xj1100j rims(cleaning)

[Sandy H]

the bike has been sitting for 7 yrs.
i have completley restored it.
the black part of the rims seem to come clean with a good cleaning with dish soap ad a lot of elbo grease.
the outside aluminim is giving me a problem.(does aluminum oxidize)? i was using mothers cleaner but really no worky.
can i use a dremmel with a felt tip?
what to do.HELP.

[trbig]

Yes, aluminum oxidizes. Everybody has their own way to do it, but generally, if you just take some wetsand sandpaper and start with somewhere around 600 grit if it's pretty nasty, then work up (Down?) in size to about a 1500 or 2000 grit for polishing it up. When you think you have it looking pretty shiny like that, hit it with that Mother's polish and go get the sunglasses out!

Many of these parts stilll have some of the varnish that they coated all the aluminum with and it's a pain to get off. Go to the search button on top and type in "Aluminum polish" or something similar and read. Some are simple... and some people need to be commited! lol. Choose what works best for you.


Tod

[Hammerhead1st]

As an ex-trucker...

I use aluminum polish bought at the local truck stop. They have a HUGE selection of waxes and polishes, and the stuff is AWESOME at removing oxifdation from aluminum

[Shuriken]

For the rear, put the bike on the center stand. Have someone start the engine. Tell them to put it into gear and idle it at like 5mph. While the rear wheel is spinning, carefully hold the sand paper against the aluminum. Polishes right up. No elbow grease required.

May not be considered safe, but it worked for me. If you cannot do this safely, don't do it.

Ben

[TADracer]

If your machine has been sitting for 7 years you probably need to have new tires. It is recommended that tires be replaced every 5 years anyway. With the wheel and tire off is the time to hit it with a spray can of brake parts cleaner and a rag that should take off any remaining clear coating from the formerly polished aluminum rim. Then sand with 400 grit then 600 grit then 1000 grit wet-or-dry sand paper. After that it will polish up smartly by hand with some Mothers Aluminum Polish. If you have a buffing wheel, that is even better. You can also check your bearings, etc at this time.

[trbig]

While the rear wheel is spinning, carefully hold the sand paper against the aluminum. Polishes right up. No elbow grease required.

AND..... The neat buzz you get from the exhaust fumes is GREAT!! I may actually try this method on mine... but I was thinking... if it polished up OK at 5mph... think how fast you could get it done with it doing about 80!

"Don't try this at home kids".. lol


Tod

[Hammerhead1st]

Oh


MY



GOD!!!!

[panshovel]

Now that was funny!!!!

[Sandy H]

rim cleaning

has any one used a product called wheel brite
to clean of the alluminun

[Shuriken]

LOL.

No, really, I bought a buffing kit from Harbor Freight that works with an electric drill.

See this thread.

It came with attachments that worked great on the wheel aluminum.

Ben