| Author | Message | ||
     Desertfox |
I did something dumb  I noticed some scratches in what the harley guys call the Derby Cover. I thought to myself, "Hey, I can just buff some of those minor scratches out with the high grit sandpaper." I didn't realize how easily destroyed chrome plating is. So, 2 questions. Is there a way to polish it? and if not, will a sportster part from the same year/displacement fit? Oh, also, thanks to whoever wrote up the X1 Files. I did an oil change recently and upgraded to one of the large filters in the text. | ||
| Rich |
2 answers. No and yes. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I suspect - but I could be wrong - that your derby cover is not chrome, but polished aluminum. Chrome: "flat" and shiny. Polished aluminum: "deeper", and shiny. If that makes sense. But I don't recall Buell putting chrome much of anywhere other than 98-earlier shifter and brake levers, and triple-tree bolts. If you have patience, you can polish anything. They DID polish turds on Mythbusters, after all. That said, go to a GOOD automotive supply house, or a paint shop, and get a progression of rubbing and polising compounds. Start with the coarsest, get the finish to even out as much as it will, go one grade finer, even the finish out again, go another grade finer, etc. Eventually you'll have a finish you can shave in....but it takes time, and about six or eight different levels of compound. | ||
| Desertfox |
Wow, I'm tempted to try the polishing just for the experience. But it would definitely be cheaper to just buy a new part if that many compounds are needed. | ||
| Jramsey |
Derby covers are powder coated either polished clear or black. Use 240 wet/dry paper to remove clear coat,next 320,400,600 then your favorite Aluminum polish with a buffing wheel if you have one. Shouldn't take more than an hour by hand or 30 minutes with a buffing wheel. | ||
| Terrycoxusa |
You can't polish scratches out of chrome. It's a very thin layer and once it's scratched, that's it. You can polish off surface rust with some simichrome or fine polishing agent. As far as whether it's chrome or polished aluminum, try a magnet. Chrome plating is usually, but not always, applied to a steel part. | ||
| Andymnelson |
lol, yes you can polish chrome. That's how it got shiny in the first place! Chrome is pretty dull once the plating process is finished, then it get polished. | ||
| Skntpig |
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/14-Piece-Aluminum-P olishing-Buffing-Kit-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3 5abe4cca9QQitemZ230517165225QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomoti veQ5fTools Not the seller but you should just buy a kit and try it. Just don't get addicted like I did. |
