Replating Benders

[Dan Erickson]

I've heard that some of you have had good luck with getting 820 bores replated.
Have you had it done with chrome or nikasil?
Has anyone here had cylinders done, do you recommend anyone, and what is
the going rate?
I've got a few 700 blocks with worn chrome that I'd like to have done- can it be
done with the integral head?

Thanks,
Dan Erickson

[Rob Voska]

Dan please post your findings. Lots of shifter kart guys & 125 / 250 cc bike guys have cylinders redone so they may be able to help. As I understand it very few get the bore "round" after plating and it is very hard to hone round. There was an article in Roadracing World about 4-6 years ago that went into great detail and quality of work by the various platers.

[Jeff Elliott]

I wouldn't rechrome at all chrome is to hard and brittle and the oil retention sucks. Nickasil is the way to go better oil retenion and will not flake as easy. there is a place in Fon Du Lac Wisconsin called US Chrome they do all my snowmobile race cylinders they charge me about $85 a cylinder send them a cylinder and new piston tell them your clearence and they will do it.

[Dick Teal]

I checked the cost in Fond Du Lac and it was $179 to strip, Ni Com, replate and hone. Don't forget shipping both ways.

Dick Teal

[Tom Luttenbacher]

Thats $9.00 short of dbl the cost w/o S&H! Whats with that? TL

[Dan Erickson]

Whew!! I didn't know it would be that expensive!
I'm going to try it anyhow, it's nearly impossible to find decent 5 port 700s
Thanks for the tip Jeff, I'll contact US Chrome and see if they can do an
engine with an integral head
Dan Erickson

[Jeff Elliott]

I just had 4 cyl's stripped replated and honed they charged my $85 a cylinder. I'll talk to the my contact there maybe I can get a deal for the kart guys I have a account there.

[Dan Erickson]

Well I ended up contacting a half dozen replaters- the only one who showed any interest in the job was US Chrome in Wisconsin.
Here's the reply I got from them--

Hi Dan

Thanks for your interest in US Chrome!

Yes, we have re-plated many West Bend cylinders such as these; no problem there at all with the integral head. Even though these are originally chromed, the NiCom-Nikasil coating is your best repair solution due to its far better oil retention properties over hard chromium. If there is no gouging or base metal damage, the cost is $179 plus shipping to replate these bores. The process takes 2 weeks, and there is a one year warranty on our work.

Please visit our website at http://www.usnicom.com for our work order form, prices, and shipping instructions…and feel free to call me tollfree at the # below if you have any further questions!!

Sincerely;

Scott Reath

US Chrome

650 Oak Park Ave.

Fond du Lac WI 54935

866-922-5066 ext 101

I called Scott who explained the process and also warned that repairing the scored aluminum may cause problems- re welding the old alloy sometimes doesn't come out clean and leaves some pitting.
I sent 3 blocks out, and got them back in about 3 weeks. I was very happy with the results- the bore finish looked great, the piston fit was right on, and the rings and bore passed the light test.

I've attached a few B4 and after pics-----



most of the chrome gone



Bad chrome and a good size score



Same block as pic 2 after replating

The work was pricey, but it took 3 rare 700s off the shelf and back on my karts-
I ran them at Adams and they seemed to get faster with each lap!!!

Hope to see some more of you guys at the track with these early Benders

Dan Erickson