salt air on an XJ 1100

[deo]

Hey all,

I need some recommendations on what to use to remove corrossion from aluminum, ie: wheels, motor, and chrome. The bike XJ 11 has a bit of salt air exposure and needs some TLC. I was told of something called Eagle One but no one seems to know what it is.

deo

[Bill__Woods]

I have heard of Eagle One. the are a company with a whole range of products. They have stuff that fizzes like hydrogen-peroxide. should be able to find them at www.google.com
I myself have just ordered a Mac Tools Glass bead blast cabinet, that is where i am starting on the polishing. Glass bead cabinet to the bench mounted buffing wheel. might want to try the polishing products from Caswell Electroplating. They make great tank lining and polish. good customer service also.
good luck
you fingers are gonna be sore!

[deo]

thanks for the pointers. I will head to Google and see what they have. I don't know what beads are so that is a new one on me. I want this to be easy not hard. My fingers don't do what they used to do 30 years ago.

dave

[xssiveone]

Originally posted by deo
thanks for the pointers. I will head to Google and see what they have. I don't know what beads are so that is a new one on me. I want this to be easy not hard. My fingers don't do what they used to do 30 years ago.

dave

Dave, are you familiar with sand blasting? Bead blasting works on the same principle, only not as abrasive so much friendlier to soft metals such as aluminum. There really is no "easy" way to restore the aluminum parts to like new condition. It requires lots of rubbing and polishing to acomplish. Mind you, I think it's worth it in the end as the aluminum can be polished to look like chrome. To begin with, the engine, wheels, and fork lowers have been coated with clearcoat at the factory. About the easiest way to remove this is to use a paint stripper. Once the clearcoat is removed, then the actual polishing can begin. Several methods here, all depends on you. Buffing wheel with an abrasive compound, ie tripoli, jeweler's rouge, etc. followed by a good metal polish. I personally like Mother's or Autosol, but there are lots of good ones available.

[deo]

Sand blasting I know about. I used to engrave tombstones to put myself through college, alas that was 25 years ago. I think that I will try the polisher route and see what happens.

The doesn't seem to be a coating on my engine, unless I don't know what I am looking at. I will take some time and look a bit closer.

Thanks for the pointers.

dave

[MartyA]

Don't forget to check the polishing tips in the Tips section.

[deo]

Thanks!

I am heading to the store to find something. One thing I might try is going to a marine supply store as boat owners have to deal with corrosion all of the time.

dave

[Sparky]

Polishing can be a lot of fun! Though my friends accuse me of being somewhat obsessive.

I'm too thrifty (cheap) to get power stuff so this is what I have learned over the years, and there may be still better ways to do it.

Get an old cat litter box, (cleaned out is good), go to Wal-Mart or Pamida-type store and get 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper, a can of Nevr-Dul, and , the final ingredient, bike shops and some jewelry stores carry Simicrome polish. Get this stuff, go home, and get yourself a couple old t-shirts. Now you are ready to give your forearms a workout.

Use warm water to wet sand your part, starting with the 1000 grit, Make sure you get the whole thing, and ensure that you eventually get a cross-hatch pattern on it. Repeat with 2000 grit.

You will now have a dull looking hunk of aluminum in your hand, and may be thinking, "What have I done, and why in the world did I take advice from some guy with a keyboard?" Have faith.

Rip out a small wad of Nevr-Dul, and start to rub, hard, and in circles. The part, and your fingertips, will turn black in short order.
Continue to rub, then, take the old T shirt and polish the part.

Nice, huh?

Repeat as necessary, then complete the process with the Simicrome, and your parts will look better than stock, and your friends will marvel at your machine.

Hope I didn't go on too long

Scott Shank
78 E, 82 XJ - it was trashed when I got it

[deo]

Thanks for the work out recommendation. I think that it sounds like the most affordable solution. Although time is a commodity that I am not wanting to waste. So I may take your solution and do a Tom Sawyer. Get friends over to watch or show me their best solution for the situation. Kinda like painting a fence, eh?

dave

[Bill__Woods]

Just give them the old line "It's not everyday a boy gets to paint a fence."

[deo]

Hey Bill,

Columbus is not far away. Just a short ride on Yamaha. Gotta a fence that needs paint!

[xjguy]

I THINK I GO WITH SPARKY ON THIS-MORE FUN TO DO THE CHEAP WAY-GREAT THERAPY. IF HEAVILY CORRODED I START WITH STEEL WOOL AND GREASED LIGHTING. THEN DEPENDING ON HOW ROUGH THE SUBJECT IS I USE VARYING GRADES OF SAND PAPER.
THEN I USE 3 1/2" BUFFING PADS WITH DIFFERENT POLISHING COMPUNDS-FINISHING WITH A COMPOUND MADE FOR SILVER AND GOLD-DONE THIS ON SEVERAL BIKES-WORTH THE EFFORT.
WIFE TOOK HER 1985 SHADOW BY THE HONDA DEALER TO SHOW OFF HER CUSTOM PAINT JOB-FLAMES AND ALL---- ALL THE GUY THERE COULD TALK ABOUT WAS THE POLISHING JOB. BY THE THE WAY ON ENGINE PIECES AND SOME OTHER PIECES, YOU MAY NEED TO REMOVE THE OLD CLEAR COAT- I USE A SPRAY AUTOMOTIVE STRIPPER-TAPE UP AREAS YOU DON'T WONT STRIPPPED OR POLISHED. CAN'T WAIT TO GET THE XJ DONE- MAYBE THEN I CAN GET MY PIC PUBLISHED-LOL

[deo]

I was sitting down looking at the side covers and the 00 steel wool thinking maybe I'll give this a shot. Now that I have it confirmed by the mouths of more than one I'll do it tomorrow, yup tomorrow that sounds like a good day.

Thanks for the input.

deo

[REFFI]

Don't use steel wool, use copper or stainless steel. Regular steel wool wll cause corrosion. Microscopic particles of iron (steel) will become embedded in the softer aluminum and become corrosion sites. This is your friendly Corrosion Engineer talking.

Eagle One products are manufactured by Ashland Oil of Dublin Ohio. They are readily available nationwide (I used to work for Ashland.) However, I don't know which procucts are best for which purpose.

[deo]

Copper or Steel it is then.
As far as Eagle One products I tried their aluminum corrosion materials and it didn't do a thing. Quite disappointed to say the least.

I looked at their product for Chrome and it had a warning not to use on Motorcycles. So elbo grease it is.

deo