repainting voids warrenty

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winjim

winjim

Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
Yellow Saddle said:
Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. From an engineering point of view, repainting a carbon frame does not damage or weaken the frame provided you remove the old paint without excessive sanding. Chemical removal is best but sanding is almost always also required. However, the manufacturer often avoids terms such as "irresponsible frame preparation" from its contract with you because of the onus of proof issues involved. Therefore they use the broad term "modification in any way" that would legally include painting.
The real problem with re-painting comes with super light-weight aluminium frames. These frames have a high-tension skin on them that was acquired by shot-peening the aluminum with nice smooth glass beads. Sandpaper destroys this skin and this leads to premature cracking of the frame.
If you want to buy say a second-hand carbon frame and thus waver the warranty in anyway, by all means paint it. There is no safety issue.
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Does this apply to all Al frames? I was rather hoping to get some stripped and resprayed.
 
Yellow Saddle

Yellow Saddle

Guru
Location
Loch side.
winjim said:
Does this apply to all Al frames? I was rather hoping to get some stripped and resprayed.
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No, only some are shot-peened and you don't see much of this anymore because the super lightweight sector is now dominated by carbon frames. The surface of a shot- peened metal is like orange peel. Google "shot peen surface" with Google's images function to see what is to be expected. However, if you remove some paint with paint stripper and the surface underneath is smooth, it wasn't shot peened. Still rough sanding is not recommended on alu frames because this could be the starting point for cracks. Remove paint chemically, sand lightly with very fine waterpaper, repaint, go for a ride and drink a beer.
 
winjim

winjim

Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
Yellow Saddle said:
No, only some are shot-peened and you don't see much of this anymore because the super lightweight sector is now dominated by carbon frames. The surface of a shot- peened metal is like orange peel. Google "shot peen surface" with Google's images function to see what is to be expected. However, if you remove some paint with paint stripper and the surface underneath is smooth, it wasn't shot peened. Still rough sanding is not recommended on alu frames because this could be the starting point for cracks. Remove paint chemically, sand lightly with very fine waterpaper, repaint, go for a ride and drink a beer.
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Oh, beer will be drunk, you've nothing to worry about there.
 
fossyant

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
A friend of mine took his frame for shot blasting, but forgot to take off the carbon forks (or tell the painters). The idiot's shot blasted the forks = no forks left !!
 
PhilDawson8270

PhilDawson8270

Veteran
The thing with shot blasting, once they started. It's too late :biggrin:

Of course, it could be accidentally on purpose, to buy a new bike :biggrin:
 
Shut Up Legs

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
vickster said:
https://www.cervelo.com/en/support/warranty

Cervélo does not warrant against damage or failure of Cervélo bicycle frames caused by accident, misuse, abuse or neglect. Any modification of the frame or its components shall void this warranty.

That's pretty clear
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One could argue that painting a frame doesn't change the frame in any way, as it's still present and undamaged, underneath the paint. It doesn't do it any harm, so I think the manufacturer would be unreasonable to void a warranty just because of some painting. If I was in that position, I'd ask the manufacturer about that scenario (ideally before I even bought the bike).
 
fossyant

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Shut Up Legs said:
One could argue that painting a frame doesn't change the frame in any way, as it's still present and undamaged, underneath the paint. It doesn't do it any harm, so I think the manufacturer would be unreasonable to void a warranty just because of some painting. If I was in that position, I'd ask the manufacturer about that scenario (ideally before I even bought the bike).
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Any manufacturer would void the warranty, unless it was an approved repairer. Dead simple really. Painting isn't the issue, it's removing and preparing the surface that is the issue. Composites are more susceptible to overly abrasive techniques. Going back 26 years, my frame builder would not make me a Columbus TSX frame with chromed rear triangle or forks as it was that bit thinner than SLX. On the pro circuit you saw the bikes with the chroming, but you don't now....
 
raleighnut

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Location
One of the 'Elite'
fossyant said:
Any manufacturer would void the warranty, unless it was an approved repairer. Dead simple really. Painting isn't the issue, it's removing and preparing the surface that is the issue. Composites are more susceptible to overly abrasive techniques. Going back 26 years, my frame builder would not make me a Columbus TSX frame with chromed rear triangle or forks as it was that bit thinner than SLX. On the pro circuit you saw the bikes with the chroming, but you don't now....
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It isn't just the polishing with Chrome plating though, harder steels can suffer 'Hydrogen Embrittlement' due to plating.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...ement/&usg=AFQjCNHcxTgTzBegvV9M9encBbnj_mlvsQ
 
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