Denim paint problems?
#11
01-16-2010, 05:35 AM
Road Warrior
Just wondering how you can make that determination without asking questions or knowing the whole story?
#12
01-16-2010, 08:55 AM
Newer bikes use DOT5 fluid, it is silicone based and doesn't affect paint. Is the clear coat pealing from the color or is all the paint pealing rite off the metal? Take pictures and send them to Harley's customer complaint dept. Can you post pictures hear for us to see?
#13
01-16-2010, 06:27 PM
Road Warrior
Heelz listed his bike as a 2009 FLHX...The big twins have been using dot 4 fluid since 2006...The xl models went to dot 4 in 2007...dot 4 will ruin a paint job.
#14
01-16-2010, 07:25 PM
Geezer is right about the newer Harleys using Dot 4. I don't think the denim paint jobs have a clear coat. A clear coat would add gloss to the paint job eliminating the flat denim look
#15
01-16-2010, 10:47 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Denim paint jobs have a flat clear coat.
What exactly is peeling? Is the basecoat peeling leaving the primer, or is all the paint coming off leaving bare metal? I would think the swingarm is powdercoated, but I could be wrong. Either way, the swingarm is different from the tins. With both peeling, I would suspect environmental factors.
If it's peeling down to bare metal, that would most likely indicate some issue with a contaminant on the metal, poor prep, maybe a faulty batch of primer (rare)...
Is it just peeling in certain areas? Can you peel it off in other areas? Don't worry about screwing it up - it needs to be entirely stripped, prepped and repainted anyway. I've seen peelers where you can blow ALL the paint and primer off with an air hose (mostly on bumper covers though). What about chipping - in the areas where it is not peeling, can you chip it and get it to crack and start peeling?
The bottom line is it's not something HD or anyone else can troubleshoot without actually looking at it. To really determine the cause, they'd then need to send a chip of the paint to the paint manufacturer. Their lab will analyze the sample to determine the exact cause (down to identifying the presence of brake fluid or any other possible issues).
Certainly it's on HD to look at it and make a valid determination as to the cause. If they refuse to do so, contact a lawyer. It would probably be enough for a lawyer to send a letter to the dealer. That would likely be sufficient to convince them to look at it and figure out the problem.
Even if it ends up back on you for some environmental cause - brake fluid, something in your garage... at least you know what to do to prevent it from happening again.
As for the dealer saying you hit it... that isn't sufficient reason for paint to peel. A properly prepped and applied paint job should maintain adhesion much better than that. Look at wrecked cars - you can see body panels all mangled, wrinkled and dented and the paint maintains adhesion in everything but the most severe instances.
What exactly is peeling? Is the basecoat peeling leaving the primer, or is all the paint coming off leaving bare metal? I would think the swingarm is powdercoated, but I could be wrong. Either way, the swingarm is different from the tins. With both peeling, I would suspect environmental factors.
If it's peeling down to bare metal, that would most likely indicate some issue with a contaminant on the metal, poor prep, maybe a faulty batch of primer (rare)...
Is it just peeling in certain areas? Can you peel it off in other areas? Don't worry about screwing it up - it needs to be entirely stripped, prepped and repainted anyway. I've seen peelers where you can blow ALL the paint and primer off with an air hose (mostly on bumper covers though). What about chipping - in the areas where it is not peeling, can you chip it and get it to crack and start peeling?
The bottom line is it's not something HD or anyone else can troubleshoot without actually looking at it. To really determine the cause, they'd then need to send a chip of the paint to the paint manufacturer. Their lab will analyze the sample to determine the exact cause (down to identifying the presence of brake fluid or any other possible issues).
Certainly it's on HD to look at it and make a valid determination as to the cause. If they refuse to do so, contact a lawyer. It would probably be enough for a lawyer to send a letter to the dealer. That would likely be sufficient to convince them to look at it and figure out the problem.
Even if it ends up back on you for some environmental cause - brake fluid, something in your garage... at least you know what to do to prevent it from happening again.
