Best Cleaners?

Tiki
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Tiki
Edited Date/Time 1/24/2012 2:14am
Doing a frame up in the next week or so. Cleaning out all the gunk that has built up over the past year. Besides pro-clean, mr. clean, sos pads and scotchbrite anyone know some good liquid cleaners that will eat dirt stains on aluminum? Want to bring the bike back to shiny fresh. Wanted to see if I was missing anything.
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cougar1
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cougar1 5/8/2009 5:26pm
5/8/2009 5:26pm
simple green
Motojunky
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Motojunky 5/8/2009 5:34pm
5/8/2009 5:34pm
The best aluminum polish i have ever seen is Wenol,{available at most harley shops}, I have used just about every kind of polish , but nothing even comes close to the shine you get. It comes in a tube like toothpaste.
cjmx
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cjmx 5/8/2009 5:55pm
5/8/2009 5:55pm
PJ1 Super Cleaner Degreaser
ninety3
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ninety3 5/8/2009 6:57pm
5/8/2009 6:57pm
cjmx wrote:
PJ1 Super Cleaner Degreaser
+1
Scotchbrite with that stuff will save you a lot of time.

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CamP
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CamP 5/8/2009 8:51pm
5/8/2009 8:51pm
Dirt stains on aluminum are usually permanent. A lot of dirt is caustic so the best way to avoid dirt stains is to clean your bike the same day you ride. If you wait days or weeks later, you'll often ruin the raw aluminum finishes on your bike. I use Shout when I clean because it's cheap, does a great job, and will never etch metal like many other cleaners. I recently saw a factory mechanic using shout to clean his rider's bike so I guess the word is finally getting out.
ninety3
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ninety3 5/8/2009 9:29pm
5/8/2009 9:29pm
Good info Cam, I've bought 2 used bikes that were pretty badly stained, sucks to have to clean up after others.
Never tried Shout, will pick some up and try it, thanks for the tip.
fcr
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fcr 5/8/2009 9:49pm
5/8/2009 9:49pm
I was watching Byrners mech clean his bike yesterday and he was using a green liquid, He seemed busy so I didn't ask. It looked like prestone in coloure.
newmann
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newmann 5/8/2009 9:54pm
5/8/2009 9:54pm
Aluminum mag wheel cleaner in a spray bottle will usually contain a phosphoric acid that works excellent on aluminum frames and raw metal exhaust pipes with a light scotch brite pad. Don't want to get it on any magnesium parts or anodized aluminum components. Automotive paint supply stores have the good stuff though for prepping bare steel and aluminum for refinishing. Cleans the metals very very well.
williamsmotowerx 5/8/2009 11:40pm
5/8/2009 11:40pm
go buy a sandblaster with a little hopper on it. I've seen them at Menards and Home Depot for $30.

Fill it with ordinary baking soda and be amazed!
Highsider
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Highsider 5/9/2009 8:45am
5/9/2009 8:45am
williamsmotowerx wrote:
go buy a sandblaster with a little hopper on it. I've seen them at Menards and Home Depot for $30. Fill it with ordinary baking soda...
go buy a sandblaster with a little hopper on it. I've seen them at Menards and Home Depot for $30.

Fill it with ordinary baking soda and be amazed!
Really? This may be the tip-for-the year!
Cygnus
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Cygnus 5/9/2009 10:03am
5/9/2009 10:03am
Magic erasers kick ass! Take the dirt stains right off plastic and aluminum.
Tiki
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Tiki 5/9/2009 11:04am
5/9/2009 11:04am
williamsmotowerx wrote:
go buy a sandblaster with a little hopper on it. I've seen them at Menards and Home Depot for $30. Fill it with ordinary baking soda...
go buy a sandblaster with a little hopper on it. I've seen them at Menards and Home Depot for $30.

Fill it with ordinary baking soda and be amazed!
Highsider wrote:
Really? This may be the tip-for-the year!
+1 Thanks Jesse
ACMYERS
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ACMYERS 5/9/2009 11:14am
5/9/2009 11:14am Edited Date/Time 5/9/2009 11:15am
Tiki wrote:
Doing a frame up in the next week or so. Cleaning out all the gunk that has built up over the past year. Besides pro-clean, mr...
Doing a frame up in the next week or so. Cleaning out all the gunk that has built up over the past year. Besides pro-clean, mr. clean, sos pads and scotchbrite anyone know some good liquid cleaners that will eat dirt stains on aluminum? Want to bring the bike back to shiny fresh. Wanted to see if I was missing anything.
Alumilux. Used to clean aluminum before welding. It removes all contaminants...Then Mothers mag aluminum polish and a high speed applicator. Spray on the alumilux and watch it bubble. Wait a few minutes and power wash it off...Looks like new.
xnationalwrench 5/9/2009 5:20pm
5/9/2009 5:20pm
When I worked for Richard at Thor Racing he used a acid dip to clean the swingarms with, he told me if you needed just a little go to a truck detailer and they use it on tanker trucks to make them shine
CamP
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CamP 5/9/2009 5:28pm
5/9/2009 5:28pm
xnationalwrench wrote:
When I worked for Richard at Thor Racing he used a acid dip to clean the swingarms with, he told me if you needed just a...
When I worked for Richard at Thor Racing he used a acid dip to clean the swingarms with, he told me if you needed just a little go to a truck detailer and they use it on tanker trucks to make them shine
Those acid washes will ruin a new transporter fast.
xnationalwrench 5/9/2009 8:21pm
5/9/2009 8:21pm
After we dipped the swingarms we washed them with water and used a scrubb brush and they always looked very pretty
mosslander
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mosslander 5/11/2009 3:08pm
5/11/2009 3:08pm
I'm using aceton it's great on aluminium.
bogdan912
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bogdan912 5/12/2009 7:27am
5/12/2009 7:27am
I am going to try this baking soda blaster trick.

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AMA714
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AMA714 5/12/2009 7:41am
5/12/2009 7:41am
When I lived in Canada we had a product called spray nine. It never etched the aluminum but you did not want to leave it on painted parts. I have not seen it here in the US. It is a great cleaner / degreaser and I'm addicted to the smell...
bogdan912
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bogdan912 5/12/2009 11:54am
5/12/2009 11:54am
You can get Spray Nine at Boaters World.
AMA714
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AMA714 5/12/2009 12:33pm
5/12/2009 12:33pm
thanks Bog

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