secret polish??

[chopshop]

Hey guys/gals, I have an 03 800 summit with a real oxidized tunnel. I have seen some sleds on here that blow my mind how shiney they are. Is there a secret aluminum polish that works the oxidization out and brings the shine in without using a portable wheel polisher. I have tried mothers aluminum polish and hellbow grease, not bad but not good enough. I want a mirror finish, any help with this would be awesome.
Thanks

 

[Summitric]

hey guys/gals, i have an 03 800 summit with a real oxidized tunnel. I have seen some sleds on here that blow my mind how shiney they are. Is there a secret aluminum polish that works the oxidization out and brings the shine in without using a portable wheel polisher. I have tried mothers aluminum polish and hellbow grease, not bad but not good enough. I want a mirror finish, any help with this would be awesome.
Thanks

mothers power ball works awesome..........

 

[chopshop]

mothers power ball works awesome..........

I have tried it but that foam just tears apart when it hits the rivits and floor boards. I think the only way is to use elbow grease.

 

[Crazy8]

I wet sanded mine with WD-40 and 2000 grit sandpaper. Not a real heavy sanding, just enough to remove the oxidation. Then I hit it with a powerball and liquid polish. Turned out a lot better than expected. I did a test piece under the seat first just to be sure. After polish just buffed it for a bit and looks good. Sorry don't have any pics right now, maybe later.

 

[DUSTINSPELLMAN]

F1 polish they have 3 stages course, medium and fine. did it on my new D8 and it looks like i got it polished by sumone
great product easy to use with not using alot of elbow grease, i used a orbital polisher tho.
to get best results wet sand first the start in stages course, med, fine. works very well on an older tunnels

 

[skibeadoo]

Have you done a search on polishing yet? There has been many other threads on here that you can do a search on under polish.

 

[E-Zmoke]

Autosol Metal Polish...it's expensive but does the trick. I use it on anything and everything that needs to be polished. Did 8 trucks this breakup rims and fuel tanks and anything else chrome. Had some left over, did my sled. Best way is to use the finest paper you can get and WD 40 whatever your sanding, wipe it dry with paper towel. Then use the Mothers powerballs on the biggest drill you can get and use as much Autosol you can afford. You will go through a few powerballs I use them till thier is nothing left of them. Buy a couple small ones and the large one. NOTE Very Very messy and time consuming. Worth it in the end.

 

[powder junkie]

the only real way and proper way is to sand then buff wit course, med and fine jewlers rouge's. on a electric polisher(hand polish in tight areas). ive tried diff ways polishing my sled, pickup, kenworth and thats the best way to get a long lastn clear glossy shine (i still havent mastered it yet lol). pm boydo. ive seen his work. my 2 cents is that its easier to pay a guy to do it if u seen how much work it is.

 

[Ridin High]

Everybody has different ways of polishing aluminum, and really its more of what you prefer to a point as well. i have polished alot of snowmobiles, and have tried pretty much ever polish on the market. Some work better then others. i can get mine like a mirror finish, just like im sure others can too. If the condition of your tunnel is fairly rough start by using a low number grit sand paper, to high number and wet sand it. Finishing should be around the 1500-2000 Grit point. then start with your sleect polish. hope this will get ya started!

 

[boydo]

quick tip for all... powerball works great.....not to polish a new or oxidized tunnel or any aluminum that has not been worked over at least once with polishing wheels. you can get it to a awesome shine but whats your time worth? it takes me probably 50 to 90% less time than you guys playin with a powerball and misc wax/hand polish products to get the same results! im not knockin the do it yourselfer but polishing is a shitty task at the best time! and i know! going on 17 plus years as a full time job! just think about your costs:10 to 40 bucks for polish, 0 to 25 for fancy rags(or old shirts) and then labour. so guesstimate 40 bucks hard costs and then time. i charge 150 a tunnel, sides,footgrips,bumper, top of tunnel, its complete! so for 150 bucks on a $2000 to a $kys the limit inve$tment...........?!

 

[polarice]

quick tip for all... powerball works great.....not to polish a new or oxidized tunnel or any aluminum that has not been worked over at least once with polishing wheels. you can get it to a awesome shine but whats your time worth? it takes me probably 50 to 90% less time than you guys playin with a powerball and misc wax/hand polish products to get the same results! im not knockin the do it yourselfer but polishing is a shitty task at the best time! and i know! going on 17 plus years as a full time job! just think about your costs:10 to 40 bucks for polish, 0 to 25 for fancy rags(or old shirts) and then labour. so guesstimate 40 bucks hard costs and then time. i charge 150 a tunnel, sides,footgrips,bumper, top of tunnel, its complete! so for 150 bucks on a $2000 to a $kys the limit inve$tment...........?!

yeah but what do you use for the mirror like results
with out giving your secrets away

 

[ardypol]

quick tip for all... powerball works great.....not to polish a new or oxidized tunnel or any aluminum that has not been worked over at least once with polishing wheels. you can get it to a awesome shine but whats your time worth? it takes me probably 50 to 90% less time than you guys playin with a powerball and misc wax/hand polish products to get the same results! im not knockin the do it yourselfer but polishing is a shitty task at the best time! and i know! going on 17 plus years as a full time job! just think about your costs:10 to 40 bucks for polish, 0 to 25 for fancy rags(or old shirts) and then labour. so guesstimate 40 bucks hard costs and then time. i charge 150 a tunnel, sides,footgrips,bumper, top of tunnel, its complete! so for 150 bucks on a $2000 to a $kys the limit inve$tment...........?!

That's a great price, if you do consider the cost of supplies alone!

 

[Ridin High]

I will match that $150.00 per sled!

 

[Catman10]

I am getting mine proffesionally polished on Sunday I will post pics on the 174 project under the arctic cat posting, see what you think, he quoted me $80.00 per sled and we are doing 3 of them.

 

[Summitric]

i am getting mine proffesionally polished on sunday i will post pics on the 174 project under the arctic cat posting, see what you think, he quoted me $80.00 per sled and we are doing 3 of them.

someone in red deer?

 

[powder junkie]

sounds too good to be true. lol but if he does good work then rite on. cant wait for the pics.

 

[skibeadoo]

please do not say it is Albrite. Dont believe anything he says. Be very cautious about the lies. Just take care of yourself. Once the job is done it will be good but a whole bunch of hassle and bs. Not worth the good job in the end.

 

[0neoldfart]

Polishing by hand, I've found that Busch metal polish is best, followed by Magic Metal Mix (which is available at a lot of truck stops (ie: Nisku.) It cuts the oxidization quickly, leaves damn near a mirror finish. If you want great results, wet sand first.

 

[Modman]

Just remember if you polish it, you have to keep it polished. LOL

 

[chopshop]

OK so I found the best way to remove oxidation, went to canadian tire and bought GREASED LIGHTNING alluminum cleaner. It comes in a spray bottle and is orange in colour. sprayed it on the whole tunnel than aggitated it with green scoth brite pad and ***BAM***. Whole tunnel was white and super clean. After it was dried off I used a magic Blue metal polish and got at it with a power ball (well actually 3, due to rivits and snow stoppers) I am super impressed. It shines like crazy almost mirror finish in the tough to get spots but the rest of the long flat asreas its awesome. Thanks to everybody with your help.
nate