Amal slides again

Was looking for the anodized slides and seems that only Amal or Walridge has them, and not sure that Walridge has them in stock, got an email to them. Anyhow, it appears that Walridge has chrome ones for $33.20 and the anodized ones for $49.95. That's getting more reasonable than shipping the anodized ones from UK especially if I buy a couple of other parts like the needles, both jets, clip.

Anyone familiar with the chrome ones from Walridge?

I notice prices on slides is all over the chart, at british only they're around $80 and I've seen them as low as $20 for the zinc ones.

No need to recommend other carbs, I'm not going there.

Dave
69S

There is a good reason chrome slides are not widely available anymore and a bargain to bid rid of old stock so Forgetaboutem or you or the one after you will repeat inhaling chrome history. Zinc or Al anodized work well by all reports.

While wavering on buying, slather some grease on the slides to see what ya missing in mean time.

Dave
don't waist your money on the chrome ones as the ones I have used the chrome comes off and guess where it goes. as to price difference some are zinc + plated and some are brass + plated with the brass ones more expensive. my only question on the new anodized ones have they fixed this problem???? also note the chrome.

.

Chrome weakens any metal by up to 50% or more.

Ashley

yes BUT the NON plated ones also have a history of the same thing happening.

ashman said:

Chrome weakens any metal by up to 50% or more.

Ashley

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don't know about long term but I just installed 2 Anodized slides in my Norton and 2 in 2 different Triumphs. 2 of the bikes had idle problems and the new slides got rid of that. Norton is stable and works very well. See my post on that in another recent thread. They are about $30 each from the UK and shipping was not bad at all as I ordered 4 of them. Got them in a week.

I think I've got the idea. Forget the chrome, get the anodized ones. Now it's a choice of Walridge or Amal, if Mike has them I added up the parts and from Amal $148 with shipping (£25) and Waridge $116 plus shipping. Depends if Mike has them. Not a big difference.

If it doesn't work there's always Lund's.

Thanks guys, I do remember about the chrome ones now.

Dave
69S

yep the chrome ones are junk, I ordered the new PREMIER carbs from Amal, they said they were dispatched over 4 weeks ago, not arrived yet.

I just added up the prices again and with the anodized slides from Walridge, it's actually $2 more than Amal (including shipping) less shipping from CAN, so it looks like it's best to go to the source despite the shipping charges.

Looks like case closed for tonight.

Dave
69S

madass140 said:

yep the chrome ones are junk, I ordered the new PREMIER carbs from Amal, they said they were dispatched over 4 weeks ago, not arrived yet.

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They are normally better than that, the last carb i bought from them arrived at my doorstep (NZ) in under a week.

I just placed my order with Amal, Friday night, I'll let you know how long it takes.

Dave
69S

Is going with the new anodized slides a better option than having the bodies bored and sleeves installed? My slides are scored
but the bodies looked fairly good.Bike runs well but the idle settings do vary as the day goes on.The idle curciut is not

clogged,just does not stay uniform.
Thanks,

I had my bodies bored and slides sleeved in brass to 0.001'' clearance and 10,000 miles later carbs are still working fine. Best way to go in my opinion.

ying,

If the bodies are as you say, get the annodised, they are made from billet and much sturdier than the standard zinc slides. Whilst you are there stay up floats with alloy needle valves should sort out the changeable idle. Do some reading on the amal tech site. I took the trouble to micro set my fuel levels, there is a post here a while back, and the engine has never behaved better. The fuel levels do effect the pilot system quite a lot.

Cheers Richard

YING said:

Is going with the new anodized slides a better option than having the bodies bored and sleeves installed?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

Well, it can be cheaper unless it doesn't work and then you have to get them sleeved and bored. Since my carb only has 14K miles on it I thought it was worth a try. It's worked for others, I've heard.

Dave
69S

When Mike Gaylord was still sleeving Amals he had a jig to straighten the bodies...been mentioned before on this forum. Addiing anodized slides doesn't cure this condition.

I did some thinking about how hard an anodized surface is awhile back when I noticed that bicycle forks were using anodized aluminum stanchions. My first thought was: "what cheap junk." But as time went on I noticed that the anodization did not wear and I have seen plenty of motorbike forks with the chrome worn through.

Here is what I think I figured out: Anodization of aluminum is an aluminum oxide coating. A lot of sand paper is made with aluminum oxide for the grit. The stuff is probably a lot harder than chrome! It is the material behind the surface that makes it somewhat delicate. If you have ever scratched an anodized surface with a carbide scribe you will have noticed that the coating is very hard and crispy. It sort of pops a bit in front of the point of the scribe. My conclusion is that an anodized surface is very hard and durable to abrasion but does not hold up too well to impact from an object harder than the aluminum behind it. (Or an object that is just heavy enough to dent aluminum.)

I get a bit self-conscious every time I write "aluminum" with the American spelling on a forum about British motorcycles. You guys will just have to forgive us. We can't help it if an American dock worker made a spelling error on a shipping crate way back when.

Duh, Al oxide is sapphire, as in jeweled movements or fracture/scratch proof watch lens. Hardness of 9 on Moh's scale with only diamond harder unless some lab produced exotica. Various 'polluting' mineral elements give the color in gems but even food colors work under anodized layer. Oxide layer is formed slowly naturally or speeded up by heated water and electrical assist. Ti and Fe tint Al oxide blueish.

Hard chrome is approx. twice as hard as hard anodising, but only lies on the surface.
Hard anodising is about 1/2 into the substrate & 1/2 buildup so it can't flake off. Most common thickness is 1 thou' buildup per surface, giving 2 thou' on dia.

Thanks Hobot. I knew I was right about this stuff. Also glad to get the extra knowledge you added.