How to fix nicks in fork tube?

[averysdad]

How do I fix nicks in my fork tubes ? I have 2 sets of forks all the tubes have small nicks in them but all the tubs are straight I would hate to throw them all away over a couple nicks

[averysdad]

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x256/hilary_2013/image-18.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/user/hilary_2013/media/image-18.jpg.html)http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x256/hilary_2013/image-19.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/user/hilary_2013/media/image-19.jpg.html)http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x256/hilary_2013/image-20.jpg (http://s182.photobucket.com/user/hilary_2013/media/image-20.jpg.html)

[roostin atc]

You can try to jb weld the nicks then smooth it out with emry cloth. I've seen it work on hydraulic pistons. I personaly have not tried this on fork tubes though.

[El Camexican]

I imagine you could get them re-plated, but short of that I have gotten by as follows:

Carefully remove any high spots with 2000 grit sand paper to ensure you won’t damage your fork seals and replace the fork seals. Under the rubber cover that pushes onto the lower fork tubes and is meant to wipe mud and dust off the forks I twist a high quality paper towel up into a rope (blue shop towels are great for this) and lay it around the upper fork tube before putting the dust covers on.

Your forks will leak due to the pits carrying oil out of the tubes each time they return from compression, but with no rough spots or high spots the seals will work in the areas of the stroke that aren’t pitted and the paper towels will soak up most of what does get out until they are saturated. At that point you can just change them out.

This is far from a proper fix, but it should allow you to use your trike without spewing oil all over the fork legs.

[Canyon Man]

If you new someone who welded, those spots could be hit quick and light. Then remove the material carefully. That would be like new then. But a bit of work.

[Dirtcrasher]

Nope, get new forks. That pitting is right at the seal area.

The day you cannot buy another set, see what it takes to fix them. Until them you will be spending allot of money filling them somehow and replate-ing them.

Get some quotes and see if I am correct. The North East or guys that love the mud without washing them off causes this.......

[kb0nly]

Are they chromed steel? I believe they are, or nickel plated. If thats the case the only way you could fix them right is remove the plating, fill in the holes, and then re-plate them. Would be a lot cheaper to replace them if you can just get new instead. I haven't had to replace a set on anything yet, knock on wood.

[New2Tri-Z]

Just replace them. Franks Fork is a great place, google it. He is a nice old guy and can help u get new fork tubes. Price for 39mm fork tubes shipped to my door was $267. Short of that I thin El Camexican has it right.