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Help polishing forks

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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 04:08 PM
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98 Heritage N.Indiana's Avatar
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Default Help polishing forks

I recently sanded and polished my lower fork legs on my 98 heritage. looked awesome in the garage but i wheeled it outside today and it looks like crap. i can see all the scratches. not sure what i did wrong. i used 150,250,400,800,1000,1200,2000 then finished with 3000. i started to wet sand with the 800. any suggestions? i used blue magic metal polish to polish them after all the sanding. Im kinda bummed any advice would be great. thanks
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 04:18 PM
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A buddy of mine polished his 99' FXST lower legs. I think he used a buffing wheel on a drill to finish them and keep em looking like chrome.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 04:32 PM
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You probably just over did it with the lower grits and the higher grits just never got the scratches out...I'd start over at around 800 and spend more and more time on each grot till you get to the 3000. Then polish
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 07:02 PM
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DarkTrak is right. I started to make the same mistake and realized what was happening. 150 is too aggressive. Using paint remover first gets rid of the clear coat better then lower grit paper.

Test in a spot that is obviously rough looking. Try 800. If that does not get rid of the deeper scratches then 400 will. Then work your way back to 2000.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 08:40 PM
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Thanks for the advice guys. ill try it out tomorrow and let you know how it works out
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 11:20 PM
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Patience....paitence, I did mine but started at 600, then 800 etc, wet with dishwashing soap & water, always running in the same direction then finished with mothers aluminium polish & a mothers power cone.
 
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 11:32 PM
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Yep, my buddy swears by mothers aluminium polish.
 
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Old Jan 11, 2011 | 09:16 AM
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Any pics of this done????
 
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Old Jan 11, 2011 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by coronerrpm
Any pics of this done????
Looks like polished aluminum. Not as shiny as chrome, but much better then the clear coat imo. Also, if you get a nick or scratch on the forks - you just sand and polish that spot out. Cant do that with chrome. lol

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...nd-pads-3.html

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/chass...ml#post5324986
 
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Old Jan 11, 2011 | 10:25 AM
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ill take some pics when i get it done hoping i can get it done today
 
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