sraft

....getting tendonitis in the shoulder and elbow?

I've got the calipers/rotors/shocks removed and I figure this is a good time to pretty up the aluminum bits and pieces. I've tried Simple Green, Comet, and a couple other degreasers, but none of them work without heavy doses of elbow grease. Has anyone found a combination of cleaner & brushes (steel, brass, nylon) that they can recommend?

Steve

c4cruiser

Simple Green in a 50-50 mix and a Scotch-Brite pad works pretty good for me. Just remember to rinse the Simple Green off completely. If you want a nicel satin finish right off, try Brillo pads. I try to keep my elbows iced down with a Bud can or 3 :cheers:

It's lots of work to begin, but once you have the components clean, the maintenance part is pretty easy.

rocco16

I use the Scotch-Brite, but with dish soap/water. You could use Fantastic or 409 as well.

For heavy deposits of grease (around ball joints, etc.) use the soap with a parts-cleaning brush.

Larry
code5coupe

:seeya :seeya

Tolofou

mineral sprits and detail brush...

sraft

Anyone tried the citrus based cleaners?

stinger95

I've had great results with Simple Green and a tooth brush.

edsalinas

Here's an alternate approch for you. Take the aluminum pieces to the plating shop and have them polished. Or set yourself up with a buffing wheel on a strong stand. There is a compound you can buy in block form, I should find out what it is in a day or so, when I do I'll post it.

After they're done, the parts look like they've been chromed.

:party: on..............

CentralCoaster

brass brush for the caked on stuff,

syn steel wool + WD40 for the corrosion,

finish off with a rag and more WD40 :yesnod:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

CMYC4GO

Get yourself some good aluminum brightener. Eagle One Mag Cleaner is a pretty good store brand. Get the Eagle One for machined/uncoated/unpolished wheels. Spray it on, let it sit for 30 seconds, and spray it off. You'll be amazed at what your aluminum parts will look like :thumbs: Also, you can go to a Semi-Trailer dealer, and get aluminum brightner by the gallon, but it's not dilluted, so you have to mix it yourself with water, but that way you can mix it to the strengh that you desire. Wish I had some pics of mine. I use it on everything aluminum (except wheels) including in the engine compartment. :seeya

champ53

[quote]brass brush for the caked on stuff,

syn steel wool + WD40 for the corrosion,

finish off with a rag and more WD40 :yesnod:

Dude! That's sick! :eek:

:thumbs: :cool:

Jules :flag


[Modified by Mr Mojo, 10:24 PM 4/15/2003]

Steel Blue 91

As an alternative, I've been toying with the idea of one of the household steam machines to clean those nasty parts. Has anyone tried that approach and which one have you tried?

beachcat

Nice job, they look like mine, except for the spacers. I did my calipers the same color. I used Simple Green, 3M pads, Castrol purple stuff, etc...
Course, once you get it cleaned up, touch up is cake.

Raidmagic

Central Coaster How do those spacers look with the wheels on? Are they obvious? I'm changing my wheels soon and thought of the 2000's but was worried about the use of the spacer. Suspension looks great :cool: that's next on my list.

CentralCoaster

Steve,

The spacers are very noticeable with the wheels on. I was considering painting them semi-flat black to help blend them in with the rotor, but I wouldve had to rough up the surface to get a good paint job.

For now, i'll stay with the machined look, because once I sand them and paint them, I can't really go back. It would beter if the wheels were machined alum also. Fortunately though, the diameter of the adapter isn't larger than the diameter of the wheel mounting surface. That wouldn't look good. Here's a closeup pic with the wheels on.

96CollectorLT4

Busch Aluminum Wash....great stuff. Spray on let sit for 2 min. rinse off and you get nice clean alum. then polish to look like chrome if you want.

Gar

96collectorlt4 your under hood pic is awesome. I had to laugh at this thread cause I just spent the last three hours polishing and shining under mine! :lol: :crazy: Vette people gotta love em! :chevy I used Whistle and brushes then eagle one nevr-dull. Works great once ya get everything clean. finished off with trim detail cream.

Mr Mojo

I believe it's called Wenol

edsalinas

Is that the name of it? You would start with the brown bar on a specific type of wheel, then switch to the white bar on a buffer wheel.

I just called Tucson Abrasives. The bars (compound) are made by "Tripoli".
Then the buffers are made of cloth, the first one is called a cutting buff, it's gray in color and feels very stiff, 16 ply 8". The final is white, somewhat soft.


[Modified by edsalinas, 2:49 PM 4/16/2003]

chilihed'95coupe

If the parts are already off the car, you can have them sandblasted, then go over them with a wire wheel, and scotch brite pad. Makes the parts look like brand spankin new.

Torch Red

MagikDraggin told me about Wenol ... it is nice on the alluminum and cast stuff. I am using it in my engine compartment. Makes some of the parts clean as new if not better ...

The small stuff I use a dremmel...