Simplex plastic restoration
06-22-20, 04:06 PM
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Simplex plastic restoration
For those of you needing a quick and easy way to restore the blackness to your gray, faded Delrin parts, I’ve found the perfect solution. The Simplex bracket on my newly acquired PX-10 was cracked when I bought it. A non-broken replacement bracket was donated to the cause, but like the original, had faded to an ashy gray.
First, I disassembled the derailleur as far as possible. The lever arm appears to be riveted, so it, the piston, and spring were left in place. Then everything got a thorough cleaning in the tank of mineral spirits.
Once completely dry, I gave the Delrin body a few quick sprays of Chemical Guys Black on Black, rotating the part until every side had a light coat. The Delrin turns black as soon as it’s sprayed, so it’s easy to tell where you've sprayed. Then just wipe it down and you’re done. Overspray won’t hurt or stain metal, glass, or paint as long as you wipe it off when you’re finished.
I used it on the Delrin shifter nuts last year on my Gitane and they’re still black after many miles.
First, I disassembled the derailleur as far as possible. The lever arm appears to be riveted, so it, the piston, and spring were left in place. Then everything got a thorough cleaning in the tank of mineral spirits.
Once completely dry, I gave the Delrin body a few quick sprays of Chemical Guys Black on Black, rotating the part until every side had a light coat. The Delrin turns black as soon as it’s sprayed, so it’s easy to tell where you've sprayed. Then just wipe it down and you’re done. Overspray won’t hurt or stain metal, glass, or paint as long as you wipe it off when you’re finished.
I used it on the Delrin shifter nuts last year on my Gitane and they’re still black after many miles.
Last edited by Brad L; 06-22-20 at 04:12 PM.
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06-23-20, 07:40 AM
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Neat cosmetic application but I doubt it does much for the structural degradation that Delrin suffers from. Take care how tight you torque the ft der clamping bolts. Andy
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AndrewRStewart
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06-24-20, 04:15 PM
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I'm assuming it does absolutely nothing for its structural integrity, but it sure looks new. I'm going to be extremely careful when tightening the clamp and certainly hope my work isn't for nothing if it cracks.
06-25-20, 06:37 AM
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I had the same results restoring a Simplex front, but I used water and a green scotch pad.
06-25-20, 07:10 AM
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I think that this treatment makes the components look great. I wonder, though, if it would have been a better idea to instead invest the cost of the Chemical Guys product on better components. I completely understand the desire to restore bike parts, and also hate to toss something that is functional; however I remember the short life of the Simplex gear on a Peugeot I had in the 70s. That Delrin stuff was light and worked very smoothly.
Anyway, my post was me thinking aloud (in text.) Faced with a somewhat fragile old mech that was still functional, I would have done the same as you.
Anyway, my post was me thinking aloud (in text.) Faced with a somewhat fragile old mech that was still functional, I would have done the same as you.
