SuzukiSavage.com - Cleaning Tips Needed

SSavage

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Cleaning Tips Needed
09/14/22 at 06:31:35

Hey everyone,

Just purchased my first Savage and I love it. I've made a lot of modifications to it for performance and comfort and love tooting around town on this bike. I'm now to the point where I want to clean up the aesthetics a bit from the person before me. Bike is a 96' with 4.5k miles on it. It has some damage to the bike from being put on its side. Any help with what to use to clean it up?

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SSavage YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 4	Re: Cleaning Tips Needed Reply #1 - 09/14/22 at 06:32:25 There's also this bit here. Soap didn't get it of so I didn't know which solution to try out.
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Cleaning Tips Needed
Reply #2 - 09/14/22 at 08:35:31

If the aluminum has road rash you're going to have to sand it smooth and keep using finer and finer sandpaper, using a spray bottle, keep it wet.. If that is just clear coat, there are several schools of thought.

The stain on the chrome? I'd start with a good metal polish. You might find something that won't leave marks in chrome in the car wash supplies.
Whatever you decide on, try it in a hard to see spot first.

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DragBikeMike

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Re: Cleaning Tips Needed
Reply #3 - 09/14/22 at 18:34:34

I suspect that you have or used to have a problem with the overflow/vent on your battery. Mine had exactly the same damage on the belt guard when I first got it. The PO had installed a new battery and pinched off the puke tube. Acid dribbled out and damaged the belt guard, just like yours. No amount of polishing will take the blemishes off.

The acid also got on the belt and pulley, and on the surfaces under the pulley cover.

I suggest you check your battery. If you have a standard battery with a puke tube, make sure it's not pinched or obstructed. If you have an AGM battery or a Lithium-Ion battery, no problem. Clean up all the corroded areas with baking soda & water, then rinse thoroughly and dry.

Your swingarm and left passenger peg look like they might have been douched with acid too. Is the right passenger peg similar to your left passenger peg?

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Cleaning Tips Needed Reply #4 - 09/15/22 at 17:00:06 Mmmm, aciid, harsh..
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Tocsik Serious Thumper Offline the singularity Posts: 1140 Denver, CO Gender:	Re: Cleaning Tips Needed Reply #5 - 09/16/22 at 06:52:20 Second pic def looks like battery acid overflow. And it's in the right spot for our bike. You can sand it smooth, hit it with a good bonding primer and rattle-can it black or even try the chrome looking spray paint. Could be worth it before replacing. Try the Marketplace here, too. You may find a take-off belt guard for sale.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28384 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Cleaning Tips Needed Reply #6 - 09/16/22 at 10:22:10 Learned this from a local bike show... Lemon scented furniture polish works great on nearly every surface. ...and yer' bike smells so nice you'll want to bite it.
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BinMD YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 11 Maryland, USA Gender:	Re: Cleaning Tips Needed Reply #7 - 09/19/22 at 06:40:59 I would give Turtle Wax chrome polish and rust remover a try on the belt guard (or anywhere else for that matter). It has just enough abrasive and will shine like mad. You may even find that it will remove those surface discolorations from the aluminum
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SpamyToo

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Re: Cleaning Tips Needed
Reply #8 - 09/19/22 at 11:34:11

I use 00 (fine) steel wool on all my chrome. Works awesome.

If its a painted surface I use just washing machine detergent and water to wash.

Bare aluminum can be made super clean with a butyl cleaner. But it will oxidize after so you need to rinse super good and either wire brush, steel wool and maybe coat afterwards.

Thats what I do.

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Cleaning Tips Needed
Reply #9 - 09/19/22 at 17:07:27

Chrome can stand a brass brush. Don't trust the color, use a magnet. Buster Brown shoes used to keep them in stock. A bit bigger than a fingernail brush.
I've used quadruple ought steel wool on things but only after I tried everything else.
Try every test in a hard to see spot.
The brown stuff, can you feel it like with a fingernail?
If the chrome was attacked by battery acid and something In the chrome reacted with the acid, that's probably not rubbing out. IDK if that is even possible,
A little battery acid, trip to the junkyard,,??

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