polishing aluminum lower forks
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 172
Likes: 14
From: Mid-Missouri
polishing aluminum lower forks
Has anyone polished the aluminum lower forks on a Heritage to make them shine like chrome? What process of sanding and polishing did you use? Were you satisfied with end result? Thanks
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,379
Likes: 226
I've done it all by hand in my garage for my last 3 bikes.
I remove the fender and wheel and install the axle to keep the fork tubes aligned.
Dry sand starting with 200 grit, 300, then 400, then wet sand with 600 and 800.
from there I wet sand with #1, #0, #000 steel wool dipped in Flitz metal polish.
Very happy with the results.
Takes a solid day to do both legs. But once they are done, it is very easy to maintain. When the bike gets cleaned, I just run over the legs with Flitz and the #000 steel wool and it really makes them gleam.
I remove the fender and wheel and install the axle to keep the fork tubes aligned.
Dry sand starting with 200 grit, 300, then 400, then wet sand with 600 and 800.
from there I wet sand with #1, #0, #000 steel wool dipped in Flitz metal polish.
Very happy with the results.
Takes a solid day to do both legs. But once they are done, it is very easy to maintain. When the bike gets cleaned, I just run over the legs with Flitz and the #000 steel wool and it really makes them gleam.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: On the shores of the Big Frozen Pond
Like 89FLHT said. You can use a drill and buffing pad once you get to that point. I used the white and brown rouge. They still sparkle. I use Mothers Metal Polish to keep em shining.
To me it was worth it.
DaFish
To me it was worth it.
DaFish
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 3
From: Sevierville, TN
Here is how I have done the last couple of bikes I have had. Remove fender, strip clearcoat off with a chemical paint stripper, wet sand starting with 400 grit, 600grit, 800 grit and finish sanding with 1500 grit. You can do this by hand but on areas not so tight I cheated and used a palm sander with a spray bottle. Then I attached a 4" sewn polishing wheel to my drill using a long bolt and some washers and buffed it using Flitz metal polish. And afterwards just touch up every three months or so with either aluminum tool box polish, Flitz or Brasso. Takes about 5 hours from taking off the fender to riding. Absolutely no regrets, get some beer turn on some tunes and get started!
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
sanded wet with 800, 1200, 2000, ultra fine, then mothers power cone or ball on power drill ( cordless didn't work as well...not enough speed/heat) using aluminium polish then regular polish.....result: not chrome but vast improvement & looks like it from 15 foot away, don't rush it, each step done well makes for a better finish.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Its worth the effort, looks good. Use the paint thinner method then start with 400 grit up to 2000. Mother Al polish works great.
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