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ACF-50 for Street Bikes
What
is ACF-50?
ACF-50 (Anti-Corrosion Formula) was originally
designed to protect aircraft from existing and new corrosion
and is now available to motorcyclists. Aviation products have
to meet rigorously high standards and ACF-50 not only meets these
but has been awarded Aviation approvals - MIL-SPEC 81309 types
II and III which means it is 'approved for ferrous and non-ferrous
metals, electrical systems and electronic components'. The US
Navy carried out tests using ACF-50 on the jets on their Aircraft
Carriers. They found that ACF-50 so significantly reduced the
corrosion they had previously experienced they now use ACF-50
all the time!
It works perfectly in that type of harsh
environment so imagine how well it's going to protect your bike!
When applied ACF-50 forms an 'Active' ultra-thin
clear film that will kill any existing corrosion cells and will
protect your bike against new corrosion forming. On areas such
as switches or under the tank and seat, one application will
last up to 12 months. Other more exposed areas will need topping
up more regularly. ACF-50 has the ability to 'chemically neutralise
road salt' and water will bead on contact and literally bounce
off. Ideal for the bike that is used all year round in all weathers,
a superb service spray as ACF-50 is also a lubricant and penetrant
(without loosening structural attachments) and if you put your
bike away for the winter, applying ACF-50 will ensure that moisture
will not be allowed to cause any damage! Untreated moisture will
creep into cracks and will not freely evaporate - ACF-50 actively
ejects moisture from these areas.
The Facts
- Kills existing corrosion and prevents new
- 'ACTIVE' for up to 12 months
- Excellent lubricant and penetrant
- Approved for use on electrics and engines
- Easily applied non-drying, ultra thin,
clear film
- Very economical
- Contains no wax, silicon, Teflon or water
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ACF-50
- In Brief
ACF-50 is a light carrier with a proprietary
package of additives that transform it into an astonishing creeping-fluid
AND an outstanding de-watering fluid too. These properties mean
that just the smallest amount will get into every crevice, every
blemish of corrosion, and utterly remove the water. No water
means no corrosion, period. And that’s just the start of
it. ACF-50 stays in place for as long as a year, actively spreading,
sacrificing itself to keep corrosion at bay.
FACTS ABOUT ACF-50
- MIL SPEC 81309 TYPE II AND III APPROVALS
which means ACF-50 is approved for ferrous and nonferrous metals,
electrical systems and electronic components.
- CHEMICALLY NEUTRALISES corrosive environmental
effects, particularly crud, dirt and road salt.
- EASILY APPLIED non-drying, ultra-thin,
clear film.
- CONTAINS NO WATER,SILICON,TEFLON OR WAX
no sticky build up, no risk of existing corrosion being sealed
in and no risk of water remaining where it will cause corrosion
and damage, even on electrics.
- ‘ACTIVE’ which means that it ‘creeps’ and ‘keeps
on working’.
- DOESN’T NEED REAPPLYING AFTER EVERY
WASH! Under tanks/seat areas, on electrics etc. ACF-50 will
last up to 12 months. On more exposed areas retreat as necessary.
- ECONOMICAL - 95% Product - little goes
a long way - lasts ages.
- SAFE TO USE ANYWHERE ON THE BIKE (but go
easy on the callipers due to the obvious need to avoid the
brake discs & pads!) Can be sprayed directly into electrical
joints and components where it will prevent corrosion induced
failures and high resistance joints.
- SERIOUSLY ENHANCES the look of the bike
and brings black trim up a treat.
- LIGHT LUBRICANT & PENETRANT.
- All Year Round SERVICE SPRAY.
- AS CLOSE TO ZERO CORROSION AS NATURE
WILL ALLOW!
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How to Use
ACF-50 is 95% product, hence virtually no propellant. Keep the tin
in a warm environment, shake very well before use and remember a little
ACF-50 goes a long way, so keep a rag handy to soak up any excess -
then use the rag to help spread the product. ACF-50 has strong capillary
action so will creep into all the areas that moisture can, 'actively'
pushing out moisture and replacing it with protection. Go cautiously
when applying to callipers to ENSURE YOU KEEP IT OFF THE BRAKES.
Use
ACF-50 anywhere, except the brakes, on your bike including the engine
and exhaust (will smoke on first start and burn off down pipes but
still slows down corrosion process). Safe on paintwork, most rubbers
and brings up black plastic trim a treat. ACF-50 contains no water
and is approved for electrics so spray directly into electrical joints
and components where it will prevent corrosion induced failures and
high resistance joints. Works well at stopping dirt, mud and salt
from sticking. You can come back from a winter ride with the bike 'white
with salt' - a quick wash off and it's gone with the bike still protected.
Areas not in direct contact with the elements ie
tank/seat areas, electrics
require treating approx once a year. Other exposed areas re-apply
as necessary. You can tell the product is still 'Active; as water
will bead on contact...having no water content and not being water
soluble
ACF-50 only dissipates by being 'sacrificial' whilst stopping existing
or new corrosion so just re-treat as required.
Remember, ACF-50 protects jets on US aircraft carriers! If it works
for these jets in these conditions, think how well it's going to work
for your bike!
