good way to clean the wheels & chrome?

**grantman** · 23rd July 2004, 23:38

Ive got my old GPZ to clean up and was wondering whats the best way to clean up the wheels without causing damage
Should they be sealed with somthing after cleaning (WAX? or silicone? )

whats the best thing to remove small rust spots on the header pipes?

I'm sure someone has some good tricks to tell

Cheers
Grant

**scumdog** · 24th July 2004, 00:12

Originally Posted by grantman

Ive got my old GPZ to clean up and was wondering whats the best way to clean up the wheels without causing damage
Should they be sealed with somthing after cleaning (WAX? or silicone? )

whats the best thing to remove small rust spots on the header pipes?

I'm sure someone has some good tricks to tell

Cheers
Grant

If they are alloy I would lightly sand them with 1200 wet&dry using CRC or similar, them use cutting compound, then Autosol with a meat-bag type cloth to finish off, they should look real smart by then, if they look o.k. I would polish them with any good wax to keep them shiney.
As far as any rusty/pitted chrome, use steel-wool with CRC, them Autosol rubbed on with crumpled fine tin-foil (cigarette packet type etc) and again finish with wax, it all worked o.k. for me.

**Kickaha** · 24th July 2004, 07:49

Originally Posted by grantman

Ive got my old GPZ to clean up and was wondering whats the best way to clean up the wheels without causing damage
Should they be sealed with somthing after cleaning (WAX? or silicone? )

whats the best thing to remove small rust spots on the header pipes?

I'm sure someone has some good tricks to tell

Cheers
Grant

I always found the best was to clean them,was to pay someone else to do it!

the tips scumdog gave are all good and autosol is a good polish,the wax afterwards helps protect the finish and stop corrosion,we recommend that for any chrome/polished alloy finish.

Small polishing flaps on a electric/air drill can be a good time saver.

**pete376403** · 24th July 2004, 15:37

Always worth finishing chrome with a good coat of wax. Chrome plate is porous and water does get through - thats why rust forms under chrome and causes it to lift. Good quality chrome plating (ie like nothing out of a bike factory) overcomes this by triple plating - copper, then nickel and finally chrome. This, plus the preparation, is why show-quality chroming costs. Obviously the factories aren't into this, hence crappy chrome that starts rusting as you wheel the bike out of the showroom

**Mongoose** · 24th July 2004, 16:41

Originally Posted by grantman

Ive got my old GPZ to clean up and was wondering whats the best way to clean up the wheels without causing damage
Should they be sealed with somthing after cleaning (WAX? or silicone? )

whats the best thing to remove small rust spots on the header pipes?

I'm sure someone has some good tricks to tell

Cheers
Grant

They be alloy rims, aint they? Be careful with what you use on the alloy, some commercial cleaner is farkin harsh to say the least. Best method is lts of TIME. Good old hot water and soaps to start with, once you have the dirty stuff moved on, I would opt for the very fine paper, if they are that bad, if not spend more time with the Autosol. This takes time alrighty but the finish is great. Car wax to finish to protect the alloy because after a good polish the alloy oxydises real quickly

**FROSTY:Me** · 24th July 2004, 16:56

and we clean bikes why??? :spudwhat:
so thats why my spokes on my 10 speed bicycle rusted away

Seriously dude I use autosol and on bad stuff Ive used a mini sand blaster

**sporty03** · 24th July 2004, 17:59

Originally Posted by Mongoose

They be alloy rims, aint they? Be careful with what you use on the alloy, some commercial cleaner is farkin harsh to say the least. Car wax to finish to protect the alloy because after a good polish the alloy oxydises real quickly

I get jewellers rouge from a buddy in the truck supply business. The truckies use it to polish up their rigs. It comes in 3 grades and the finest one leaves a surface like a mirror. As stated by Mongoose, time and more time with elbow grease to match is the key.
Happy rubbing

**grantman** · 24th July 2004, 20:52

Thanks for the advice

sounds like i will be rubbing and scrubbing for a while

Cheers
Grantman

**wari** · 24th July 2004, 23:21

DAng ... I was hoping for a secrit miracle wipe on wipe off cure ...

LB · 26th July 2004, 05:39

Originally Posted by grantman

Ive got my old GPZ to clean up and was wondering whats the best way to clean up the wheels without causing damage
Should they be sealed with somthing after cleaning (WAX? or silicone? )

whats the best thing to remove small rust spots on the header pipes?

I'm sure someone has some good tricks to tell

Cheers
Grant

G'day there - I suspect that this may not be too much use to you Grant, but I find a husband is very good for keeping my bikes clean.

**grantman** · 26th July 2004, 20:05

Hi Lynda
NO my wife wont clean my bike for me

She wont even let me put some of the parts in the dishwasher ! ! !

(I think it would make a good job of things)

Cheers
Grant

**scumdog** · 9th August 2004, 01:16

Originally Posted by grantman

Hi Lynda
NO my wife wont clean my bike for me

She wont even let me put some of the parts in the dishwasher ! ! !

(I think it would make a good job of things)

Cheers
Grant

The dishwashers are MAGIC but don't let your Doris catch you though!!

Soaking rusty brackets/fittings etc in a mixture of mollasses(25%) & water (75%) for 2-3 days cleans up the rust pretty good too.l

**toads** · 11th August 2004, 19:41

kerosoene works a treat too as well as autosol

**FROSTY:Me** · 12th August 2004, 12:49

Grantman -a lil trick I learned. For fork legs and a lot of the chrome work is one of those black paint stripper wheels on the ol lekkie drill.theyre a plastic compound with abrasive on them
It will clean up the old varnish as well as cleaning down to bare alloy/chrome -the finish you get isn't 100% but it saves so much time and most of the backbreaking effort.

**Mongoose** · 12th August 2004, 14:58

Originally Posted by XJ/FROSTY

Grantman -a lil trick I learned. For fork legs and a lot of the chrome work is one of those black paint stripper wheels on the ol lekkie drill.theyre a plastic compound with abrasive on them
It will clean up the old varnish as well as cleaning down to bare alloy/chrome -the finish you get isn't 100% but it saves so much time and most of the backbreaking effort.

Hmmmmm, are you sure? Seems a wee bitty on the harsh side to me, unless the chrome is totally stuffed and you are trying to polish the bare metal to get the hint of a gleam.