they were great - at least 2 as the can wear through
3) Order extra wrap - you will FU at least once.
4) You need good light - I used a tripod mounted LED flood light - I wish I'd had 2

Other than that just brace yourself for fiddly shit and spread it over several evenings as you will get annoyed with it

Some of the stuff I used:

 

[Captain Spanner]

Top box lid done, half way through top box. It definitely makes a huge difference doing it in the warm. Get a HUGE supply of scalpels!!

I'm definitely getting better and faster but you couldn't pay me enough to go through this again on someone else's!!

Don't like to say 'I told you so'....

 

[LotusMartin]

Don't like to say 'I told you so'....

The advice was much appreciated, at least I knew what I was letting myself in for!!

 

[Captain Spanner]

OK. Since I work away from home all week and have evenings free, I'm up for wrapping a set if anyone needs them doing?

I'll order the vinyl...if you take all the bits off, clean them up and can get them to me (either near Hull at the weekends or Milton Keynes during the week for the next few weeks).

I've got a feeling I may regret this...

 

[Captain Spanner]

The advice was much appreciated, at least I knew what I was letting myself in for!!

They look smart pal...good job. Do you find yourself constantly staring at your bike with your smug face on?

 

[Bumhead]

OK. Since I work away from home all week and have evenings free, I'm up for wrapping a set if anyone needs them doing?

I'll order the vinyl...if you take all the bits off, clean them up and can get them to me (either near Hull at the weekends or Milton Keynes during the week for the next few weeks).

I've got a feeling I may regret this...

Yes Please

Pm on its way to you

 

[Bumhead]

Cheers mate

 

[adventuredon]

easy solution...dont ride with the boxes on when going for a bimble to ...or why not get them powder coated when bought? easier to wipe clean. Its not like the colour is important anymore? My ard cases are simple to wipe clean, 5 years on..

 

[Betty Swollocks]

The most technical bit looks like the inside of the panniers. I told the guy who did mine not to bother doing that bit as it can't be seen when the pannier is on the bike.

Re the scalpels, surely a craft knife with 10 or 15 snap off blades would do the same job?

I got a pack of 5 from poundland and used less than one knife doing a mega 15 roll wallpaper job on my hall stairs and landing.

It might cut down on the hours and frustration.

 

[Captain Spanner]

Cheers mate

Not a problem. Vinyl ordered today.

 

[LotusMartin]

OK. Since I work away from home all week and have evenings free, I'm up for wrapping a set if anyone needs them doing?

I'll order the vinyl...if you take all the bits off, clean them up and can get them to me (either near Hull at the weekends or Milton Keynes during the week for the next few weeks).

I've got a feeling I may regret this...

One word for you - masochist

 

[Mad_Accountant]

Check with Vines - they have a vinyl wrap contact.

But has anyone tried Mer?

I have several bottles of Mer left over from previous love affairs with the stuff. It does allegedly originate from the aircraft industry and so today I thought I'd give it a go on my alloy panniers.

I'm not a fan of ACF 50 and I'd have thought ACF 50/scottoil 365/wd40 would end up messy and attract dirt so I thought I'd try either Mer or wax.

The first layer went on today but I intend to keep ladling the stuff on. It was only average at stain removal but I got the impression the protection qualities were good - I'll report back the results later. Mer is incredibly easy to apply (on a damp cloth) and then buffs off easily, it left me feeling quite hopeful.

As I said earlier I'm not a fan of ACF 50, I'm using both Mer and wax Polish on the Triple Black but I also wash the salt off after each ride at the moment.

 

[Bendy toy]

Clean them and wrap them because scratched paint or powder coat looks horrible. Wrap can just be replaced as necessary.

I fancy having my bike done in blue splinter camo with carbon look on the black parts.

 

[mikeyboy]

can any one point me in the right direction for a supplier for rivets,ones similar to the oe ones on the panniers.i have a set belonging to a customer that are really shabby and i personally think the only durable cost effective solution is to drilll all the rivets out,have the bare alloy boxes powder coated then re rivet the plastics back on.
this WILL happen over the next few weeks once i have found a supplier for the rivets.
i will post pics before and after.
thanks in advance
mike

 

[MattW]

can any one point me in the right direction for a supplier for rivets,ones similar to the oe ones on the panniers.i have a set belonging to a customer that are really shabby and i personally think the only durable cost effective solution is to drilll all the rivets out,have the bare alloy boxes powder coated then re rivet the plastics back on.
this WILL happen over the next few weeks once i have found a supplier for the rivets.
i will post pics before and after.
thanks in advance
mike

I know a few people have dismantled panniers and top boxes. My mate Gundog on here shortened his top box but I think he just used standard stainless pop-rivets when he put it back together. The trouble is, as you'll know the OEM rivets aren't pop-rivets and the rolled interior looks like it's machine formed and would need some sort of special rivet setting device to form the inside and leave the unblemished domed head outside?

I might just use decent quality stainless pop rivets and live with the 'pop-rivet' look to the exterior head.

Has anyone considered dismantling them and getting them hard anodised? It'd depend on if they'd clean up sufficiently though...

 

[Captain Spanner]

I shortened a pannier to make a top box for the wife's bike. I just used M6x16 stainless bolts to re-assamble. (I then wrapped the box as it was a bit tatty).