Auto Parts Asia — August 2017

46 | AutoPartsAsia | AUGUST 2017

INSIGHTS

I

ndia is the largest two-wheeler market in the

world with the sale of 17 million bikes and

scooters in 2016-17. The two-wheeler quality

has phenomenally improved since the entry

of the Japanese manufacturers Honda, Suzuki,

and Yamaha in India from the mid-80’s. The

home-grown two-wheeler leaders also improved

their product quality.

Rust has been a major quality and visual

issue since the old ‘Hamara Bajaj’ days.

India has long coastal and rain-fed areas

with enough moisture to seed rust quickly on

uncovered metallic parts. Rust is a silent killer

and most critical quality issue for the vehicle

manufacturers in India. The metal-eating rust is

seen on almost all two-wheelers.

It is more prominent where the vehicle is not

maintained properly by customers.

Two-wheelers near the coastal areas have

severe rusting problems due to the proximity to

salty water and humid weather.

White Rust, Red Rust

Red rust is an oxidation process that changes

the state of the metal. In the presence of oxygen

and water or moisture, the metal starts to

disintegrate forming a new component. The new

component is much weaker than the metal and

slowly spreads through the metallic surface. It

is to be noted that the metallic surfaces corrode

when they come in contact with air and water.

White rust is similar to the red rust but happens

on the zinc-coated steel products. Some metals

like copper oxidise and form a protective layer

of oxidation that saves the inner layers. Metals

and alloys of iron form rust but they do not

save the inner layers, and rust can continue to

disintegrate the whole metal part slowly.

The most common parts of two-wheelers that

get rusted easily include engine section (since

the engine is exposed in the two-wheelers

as against four-wheelers), wheel, chain and

sprocket and wheel rims. Chrome parts as

they are little more susceptible to rust than the

painted parts. Frames are the most common

places where rust can attack first. Other shiny

parts which are not painted but galvanised are

also prone to rust. Parts like exhaust manifold

and muffler, engine fins, chain sprocket, spoke

rims, inside of fuel tank, main stand, brake

pedal, clutch pedal, gear shifter, chrome handle

and levers are extremely prone to rust. Other

essential parts like ignition key and exposed

nuts and bolts can also start to rust over time.

The number plate gets rusted very quickly. The

paint starts to come off from the lower section

of the number plate due to constant water

splashing on it while riding through wet roads.

Manufacturing Process

When the vehicles are still on the assembly

lines, they get a coat of red oxide and paint

on the metal surfaces. Other parts like engine

fins get powder coating as it becomes very

hot and regular paint will not be able to handle

it. Similarly, the exhaust muffler goes through

galvanising process to get a layer of another

alloy which is less susceptible to rust. Even after

so many steps, the rust surfaces and there are

no special treatments done to the vehicle that is

sold in the coastal region or the rain-prone areas

like the North-Eastern states of India.

Workshops, Consumers

Rust is often ignored by the common

consumers. Local workshops, however, advise

repainting the surface or oiling the parts like

chain and sprocket and wheel hubs. Post-

delivery treatments like Teflon and wax coatings

are often done by workshops to prevent rusting.

These are the best rust removers for two-

wheelers, but many customers do not wish to

spend on them.

Many smart customers, however, spot the rust at

an early stage and take some countermeasures

like repainting the surface and polishing the

surface with wax. These are the most common

solutions that the market adopts to deal with

rust.

However, customers expect the manufacturers

to build products with more effective quality

standards that overcome rust and other issues

at least for 3-5 years, the average resale time of

a two-wheeler in India.

NB: This article is contributed by BikeJinni (www.bikejinni.

com); views expressed are personal.

Rust

A Common Quality Issue Of

Two-wheelers In India

By BikeJinni