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CVO Technical => Cleaning/Detailing => Topic started by: joejoebobo on February 07, 2023, 04:51:29 PM
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I feel a little hesitant to post this as I feel as though everyone may have known about this already. Bottom line up front: I dry rubbed all my chrome with 0000 steel wool and now my bike shines more than I ever remembered it.
Detailing my bike the other day, I noticed that my chrome just wasn’t sparkling like it used to. I tried Capt Richards, Bug Slide, HD Chrome polish, Rubbing Alcohol, Acetone and no matter the method, I wasn’t seeing a difference… no scratches, just dullness. I would rub my finger along the heat shields and just feel (and hear) the grittiness from road gunk. I took to Google (something I don’t know why I never researched before) and looked for basic chrome cleaning and came across this video from V&H (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3kR3Uekw2U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3kR3Uekw2U)). Here, they showed before/after using 0000 steel wool. WTF?? I never imaged taking steel wool to anything chrome as I assumed it’d scratch the sh!t out of it… but there was proof.
I decided to go remove one of my saddlebags and found a nice part of my muffler that wasn’t exposed in the event this experiment was a mistake. Around 2 hours later, every bit of chrome on my bike was sparking like a mirror in the sun. All the pitting, grit and dullness was gone and NO MICRO SCRATCHES AT ALL. I brought it out in the sun and shined a light on every angle possible looking for scratches – nothing. Running my finger along the chrome and it felt like glass. I ran over and grabbed my neighbor to tell him about it (20+ year motorcycle cop) to which he replied, don’t ever f#cking take steel wool to your chrome. I left a little spot under my other saddlebag for him to see with his own eyes… that’s all it took.
You all might already know this little trick, but I feel as though I want to share with the entire world. If this is news to you… give it a shot and thank me later.
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:worthless:
Congratulations. I'm reminded that a wadded ball of aluminum foil works very well, too. :2vrolijk_21:
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Glad you discovered another use for that stuff. I bought a used bike 3 years ago and the PO had melted a vinyl engine cover in places on the exhaust. WD-40 and 0000 steel wool took care of it.
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0000 works great on GLASS windshields. I wouldn't use it on our plastic bike windshields.
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That sounds great if the 0000 steel wool works for you but it would be interesting to see the chrome after this application under fluorescent light.
Not picking just my observation. :2vrolijk_21:
I would have though anything other than a non abrasive cleaner and microfiber towel (with all tags removed) would be the best to clean chrome.
I use either a quick detailer or Glass cleaner for general detailing or chrome cream to remove tar and baked on bugs followed by the before mentioned cleaners but only after a wash with Meguires Gold Class detergent.
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Chrome is a coating, just like paint. No long term good will come from using an abrasive item on chrome. You need to look at it under a reflection light or small cheap magnifying glass. No matter what the number steel wool scratches and starts the breakdown of the chrome. I personally haven't used any of the products you describe but I recommend a dedicated chrome cleaner/polish like Mothers or Meguairs. If they are really grimy and have brake dust and tar then definitely use Iron-X, it will clean all the metallic scum safely. After getting them clean use a drying aid like P&S Beadmaker or Obsessed Garage after washing, every time. This will guarantee no water spots and leave the chrome so slick that build-up will not occur in the future.
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I never tried the steel wool but my go to is Nevr-Dull, I had some burnt on rainsuit on my heat shield before, nothing would take it completely off, when I got home I broke out the Nevr-Dull and boom shiny as can be again.
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I use it to get melted stuff off pipes. Spray a little WD40 and use the 0000.
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Today’s bath
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Derby cover
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I have used ultra fine steel wool - sparingly - to spot clean something burnt onto a muffler, etc. Key word is - sparingly - & always with something liquid like lots of soap or wax to minimize any scratching. As soon as the gunk began to give way I would switch to a microfiber & then that microfiber became an oil rag or a shop rag. 20 or so years back a friend was using 0000 steel wool to clean his wheels. Did this for a while - maybe 1 1/2 or 2 years. After the chrome gave way he was left with spotty unchromed wheels. He was quite displeased. Lots of great cleaners are out there. Have found that waxing or polishing chrome makes it easier to clean, just like waxing/polishing the painted parts. Works for me. Your results, as the ads say, may vary.
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Flintz works good.
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good old copper penny has been used on my chrome for over 40 years