[MAD]

Hey guys,

I have a aluminium bullbar and roll bar on my hilux and whilst i can get it looking bloody awesome with some fine steelwool and metal polish, (+ a couple hours )i cant seem to keep the shine for very long

It seems to go back to being dull after waters been on it, which is every morning in the winter (frost etc.)

Do you guys know any tricks or products that will seal the alu for awhile and keep the shine?

Cheers,

[Trev084]

Pig fat but I can ask what else the polisher next to us uses.

[GAMEON]

clear anodized?

[Casey-G]

Aluminum will develop an oxide layer every 10hours or so (give or take the conditions i.e: water)


Anodizing would be your best bet like poggy said, with a clear finish.

Other ways of going about might be to buy some clear coat, and when u polish it up real nice next time, clean it thoroughly with wax n grease remover, then apply the clear coat. Not sure how long/well this would last though...

Personally i would go the anodizing.

[MAD]

so anodizing would involve taking it to a pro?

just been reading this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

is it a product i can buy and do myself? or is it more of a dipping process?

[Casey-G]

It is more of a dipping process, profesh job for sure.

this is a rough pic of what happens in the process:

[MAD]

hmmm if i had to pay a pro i'd probably just buy a new bullbar with a winch.

[TERRA Operative]

Anodizing won't give you a shiny finish though. It will be a satin apperance, but be very hard wearing.

Chrome plating is probably the best long-term solution.

[moe002]

Can the chrome plating procedure work on Aluminium?

Have you thought of getting it professionally polished then clear coated?

[orangeLJ]

Use a polish like "Purple polish" or mirror finish metal polish.

Its what 90% of truckies use on their bullbars, tanks, stacks etc etc.

I use it on all the alloy and chromed steel in the torry (engine bay, wheels etc etc)

It contains some protective elements that help slow the corrosion process and help keep it shiny.

[Trev084]

I found out today that the pig fat is just for transportation, The reason that yours is probably getting dull quickly is you are using a rough material which makes the aluminium more porous, To achieve a longer period of shine you need to do the final polish with a buff and polishing pad, He said the results will last years if you give it a once over now and then with a decent aluminium polish (I think he mentioned that purple polish like Chris said).

Good luck.

[Casey-G]

Trev084, on Jun 9 2009, 08:49 PM, said:

I found out today that the pig fat is just for transportation, The reason that yours is probably getting dull quickly is you are using a rough material which makes the aluminium more porous, To achieve a longer period of shine you need to do the final polish with a buff and polishing pad, He said the results will last years if you give it a once over now and then with a decent aluminium polish (I think he mentioned that purple polish like Chris said).

Good luck.

cant believe i didn't remember all this

Your partially correct Trev084, his ally actualy goes dull so quickly because the aluminum is acting as an anode and is oxidized in preference to what it is attached to ( the chassis (cathode)). Its a redox reaction and is used on oil rigs to prevent them corroding, large cast aluminum ingots are bolted to the rigs (to prevent rig corrosion), which then oxidize and are replaced.


Here for info on the idea:

http://en.wikipedia....crificial_anode

You could (and i dont know if this will work) isolate the bullbar with bushes or somthing where it bolts on so no metal/metal contact with the chassis/bull bar is present.

all simple chemistry

Might be worth a try

[MAD]

thanks guys, will give the purple polish a crack.

looking abit dull on my roll bar so will hit it with some fine steel wool and alu polish, then chuck a grease remover over it, then hit it with purple polish. will use a fine cloth for the purple polish as putting a buffer on a round bar would be bloody hard.


i like the idea of a clearcoat, but for a 4x4 thats used offroad (SHOCK HORROR!) i think i would chip a clearcoat on my bullbar pretty easily.

my roll bar isnt incontact with the metal of the car, bullbar is mounted off my chassis.

[orangeLJ]

dont use the steel wool!

It would be leaving tiny tiny scratches all over whatever you are cleaning, and in effect creates more surface area for the oxidising process (I think that makes sense)

But yeah, steel wool may make it look pretty for a while, but in terms of what its doing to the base, its not good.

The only time I use steel wool to clean things up, is on old chrome with some surface rust spots, usually just to make them look pretty for a short period of time or to sell or whatever.

give the purple polish a whirl, or look for mirror finish (found it gives a better shine)

[MAD]

its real real fine stuff.

but ok, i'll try just the purple stuff first up

[Trev084]

Trev084, on Jun 9 2009, 08:49 PM, said:

I found out today that the pig fat is just for transportation, The reason that yours is probably getting dull quickly is you are using a rough material which makes the aluminium more porous,

orangeLJ, on Jun 10 2009, 11:32 AM, said:

dont use the steel wool!

It would be leaving tiny tiny scratches all over whatever you are cleaning, and in effect creates more surface area for the oxidising process (I think that makes sense)

Exactly.

[MAD]

searched everywhere for this purple polish u guys mentioned and im f##ked if i can find it down here.

anyway, i took a recommendation from a guy in autobarn and bought a product called brightshine, its a wadding based polish and after trying it out im really bloody happy with how it came up (a hell of alot better than the Mothers Alu polish.)

takes alot of elbow grease, but thats mainly my fault for letting it get so bad, will try to do it more often from now on.


i think the Mothers alu polish gives a slightly better finish, but its just crap at removing the oxidation so i'm going to try a combo of both over the next week on a small test bit.

[TERRA Operative]

Keep it waxed too. I have a bit of polished pipe in my engine bay (coolant pipe across the front of the cam gears) that I polished, and waxed. It's been going fine for almost a year, bare metal with wax and no rust at all.

[Pure-SX]

autosol

used meguiars prior, doesnt compare at all

[ROLANV]

was going to say autosol, thats what i use, always works wonders

[ae93_sx]

Autosol is seriously the best product out there! works a treat on stainless to. I had the stainless and alloy in my old rolla engine bay looking as good as the chrome cam covers

[16 valve]

Hi.
Don't waste your money on expensive products go to the supermarket and buy a tin of brasso works great and really cleans perspex as well.

[Casey-G]

16 valve, on Mar 2 2010, 03:32 PM, said:

Hi.
Don't waste your money on expensive products go to the supermarket and buy a tin of brasso works great and really cleans perspex as well.

I guess your info is relevant, but please in future look at the topics last post date before replying in a thread.

The only way to "prevent" aluminum from "going dull" is really to have it anodized. Raw/pure whatever you want to call it, aluminum will go dull because it reacts with tha air forming an oxide layer.

[wa5]

Mate has pretty good results on his bare metall push bar (off road buggy) by spaying INOX on it...