Beware of U.S. Chrome

[dave04kdx]

If anyone is needing a cylinder replated DO NOT EVEN THINK about U.S. Chrome. My brother and I are rebuilding the top end on his 88 KDX. We made the mistake of sending the cylinder to these clowns. I had a gut feeling that we should have sent the cyl. to Ron at R.B. Designs for a sleeve. We finally decided on the re chrome for better heat transfer, so off it went. Big mistake!.

I sent a detailed sheet with the cylinder including daytime phone numbers and return address's for myself and my brother, they lost it. The billing department somehow got my work number and called me to see who was paying for the work and where to ship it!!

I also called and verified that U.S would remove one stubborn stud. They said, "no problem, as long as it isn't broken off". They tried to get the stud out, broke it off and cut the stud flush with the deck of the cylinder. When the cylinder arrived I saw the remainder of the stud, telephoned them and was told. "We didn't do that, maybe it got broken during shipping I must have a big dumbass sign on my forehead

Last but not least a good cleanup and inspection of the cylinder showed about a dozen small holes in the plating. One is the size of a pencil lead. I cant wait to call and talk to them about this in the morning.

Bottom line on this company guys, they are loosers. They do not care about the customer. Everyone makes mistakes, a good company and human being admits to the mistake and makes good on it. U.S. Chrome tried to turn all these these blunders into something that I did wrong. Use a good reputable company such as R.B. Designs. Stay away from these clowns!

[KDXGarage]

WOW! I am sorry to hear of your troubles! Thanks for the straight scoop, Dave! I'll be sure to try Langcourt if I ever get a cylinder plated!

[m0rie]

Seems your the second person now to have a less than stellar job from US Chrome. I think i'll be sending any replating work to Langcourt or some other company instead.

[canyncarvr]

Ha. HA!! A dozen holes?

That's funny.

I'll but you couldn't count the holes in my cylinder plate job (US Chrome...Wisconsin btw)! It looks to have been used for skeet practice!!

Yeah...the idea of, 'The holes are due to the cylinder metal porosity...we can't do anything about it' is funny, too.


But...but...there weren't any holes in the plating when I SENT it to you!! Ma Kaw seemed to be able to handle it.

Instead, they (USC) tell you how great it is to HAVE holes because it gives oil a place to hang around.

I am blessed. Yea and verily even....'cuz I got LOTS of places for oil to be in!!

Yeah...my next replate is going to Langcourt. Actually, I'm considering having them redo my ported cylinder just on GP.

Anyone asked Langcourt what THEY think about porosity and holes in the plating? I haven't.

...well...I just did. I'll let you know what they say.

[KDXGarage]

Besides the two in question, has anyone seen ANY pictures of ANY cylinder replated by ANYONE besides the two in question?

[canyncarvr]

There seems to be more to plating than meets the eye. Langcourt's response didn't tell me a whole lot.

I asked:

I had my cylinder replated after a port job and was not happy to find the end product, frankly, full of holes. The plater (chosen by the person
doing the porting) said the holes were due to cylinder porosity and they
couldn't do anything about it.

Do you folks have problems with cylinder porosity and the plating process
leaving holes behind? Do you plate to a thickness that covers such
blemishes, then hone to spec?

My cylinder had no such holes when I sent it in. Seems Kawasaki didn't
have problems with 'cylinder porosity'.

Response:

The answer to your questions is really that it depends on what the previous platers found after the Kawasaki coating was stripped. Whether we would be able to cover up any blemishes depends on the blemishes themselves. If we could see the cylinder we might be able to determine whether a replate would fix it or not, but I would guess that we most likely would be able to offer you something better thn you already have.

Note: The reply is NOT quoted with permission..but is what was said.

So...the Kawasaki coating can 'hide' things and those 'things' may not be able to be covered?

That says the electrofusion process is peculiar in regard to covering up 'stuff'?

The whole process may well be harmful to the cylinder..note that Langcourt speaks of the necessity of removing everything from the cylinder before sending it to them, as their stripping process will otherwise eat it. That can't be a good thing for the metal that is actually sent in.

I've generally thought of a replate making the bore 'as good as new'. Maybe not. The process may inherently preclude ever getting the cylinder back to the way it was.

...or Kaw's electrofusion on a new cylinder just cannot be matched aftermarket. Keep in mind that Kawasaki has no need of stripping anything off before their coating is applied.

[dave04kdx]

No I haven't seen any pictures of others work. From what I could find on the web and asking around the Phoenix area at the bike shops, U.S. Chrome and Langcourt are the top two.

The "place for oil hang around" B.S. answer from U.S. Chrome is a typical response from these jerks. I never got one straight reply from them. I would be happy to post all the correspondence from them if anyone is interested.

We should have got the sleeve........

Better go, I'm getting angry thinking about this fiasco again.

[KDXGarage]

There may be a difference in plating a cylinder and REplating it. I would imagine the Langcourt people would have a difficulkt time to be exact on what you mean by holes.

If I ever send one off, it will be to them.

[KarlP]

I recently had a cylinder replated and while it looked very nice the real problem for me was caused by the pickling or stripping or whatever they do before the plating.
The hole that the right hand KIPS sub port actuating shaft goes in got roughed up by the pre plating process (right hand as you sit on the bike)
That hole is a smooth bore and the KIPS shaft has an o-ring on it to keep exhaust gasses out of the KIPS gear box on the side of the head.
Now my KIPS actuation is late and sudden and takes a while to close up when you get off the gas. Sounds kinda cool pinging along at half throtle.
I have no idea how or if this can be repaired. If I hone the shaft hole I'm afraid the o-ring on the shaft will be too small.
It also roughed up all the gasket sealing surfaces. They told me that would give the gaskets "something to grab onto"
Pug that hole somehow before sending a cylinder in for replating! ask the plater how! I wish I had never fooled with mine.

Karl

[KDXGarage]

KarlP, who did you send it to?

[gwhII]

I've been following RPM's big bore kits for awhile and they were sold to Max Power Engines. Supposedly, MP does the plating for Pro Circuit. Anybody hear anything good or bad about them?

http://www.maxpower-engines.com/default.htm

-G

[fuzzy]

Gorr(US chrome user) slashes them on their pricing....That's the only thing I've ever heard about max-power.

[KarlP]

Jason
I don't know who did the replating. I took the cylinder to a local shop that has a good reputation locally and they sent it off.
Like I said, the plating looked very nice.
The pre plating treatment, whatever it was, was pretty hard on the cylinder. I don't know if that is common.
I suspect that not very many cylinders have an actuating rod setup like the KDX. My (wifes) KX100 does not, nor does my buddies KX125.

[KDXGarage]

Thanks for the information, KarlP.

[canyncarvr]

Re: Stripping being hard on a cylinder.

I'm sure it is...although I didn't consider 'til now that my RH subport drum failure could be due TO the stripping process.

Interesting info. Thanks Karl.

[KDXGarage]

canyncarvr, do you think they plated it with the power valves still in there?