As for the dealer saying you hit it... that isn't sufficient reason for paint to peel. A properly prepped and applied paint job should maintain adhesion much better than that. Look at wrecked cars - you can see body panels all mangled, wrinkled and dented and the paint maintains adhesion in everything but the most severe instances.
#17
01-17-2010, 10:41 AM
Denim paint jobs have a flat clear coat.
What exactly is peeling? Is the basecoat peeling leaving the primer, or is all the paint coming off leaving bare metal? I would think the swingarm is powdercoated, but I could be wrong. Either way, the swingarm is different from the tins. With both peeling, I would suspect environmental factors.
If it's peeling down to bare metal, that would most likely indicate some issue with a contaminant on the metal, poor prep, maybe a faulty batch of primer (rare)...
Is it just peeling in certain areas? Can you peel it off in other areas? Don't worry about screwing it up - it needs to be entirely stripped, prepped and repainted anyway. I've seen peelers where you can blow ALL the paint and primer off with an air hose (mostly on bumper covers though). What about chipping - in the areas where it is not peeling, can you chip it and get it to crack and start peeling?
The bottom line is it's not something HD or anyone else can troubleshoot without actually looking at it. To really determine the cause, they'd then need to send a chip of the paint to the paint manufacturer. Their lab will analyze the sample to determine the exact cause (down to identifying the presence of brake fluid or any other possible issues).
Certainly it's on HD to look at it and make a valid determination as to the cause. If they refuse to do so, contact a lawyer. It would probably be enough for a lawyer to send a letter to the dealer. That would likely be sufficient to convince them to look at it and figure out the problem.
Even if it ends up back on you for some environmental cause - brake fluid, something in your garage... at least you know what to do to prevent it from happening again.
As for the dealer saying you hit it... that isn't sufficient reason for paint to peel. A properly prepped and applied paint job should maintain adhesion much better than that. Look at wrecked cars - you can see body panels all mangled, wrinkled and dented and the paint maintains adhesion in everything but the most severe instances.
What exactly is peeling? Is the basecoat peeling leaving the primer, or is all the paint coming off leaving bare metal? I would think the swingarm is powdercoated, but I could be wrong. Either way, the swingarm is different from the tins. With both peeling, I would suspect environmental factors.
If it's peeling down to bare metal, that would most likely indicate some issue with a contaminant on the metal, poor prep, maybe a faulty batch of primer (rare)...
Is it just peeling in certain areas? Can you peel it off in other areas? Don't worry about screwing it up - it needs to be entirely stripped, prepped and repainted anyway. I've seen peelers where you can blow ALL the paint and primer off with an air hose (mostly on bumper covers though). What about chipping - in the areas where it is not peeling, can you chip it and get it to crack and start peeling?
The bottom line is it's not something HD or anyone else can troubleshoot without actually looking at it. To really determine the cause, they'd then need to send a chip of the paint to the paint manufacturer. Their lab will analyze the sample to determine the exact cause (down to identifying the presence of brake fluid or any other possible issues).
Certainly it's on HD to look at it and make a valid determination as to the cause. If they refuse to do so, contact a lawyer. It would probably be enough for a lawyer to send a letter to the dealer. That would likely be sufficient to convince them to look at it and figure out the problem.
Even if it ends up back on you for some environmental cause - brake fluid, something in your garage... at least you know what to do to prevent it from happening again.
As for the dealer saying you hit it... that isn't sufficient reason for paint to peel. A properly prepped and applied paint job should maintain adhesion much better than that. Look at wrecked cars - you can see body panels all mangled, wrinkled and dented and the paint maintains adhesion in everything but the most severe instances.
#18
01-17-2010, 09:15 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Yeah, well... I worked for a major automotive paint manufacturer for the past 6 years. 
#19
01-19-2010, 05:38 AM
Road Warrior
The originator of this thread has never responded to our theories of what is going on with his paint job...I wonder if he found his answer here?
