polishing the scoops

[cgswss]

I have an '97 with the high polish top and black bottom scopes. Despite Waxing them last year before storage and having the bike under a cover inside the garage over the winter, I have spots of corrosion on the scups. I looks like the high polish is covered with a clear coat and the clear coat has broken don in spots.

I'm thinking I'll have to remove all the clear coat and repolish. Then put something on it to keep them from turning gray. I'm sure there are a zillion of you that have done this, I would like recommendations as to what products to use. Thanks!

Craig

 

[donnelly317]

Follow this you wont go wrong and be very happy with results.. I had to sand my lower half when i stripped them because they weren't smooth..

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=27934&highlight=polish+bling

 

[cgswss]

Thanks! That is kinda what I had in mind.

One other question: I was thinking of using Spray Max 2 K high gloss clear over the areas I paint- has any one experience using this on polished metal?

 

[donnelly317]

Thanks! That is kinda what I had in mind.

One other question: I was thinking of using Spray Max 2 K high gloss clear over the areas I paint- has any one experience using this on polished metal?

Post 23

http://vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=23571&page=3

Clear coat wont work unless you etched the aluminum.. once you strip it and polish the etching is removed and surface is to smooth to allow paint to stick.. I used stuff called rejex made by corrosion x it works fairly good

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lotsokids]

I guess I'll resurrect this thread.
I did some research and decided to strip and polish my scoops. There's a local metal shop that will do all the work for about $36 max. I'll gladly pay that and save my time. The guy I left them with knew the metal and confident about what he will do. I would rather chrome them, but living in Hungary limits my options GREATLY. I cannot find a shop that chromes things here. I know Sean Morley does, but there's the problem of shipping overseas.

I completely understand if left simply polished, it will require maintenance. I already have polished aluminum external items on my vehicles and I just hit them with Mother's metal polish once a month or so and they look like new. I also have Nevr-Dull, but it doesn't seem to work well.

 

[scuff]

Good tips on here I'm in the process of trying to polish mine too, could get chrome ones but I'm just a cheap azz !!! LOL

 

[customizedcreationz]

Polishing for $36!!! Thats a bargin and a half!!!

I used to polish scoops, but the cost of having them chromed was cheaper than polishing them. Atleast to the level of polishing I offered.

I ll never polish a set of scoops again.... they'll either be powdered coated or chromed. Its just too much work. And I have the setup to polish them to a chrome appearance.

 

[Miles Long]

I guess I'll resurrect this thread.
I did some research and decided to strip and polish my scoops. There's a local metal shop that will do all the work for about $36 max. I'll gladly pay that and save my time. The guy I left them with knew the metal and confident about what he will do. I would rather chrome them, but living in Hungary limits my options GREATLY. I cannot find a shop that chromes things here. I know Sean Morley does, but there's the problem of shipping overseas.

I completely understand if left simply polished, it will require maintenance. I already have polished aluminum external items on my vehicles and I just hit them with Mother's metal polish once a month or so and they look like new. I also have Nevr-Dull, but it doesn't seem to work well.

$36 is a fantastic deal - go for it! Stripping and polishing the scoops is a labour intensive and long job - ask anyone that has done it.
Yes, you are right - chroming is the best option. No maintenance other than cleaning and light polishing. Polishing the aluminum requires constant maintenance. Simply put - the bare polished aluminum will start to tarnish the minute you stop polishing! Which is why you have to protect it with a barrier coating ( Mother's wax, etc.) or a clearcoat as soon as you've polished, and on a regular basis to maintain the luster.
This tarnishing characteristic of aluminum is why the OEM "polished" aluminum parts of the Max(scoops, rims, sidecovers, etc.) are clear-coated at the factory - tarnished shiny parts would not look good on the showroom floor.
"Never-Dull" is great for removing water marks, and preparing aluminum for polishing - it is too abrasive for the final look.
I spent years stripping, polishing and protecting the aluminum parts on my bike. WAY too much work and maintenance, i.m.o. I'd rather be riding the bike, instead of prettying it up. Which is why I'm becoming a big fan of the blacked-out look. Any parts intended to be shiny are made out of stainless steel - much harder to work with and polish, but not subjected to corroding, like aluminum.
Cheers!

 

[customizedcreationz]

Miles,

Stainless can still rust and corrode depending on thr grade of stainless.

 

[Redbone]

All you really need for polishing your scoops is some of this:

Set aside lots of this:

And you'll end up with this as a reward:

And more than likely have this too:

I was tired of the last part so I found this guy:

and ended up with this:

 

[eggohead]

I have a hard time believing you can't clear coat them since I had a buddy use rouge and a buffer then clear coat mine, which still look sharp.. He used a black paint marker to fill in the yamaha on it also.. But I have been thinking of Black Chrome.......

 

[Redbone]

I have a hard time believing you can't clear coat them since I had a buddy use rouge and a buffer then clear coat mine, which still look sharp.. He used a black paint marker to fill in the yamaha on it also.. But I have been thinking of Black Chrome.......

This is true, clear coating is what the factory does to preserve the shine. Using a wheel to buff them with proper buffing compound is faster and does a better job of getting them to really shine. I have seen some polished scoops that are as close to chrome as one could probably can get them then clear coated to retard the oxidation process.

 

[rusty]

Here's a set I just finished, took 5 hours to sand & polish :biglaugh:

 

[scuff]

Here's a set I just finished, took 5 hours to sand & polish :biglaugh:

Those look great, that's the result I'm looking for, are you going to clear them? if so could you do one and take a pic to compare? I'm curious.

 

[rusty]

Those look great, that's the result I'm looking for, are you going to clear them? if so could you do one and take a pic to compare? I'm curious.

I never tried clear coat on my scoops. I use Mothers Wheel polish & they come out perfect:biglaugh:

 

[Lotsokids]

I never tried clear coat on my scoops. I use Mothers Wheel polish & they come out perfect:biglaugh:

Agreed. I use Mothers Wheel Polish on other things, and it really shines!!!

Back in the early 1990's, I used Westley's Auto Polish (now discontinued) on an aluminum .45 auto handgun receiver. Turned out like a mirror. Bought the gun for $275 in bad shape. Added only hand sanding and polishing, and traded for a $350 gun. The shop then put a $450 price tag on it.

 

[Redbone]

You used just a mothers polishing wheel, is this the ball type polisher used on a drill? I know you do some very nice polishing work from all of your other projects you have posted on here. I need to try the mothers ball that I have on my exhaust cans using my variable speed 1/2" electric drill.

 

[Lotsokids]

The shop just finished my scoops. I got a little less quality than I expected. There are some blemishes in the metal (circled in red in the photos below). Looks like a lot of work to get it out. I worked on them with Mother's metal polish for a couple hours... no improvement. But seem a little more "sealed" than when I picked them up. It was the equivalent of about $35 to strip and polish. Looks awesome from a distance.

There is a chroming shop here in Hungary. I sent an email, but no reply yet. :confused2:



I taped the text off and painted the "Yamaha" metallic gray (my bike has carbon fenders, etc.).





Those are not a reflection of the clouds in the red circle...

 

[customizedcreationz]

Thats a heat mark from polishing.

If you get the aluminum too hot it will discolor and then you have to sand it out to get it out.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

 

[VMax-Mike]

It just dont get any better than chrome. I looked at all the scope's you guy's just posted and said to myself the scope's dont even come close to looking as good as chrome. The vmax looks so much better with chrome scoop's i dont know why the factory would go with anything but chrome. Or black chrome. Let's see someone post a set of chrome one's and you will see what im talking about.