What People are Saying about ACF-50
I ride a bike all year round and I have been using ACF-50 for about
18 months. My Hayabusa has not corroded and it is great on the wheels
where all the road salt and grit ends up. All the alloy is corrosion
free, and I will be using it straight away on my ZZR 1400 when I pick
it up next week
Highly recommended
I 'discovered' ACF-50 last winter and was hoping that it was as good
as the reports said. In November I gave the bike a thorough cleaning,
took as many of the removable parts as possible off my BMW F800ST and
gave it a good spraying. Snowy conditions aside, I commuted 300 miles
per week and didn't wash the bike until the end of March. The bike
was almost black. Guess what? Having removed all the layers of grime
- no corrosion, the bike cleaned up like new. ACF-50 is amazing, all
that's required is a strong nerve and a little faith!
1200.gs
“My mate ran this on his Fazer coated
the engine, etc. Rode all winter in the wet, kept outside under a
cover. Washed it off at
the end of the winter, bike looked mint! Mine looked worse with only
a handful of winter dry miles and garaged! Great stuff
I've used both: FS365 the winter before last
and ACF50 this winter just gone. I prefer ACF50. "
Really good stuff! does what it says on the tin, would highly recommend
this to anyone, bike's been fully protected with acf50 for two and
a half years now with absolutely NO new corrosion or rust! well worth
the money, wish i'd discovered it sooner!
lyn
Location: wild west wales!
The big disadvantage to FS365 is you have to keep re-applying it,
especially after a wet ride. You get home, it's teeming down with rain
and you have to spend a minute or two out there spraying the engine,
fork legs, etc before you can cover it or roll it into the garage (assuming
there's not enough room in your garage to do this).
With ACF50 you apply a nice coating and ... leave it. You can spray
extra on occasionally, as you see fit. The engine looks absolutely
filthy after a while, but that means its doing its job. I only cleaned
the engine once or twice last winter, which meant reapplying the ACF
afterwards, and it has survived fine. For the fork legs, I would clean
and reapply every time I washed the bike.
It doesn't take much ACF50 to get a good coating
so a can should last several winters, which makes it better value
than FS365 in my opinion.”
"I was sceptical at first but I researched
it on the net - It's used by the US Airforce on their aircraft carriers,
used by boeing
and other manufacturers. I have used it since September and apart from
having to reapply it to my downpipes it has lasted through many washes
and many winter rideouts, no furring on nuts and bolts or whatever.
When you ride a 9 grand superbike it's worth its weight in gold. I
have just replaced my tin having used it on my other vehicles. I paid
12 quid-ish. Despite the cold weather I have used my bike far more
than before because I'm less anxious about road salt rotting my pride
and joy!"
(MCN Website forum (allanr))
I am not a fanatical cleaner and polisher of bikes, I like them looking
good but I also like riding them in the wet - bonkers I hear you say
- not at all, it makes you a better rider and it tones your butt muscles!!
Because of this I considered it prudent to try and give a helping hand
to the shiny bits.
Metals such as steel and aluminium are inherently unstable and will
corrode or oxidise over time in the presence of air and water. Add
a dollop of road salt to the equation and you have yourself an electrolyte
which, as the name suggests, is electrically conductive. This results
in the formation of rust on steel or aluminium oxide, the grey powdery
coating which we work so hard to polish off. So I purchased a can of
ACF-50, the much lauded anti corrosion treatment originally produced
for the aircraft industry by Canadian firm Lear Chemical Research,
recommended by The Two Wheel Centre in Mansfield Woodhouse. Now it’s
over 35 years since my Chemistry GCE but having read the techno blurb
on the packaging, my understanding is it works by neutralising the
electrical charge present by emulsifying the electrolyte. This prevents
further corrosion on rusty or oxidised parts and stops the onset of
corrosion on new parts, a bold claim but one which is backed up by
plenty of testimonials on the web.
Application is either by spray directly onto the component or by cloth
moistened in the fluid. My recommendation is a combination of both.
As the manufacturer states on the bottle, the fluid disperses over
quite large area so it is easy to be over enthusiastic. A word of warning,
keep it well away from brake discs, tyres, footrest rubbers and handlebar
grips as ACF-50 is also a pretty effective lubricant. I also recommend
that you do the initial application over a weekend, first clean and
dry the bike as normal then place plastic food bags on the footrests
and handlebar grips.
Can in hand, carefully apply the fluid to all
bolts, nuts, chrome plated parts, rear shocks, swinging arm, brake
callipers, switchgear
and underside of the bike. Leave overnight to allow the ACF-50 to creep
into all the nooks and crannies. The following day wipe all the treated
areas with the application cloth used previously to remove any excess
and spread it further by wiping over the frame, fork legs, wheel rims
and spokes. The only areas I didn’t apply it to were the tank,
nose fairing and seat hump as these are waxed on a weekly basis.
If, like me, you prefer dry film or wax chain lubes which are great
at reducing oil fling on to your shiny rear wheel due to their lack
of oil based lubricants they can result in light rusting of the chain
following a wet ride or two. My method is simple, grip the drive chain
with a cloth moistened with ACF 50 and rotate the rear wheel which
gives an even coating to the side plates and rollers. Apply your dry
film chain lube immediately after and the chain will be rust resistant
for a couple of months worth of wet riding
Be warned, when you crack up the motor for the first time following
an application you will be greeted by copious amounts of white smoke
billowing off any components which are subject to high heat! Spectacular
but harmless. Only time will tell how good the product is.
Three months down the line and no sign of corrosion despite riding
through the winter and all the torrential rain of late, not forgetting
my penchant for power washing the bike at fortnightly intervals, sooner
if needs be. I am a true believer in this product and would recommend
it for use on any bike whether you ride in the wet on a regular basis
or not.
Posted by: Blind Boy in Products ( Hosted on Hinckley Triumph)
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