White crystals forming around the spokes - corrosion?

[FatBob]

I haven't used the GS for weeks now since the first time it was cold enough for a risk of ice on the road. I left it in the garage, filthy from the last time I did manage to ride, and I didn't have the opportunity to clean it until last weekend because it has been freezing all the time. There shouldn't be any salt on the bike because I stopped riding when the gritters came out, so I thought leaving it dirty was better than washing it and leaving it covered in ice!

The rear wheel looked like it had snow crystals around the spokes where they meet the rim. Front wheel was OK. Some white, more powdery deposits around some of the bolts on the front of the engine casing. I suppose its corrosion? The famous galvanic corrosion or whatever its called where different metals meet? Blimey these GS's rust easily!

It was slightly above freezing last weekend so in desperation I washed the GS. Would have used a pressure washer (at a safe distance) on the wheel rims but it was frozen and didn't work... I used BMW wheel cleaner which got rid of the white stuff but there is still a deposit on the rim, around the spokes and spots around in other places. Its dark grey/black and extremely hard. Brake dust? There is a small amount of the same deposit on the front wheel but nowhere near as much. I would have thought the wheel cleaner would remove brake dust though. Any ideas what it is and how I get rid of it?

 

[kirky1298]

sounds like salt crystals and oxidisation of the alloy, best treat it before the pitting starts .. ACF50 is your friend

p.s the black stuff might be tar . try some petrol on a rag and see if it softens it
the grey stuff may be where salt and moisture has gotten behind the clear coat lacquer and it has started to discolour the alloy

 

[Greg Masters]

Yep, sounds like you rode it through road-salt which has now recrystalised.

You should have washed it before you put it away.

Greg

 

[Stewart H]

I have the same thing forming on my wheels, and that is after a generous coating of ACF50, when the hose actually thaws out I would like to give the thing a rinse off, only trouble is that would mean either putting it away wet or riding it dry and getting another coat of salt

Stewart

 

[SURMANATOR]

Had the same on mine when i bought it from vines last march, I used Tcut and elbow grease then polish it with a wax,wored ok try using a tooth brush to get a good result otherwise it will make your fingers bleed!

 

[Kremmen]

Remember to wash it down with cold water & not hot .. apparently hot water reactivates the salt.....

 

[GSmonkey]

I had my rear wheel replaced under warranty for the same complaint. I was told it was a faulty batch?

 

[Pukmeister]

Rinse with the cold hose to remove salt.
Spray with bike cleaning gel.
Scrub up with the sponge then rinse again.
Blow off excess water with the garden vac/leaf blower.
Blow the block paving too to prevent a skating rink forming.
Coat bike in ACF50 and garage.

Bike is an early 2004 model, still looks like new.

If I couldn't wash within a few days of riding on salty roads, I'd probably wipe a damp rag over surfaces prone to corrosion then apply ACF.

 

[Timolgra]

Yep, sounds like you rode it through road-salt which has now recrystalised.

You should have washed it before you put it away.

Greg

Agreed, it's f*cked now, the damage is done and your spokes are being eaten away as you sleep eventually to snap at high speed

 

[Callard]

Agreed, it's f*cked now, the damage is done and your spokes are being eaten away as you sleep eventually to snap at high speed

That is the best one liner

 

[bumpy]

Remember to wash it down with cold water & not hot .. apparently hot water reactivates the salt.....

I would love to know where this old wifes tale came from??

 

[thornley]

I would love to know where this old wifes tale came from??

Corrosion is directly related to temperature. The old wife was probably a metalurgist. The salt is not reactivated but the Ali has lost its passivation (protective oxidised surface) and corrosion gets a grip. Hope that answers your question

 

[FatBob]

Yep, sounds like you rode it through road-salt which has now recrystalised.

You should have washed it before you put it away.

Greg

Councils don't like to spend money so I doubt they would have put salt on the road before there was a risk of ice developing overnight, and when it got that cold I stopped riding, so there shouldn't have been any salt on the bike. Why do the crystals only form on the rear wheel since the front has been exposed to the same conditions?

I should have washed it before I put it away, but it was too cold. My wife tried to wash her bicycle and the water just froze on the bike. Since water expands when it freezes I thought having ice form all over the bike would do more damage than leaving it dirty. What are you supposed to do when its below freezing for weeks on end?

Anyone know of any dry cleaning agents that can be used and won't do any damage? I have seen ads for waterless car cleaning services but I don't know if you can buy the cleaner on its own, or if it would be suitable.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Councils don't like to spend money so I doubt they would have put salt on the road before there was a risk of ice developing overnight, and when it got that cold I stopped riding, so there shouldn't have been any salt on the bike. Why do the crystals only form on the rear wheel since the front has been exposed to the same conditions?

I should have washed it before I put it away, but it was too cold. My wife tried to wash her bicycle and the water just froze on the bike. Since water expands when it freezes I thought having ice form all over the bike would do more damage than leaving it dirty. What are you supposed to do when its below freezing for weeks on end?

Anyone know of any dry cleaning agents that can be used and won't do any damage? I have seen ads for waterless car cleaning services but I don't know if you can buy the cleaner on its own, or if it would be suitable.

Now everything is thawing, you'll be ok to wash it without freezing

TIP - I keep all my hoses/hose reels in the back of the garage in this weather, so they don't freeze up and the Pressure washer is always garaged (after many years working on farms and having to feed/water livestock all winter in subzero conditions)

So all I have to unfreeze is the outside tap, which only takes a couple of mins with some hot tap water

Managed to wash all the salt off my car yesterday with the pressure washer and bucket/sponge, no probs

Wash your bike asap - you might not think the Council have salted, but how do you know? - they have been gritting since mid Nov onwards in most places and the residue never leaves the roads

 

[Greg Masters]

So all I have to unfreeze is the outside tap, which only takes a couple of mins with some hot tap water

TIP - Turn off the indoor valve to the outside tap and then leave the outside tap turned on to drain the water in the tap and pipes before it freezes!




Greg

 

[cookie]

Corrosion is directly related to temperature. The old wife was probably a metalurgist. The salt is not reactivated but the Ali has lost its passivation (protective oxidised surface) and corrosion gets a grip. Hope that answers your question

actually it doesn't.

personally used hot water for decades with no instance of accelerated corrosion. hot water shifts the salt off the bike better IMO.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

TIP - Turn off the indoor valve to the outside tap and then leave the outside tap turned on to drain the water in the tap and pipes before it freezes!




Greg

TIP - I would if I had a fecking indoor valve, near the outdoor tap, but I haven't - it's in the other part of the house

 

[bumpy]

actually it doesn't.

personally used hot water for decades with no instance of accelerated corrosion. hot water shifts the salt off the bike better IMO.

In broad terms I would agree with this, that during the act of washing (minutes) there really is insufficient time for any accelerated corrosion to occur.

In reality sodium chloride is not much more soluble in hot water than in cold, but the hot water will help to dissolve out any greasy residues that might hold it to the motorbike.

 

[Wapping]

Use warm water, as a half-way house. Not too cold, not too hot

 

[Timolgra]

Use warm water, as a half-way house. Not too cold, not too hot

Good TIP