SuzukiSavage.com - Anyone polished the aluminum?

TZK Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 58	Anyone polished the aluminum? 12/26/21 at 15:19:26 I'd like to get the aluminum flywheel and clutch cover to shine like the chrome pieces behind them. Any suggestions from people that have done this or know how to do it? I'm guessing that the aluminum has some coating on it to prevent oxidation and this must be removed first, right? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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och Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 629	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #1 - 12/26/21 at 15:24:53 You can polish it to a mirror finish just like stainless steel, but right after you need to protect it with clear coat against oxidation.
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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #2 - 12/26/21 at 15:47:39 400g 800g 1,200g 2,000g All lubed with WD-40. Polish with a polishing wheel. If you don’t ride in the rain, you’ll never need to polish them again.
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Dave

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Re: Anyone polished the aluminum?
Reply #3 - 12/26/21 at 15:49:35

I did it to my bike in 2012. I used "Aircraft" stripper to remove the clear coat, then progressive grits of sandpaper to get the aluminum smooth and shiny (320 and 360 on corroded places - then 400, 600 on smooth areas) - then used a buffing wheel to get the shine. If you don't have the power equipment then you need to keep going with the finer grits of sandpaper (800, 1000, 1500, 2000) and buff by hand using clothes and polish.

I have tried lots of different metal polish including Flitz, Simichrome, and others. The best I have ever found is the polish from Griots Garage. It keeps the metal from tarnishing longer than the others.

My bike is stored indoors and I try to avoid riding in the rain whenever possible. I need to clean/polish the aluminum once or twice each year to keep it looking good. If you bike is stored outdoors and/or gets wet often you will need to do it more than I do. I never put my bike away wet - except if we are camping and it gets rained on I don't have a choice.

Shiny aluminum looks great - but it is more work to keep it nice.

If your bike is a commuter and/or sits outside - I am not sure you want to have bare aluminum......it will be a lot of work.

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TZK Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 58	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #4 - 12/26/21 at 18:24:51 Thanks, guys for the advice. I'm thinking of ordering this sanding kit. The discs are 2 inch. Is that a good size? https://www.amazon.com/Sanding-80-3000-Sandpaper-Buffering-Assortment/dp/B07Q...
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Re: Anyone polished the aluminum?
Reply #5 - 12/27/21 at 02:03:46

I don't believe that kind of a sander will work very well on the engine cases. The swirly action that results from trying to use a drill powered disc on a curved surface will be very difficult (impossible) to control.

This is how a professional would do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qDC1b-1WhI

This is how you do it by hand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZzRmj-fXTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaBiKHDOlzE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaBiKHDOlzE

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TZK

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Re: Anyone polished the aluminum?
Reply #6 - 12/27/21 at 10:02:03

Thanks, Dave. I was under the impression that it would be too labor intensive to do this by hand but if that guy can do his whole airboat then I'm sure I can do the motorcycle. I'll be sure to post photos when it's done.

BTW my bikes are garaged and the S40 will be used mainly as a learner bike for my wife so it won't be used in the rain

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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #7 - 12/27/21 at 14:44:34 I love rebuilding motorcycles but despise the process of restoring the metal parts. So I built a vapor blaster. If you restore a lot of things, I highly recommend it. Here is a before photo…
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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #8 - 12/27/21 at 14:45:11 After (and painted)
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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18117 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #9 - 12/27/21 at 15:11:43 Gary_in_NJ wrote on 12/27/21 at 14:44:34: So I built a vapor blaster. I want one! The past couple of years I have drooled on the display models they had for sale at the Barber Vintage Festival.
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Armen Serious Thumper Offline Half-Witted Wrench-Jockey from Jersey Posts: 1452	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #10 - 12/27/21 at 15:12:59 My bud has a vapor blaster. It changed my whole outlook on life!
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ckahleer Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 121	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #11 - 12/27/21 at 15:29:46 Gary_in_NJ wrote on 12/27/21 at 14:44:34: I love rebuilding motorcycles but despise the process of restoring the metal parts. So I built a vapor blaster. If you restore a lot of things, I highly recommend it. Here is a before photo… OK, I'm sold. But how do you build a vapor blaster?
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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #12 - 12/27/21 at 17:29:00 I will post a how to.
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TZK Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 58	Re: Anyone polished the aluminum? Reply #13 - 12/28/21 at 10:52:52 Just wondering, could you reapply a clear coat with a rattle can to protect the aluminum after it's polished?
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Re: Anyone polished the aluminum?
Reply #14 - 12/28/21 at 13:09:56

Normal rattlecan clear can do a so-so job on parts that don't heat up, like the fork lowers, triple clamps, and risers. But won't hold up on the engine.
There is some 2 part epoxy rattlecan clear you can get, but it costs more and once you break the seal you must use it up in a day or two.

https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Refinishing-Permanent-Surfaces-3680061/dp/B0043B...

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