How to clean and polish an aluminium bull bar
Submitted: Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:06
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keith m
Advice and tips on how to clean up a dirty and insect stained aluminium bull bar would be appreciated.
Reply By: John - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:22
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:22
With a lot of work. LOL.
AnswerID:
54853
Follow Up By: Baz (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 20:07
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 20:07
Autosol or Silvo and a polishing cloth, these products are designed for alloy and are about the best on the market, make that bullbar so shiney when you look at it you'll have to wear sunnies.
Baz.
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Reply By: Willem - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:30
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:30
Cheapest way out is a cake of soap, a Curly Girl(steel scourer) and warm water. Then add elbow grease and you're away.
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54854
Reply By: hoyks - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:40
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 19:40
Extra cut car polish and a rag work
well, a bit more gentle than a pot scourer.
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54856
Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 20:03
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 20:03
Keith, an aluminium bull bar is a misnomer. They are for splattering insects and birds.
Oh, I forgot, and polishing.............. Finest grade emery you could get grade 600, it does depend on how much it has weathered or pitted. Perhaps the finest grade steel wool, then if you want a fine grinding paste, Wliiem's suggested toothpaste from a post on windsreens yesterday. I believe jewellers rouge comes in several grades if you really want a fine polish and a buffing wheel of course.
AnswerID:
54859
Reply By: Pauley - Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 22:55
Sunday, Apr 18, 2004 at 22:55
Keith,
I use phosphoric acid which can be bought from paint shops. It brings aluminium up a brilliant silver white. After that I polish the bar with a wax polish which results in a surface pretty close to the original. The acid only removes any oxidised or organic materials.
I would't go near polished aluminium with an abrasive myself.
Paul
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54900
Reply By: Member - Eskimo - Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 08:15
Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 08:15
i agree with pauley
any abrasive such a steel wool even the finest grade or emery paper will scratch the alloy
car polish or rouge, silvo etc are okay but it requires elbow grease.....
After a while you'll learn to live with it as it is!!!..as most of us do
AnswerID:
54916
Reply By: Paul's lot - Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 13:23
Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 13:23
Mothers or eagle brand mag wheel polish is the go, it's designed for alloy and is heaps less abrasive than polishes so you dont get scratches.
AnswerID:
54956
Reply By: bollo - Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 21:15
Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 21:15
if it is pitted the only way to go is wet and dry used wet,the grade depending on the condition of the bar.....1200 down ...then an electric buffer with a lambs wool pad and autosol polish. then use toothpaste to remove any black that is left .then polish with autosol liquid polish for a mirror finish. this is the procedure used on truck bullbars etc. and is the only way to get that new finnish back to your bar.
i used 3 grades of wet and dry but diddn't change grades untill i was happy there were no deeper scratches than the grade i was using.......a lot of work but the bar is almost 7 years old and looks like new........
alan
AnswerID:
55036
Follow Up By: bollo - Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 21:20
Monday, Apr 19, 2004 at 21:20
i forgot to mention this comes from a truck signwriter and detailer
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