American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 218 September 2017 | Page 20

‘Black Edition’ pistons with new
ArmorX and ArmorFit coatings
Mentor, Ohio based Wiseco
Piston has unveiled a new line of
pistons for late model Harley
applications – their Black Edition
pistons – featuring two new
proprietary coatings.
They feature what Wiseco describe as
an “industry first” ArmorFit coating on
the piston skirt, as well as an ArmorX
coating on the entire piston. Said to
offer superior protection against wear,
higher compression, smooth and quiet
operation, and maximized efficiency,
they are available for M-8s and popular
Twin Cam and Rushmore model
engines (SE heads).
Wiseco’s ArmorX coating comes from a
proprietary electrochemical process
using high strength materials that
create an armor-like coating on the
piston dome and ring grooves,
providing resistance to extreme heat
and detonation, while also providing a
distinctive black color.
The ArmorX coating acts as a shield
around the piston, keeping the forged
aluminum protected against potential
damage from extreme conditions.
The ArmorX coating is also said to add
support to the vulnerable areas of the
piston. “Machine work done on a
piston, such as the piston ring grooves,
can create vulnerabilities. After
machining, these areas could
potentially display reduced strength
and wear resistance, especially in V-
twin engine applications. However, the
ArmorX coating covers every nook and
cranny it’s applied to, adding its
strength and wear resistance qualities
where the piston needs it most and
providing even more longevity to the
life of the piston.”
The patented Wiseco ArmorFit coating
is a product of their in-house R&D
department. Wiseco say their R&D team
“went through a thorough process of
testing, developing and benchmarking
with the in-house dyno, as well as with
thousands of on-road miles to perfect
the ArmorFit skirt coating.
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“The coating comes from a ‘moly’
(molybdenum) based dry film. Moly is
naturally a dry lubricant, providing great
lubricating qualities, even in the
presence of zero liquid lubricators.”
Wiseco mixes the formula in-house, and
uses a patented process to permanently
apply this moly based dry film to the
piston skirt. It is bonded to the skirt
surface, and is designed to become the
piston's sliding area against the
cylinder wall. The result is the piston
operating quieter and smoother than
stock, with reduced friction throughout
operation.
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PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
Wiseco R&D Manager Dave Fussner:
“The challenge has been developing a
robust skirt coating that could be
applied thicker and allow the forged
piston to be installed at the same or
less cold clearance than a cast piston”
Dave Fus