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Custom Vehicle Discussions => Screamin' EagleĀ® Road KingĀ® => Topic started by: rasmusmi on April 24, 2004, 10:34:19 AM

Title: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: rasmusmi on April 24, 2004, 10:34:19 AM
Greetings to all, from a newbie!

My wife and I are fortunate enough to own both the 2003 FLHRSEI2 (my ride) and the 2003 FXSTDSE (my wife's ride).  Needless to say, we get a lot of attention when we ride in together! The bikes are awesome, and we have a lot of fun together (more than we used to when we rode two-up on my old 95th Anniv. Roadking).

At any rate, I was very happy to finally learn about this website devoted to CVO's only, and look forward to some great dialog in the future with other owners.

I am a detailing freak, and take particular pride and care in cleaning and poilshing our bikes.  So, with that in mind, I've got a couple questions for the Forum...

Has anyone considered (or actually done it).....having their polished disc wheels on the FLHRSERI2 chromed (or change out to matching chrome wheels)?  

The polished aluminum (esp. on the back wheel) is a pain in the "#@&" to clean and keep up!  

Also, I will not use a "paste type" poilsh to avoid scratching the surface of these wheel.....any suggestions for removing oxidation without scratching would be most appreciated!

Thanks to all who take time to respond!
Title: Re: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: JCZ on April 24, 2004, 10:39:14 PM
Roadking I just wanted to take a moment to welcome you to this site.  It moves a little slow on the weekends (we assume, because everybody is out riding [smiley=laugh.gif]) but somebody will get back to you soon.

Or, you might post this question in the forum for the Screamin Eagle Road King.  This is the picture forum here and we all know that  [smiley=worthless.gif]   [smiley=laugh.gif]
Title: Re: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: Skooby on April 25, 2004, 04:39:51 AM
Welcome to the board Roadking!   Here's my .02  I have a Sears bike lift that I use to raise my bike off the ground for cleaning.  It's nice to be able to just spin the rims for cleaning.   Also it's easier on your back over time.   In time I will be putting custom chrome wheels on my SERK but, until that time,  I just keep polishing the stock rims by hand.  I have used Mothers, Flitz and Wet Paint  on them with cotton baby diapers for a cleaning cloth or cotton facial cleansing pads that you can get in Walmart.  I don't think you will get away from having some very fine polishing scratches to some degree.  What are on my rims can only be seen from certain angles and doesn't take away from a clean, shiny polished rim.  I am considering trying jewlers rouge applied with a buffing wheel to see how that works.  It can be bought in stick form from a truck stop we have in our area.  
Title: Re: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: SERK103 on April 25, 2004, 04:23:41 PM
How about clearcoating the wheels??   i may do it.
Title: Re: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: watsot on April 27, 2004, 06:33:02 PM
I agree with skooby on the lift.Then I polish with flitz.Then seal it up with zaino and wash normaly for 6 months then repeat the process.
Title: Re: FLHRSEI2 - cleaning questions
Post by: Dave on May 04, 2004, 04:34:33 PM
I discovered that "Harley Glaze" which is designed for use on painted surfaces makes a wonderful polish for aluminum and leaves no scratch marks visible to the naked eye.  By the time I traded my FXD the aluminum shined like chrome using this stuff.  I then use a high quality carnuba wax to seal the surface from oxidation.  I know there is a clear powder coat (electrostaticly applied and baked on) which can be applied to aluminum wheels.  In fact this is the factory finish on BMW, Chevrolet, etc aluminum wheels.  So, if your looking for a clear coat try a powder coater.   The benifit to no clear coat is of course no coating to flake off.  The down side is more work to keep them polished.  But hey, I like to polish her in the middle of winter while I think about roads I will travel in the spring. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]