[Guest]

Many of the cast aluminum pieces like the stock footpeg bracket get dirty, but I can't clean the dirt off. I've tried everything from metal polish to simple green to WD40, but it's like the dirt is permanently embedded into the metal. The cast Al should look pure silver, but now it has black streaks and dots all over it. Maybe it should have been clear annodized or something, but whatever, how the heck do you restore it to its original finish?

 

[Guest]

Re: How to clean Ducati cast aluminum (No. 467)

Impurities in the metal, from the road or elsewhere, that have been oxidized in place. Got a lot of white looking stuff too?
Bead blast them and powder coat them! Or Bead blast them, polish them, then clear them.
Raw aluminum sucks like this.
Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Re: How to clean Ducati cast aluminum (CuStOm)

Try a little brake cleaner on a rag, alot of times this will work where the others wont. Just keep it away from the painted stuff!

 

[Guest]

Re: How to clean Ducati cast aluminum (Tornado-rider)

try using a bristle-brush with whatever cleaning agent you use. it'll help get into the porous surface of cast aluminum. an old toothbrush for example on smaller areas...

 

[Guest]

Re: How to clean Ducati cast aluminum (s4strati)

Ahh... oxidation. So that's what it is. I've sprayed brake cleaner onto it and used a toothbrush on it with all kinds of stuff as suggested, but it really didn't clean it up much. Like you said, it's just the nature of the metal I guess.

 

[Guest]

Re: How to clean Ducati cast aluminum (No. 467)

You can usually sand through the corrosion........ start with 400 grit and wet sand your way up to 1200 then hit it with the buffing wheel and polishing compound and you will have that bad-boy looking like chrome

 

[Guest]

you can try an acid product like "aluminum jelly" to eat out the corrosionbut polishing is the only thing that will really bring it back. If you don't want the shine, use a scotch bright wheel or pad. Don't use a wire wheel as the steel can cause more bad corrosion.

 

[Guest]

Re: (NC Rick)

if you use a pure stainless wire brush (use it only on aluminum) you can do it and not worry about it. Stainless is what I use for prepping aluminum before I weld it....but do not use it on anything but aluminum or it gets contaminated and then it will corrode the aluminum next time you use it.

 

[Guest]

try "mothers mag-aluminum polish" comes in a little round red container...used it on my swingarm, exhaust (stainless) and it comes out sweet. need some elbow grease, but worth it

 

[Guest]

I was thinking some kind of etching-type aluminum wheel cleaner would work. Just remove the parts from the bike first before clening them.

 

[Guest]

Use Bar Keepers Friend ( found at most bed an bath type stores) ...everything else is a waste of your time

 

[Guest]

Re: (Califblue)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Califblue »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Use Bar Keepers Friend ( found at most bed an bath type stores) ...everything else is a waste of your time</TD></TR></TABLE>

You should be able to find this at your local grocery store. Makes all my pots, pans and bathroom fixtures sparkle!

 

[Guest]

There is another product sold in most hardware stores. (Ace, for sure) It is called "Nice N Easy Aluminum Door Cleaner". It also cleans aluminum through the use of acid. Only, it uses some really strong acid! Be careful not to get it on your skin. It does work though. I would consider it a last resort if you can't get anything else to work.