which clear coat for polished aluminum (reviews?)

[Forden]

Anyone have personal favorites for clearcoating polished aluminum? Quite a few options to choose from commercially. My fork legs looked so purty a few months back, and they'll polish up fine, but they are oxidizing pretty quickly. I'm also doing engine covers, so heat is a factor. Everbrite, Alumaclear, Zoops etc, who's had good experience with what? I'm guessing clear powder coat would be best but I need to save $$...
thanks all
Mike

 

[chuck hahn]

WIZARDS POWER SEAL. No clearcoating

 

[Cipher]

Even the oem clear pitted over time.
I sprayed mine a couple of times and its not worth the expense

 

[oldGSfan]

I bought a few cans of Spray Max 2K High Gloss and am very impressed. You have to push a button in the bottom of the can to activate it, and wear a good mask. It comes out beautifully and is chemical resistant. Here's a pic of my tank I did, reflecting a cloud. The tank was pretty tired looking and this stuff just pops.

 

[trevor]

Don't clear coat!! Why do you think you had to polish them in the first place? Lol

 

[Forden]

Ha ha, allright thanks guys. I'll check out the wizards.

 

[oldGSfan]

I never have had any complaints with good old Mother's mag and aluminum polish. I got a little tub of that stuff about 15 years ago and have used on many bikes, to the point where the plastic of the little tube is disintegrating but there's about 1/4 left. Good $3 investment at the time. It takes about 2 mins to rub some on there. If leaving bike outside or riding in terrible weather, maybe that's an issue, I'd get a good cover. My bikes are garaged and just ridden for fun on nice days so they don't really have to stand up to the elements.

 

[Forden]

I never have had any complaints with good old Mother's mag and aluminum polish. I got a little tub of that stuff about 15 years ago and have used on many bikes, to the point where the plastic of the little tube is disintegrating but there's about 1/4 left. Good $3 investment at the time. It takes about 2 mins to rub some on there. If leaving bike outside or riding in terrible weather, maybe that's an issue, I'd get a good cover. My bikes are garaged and just ridden for fun on nice days so they don't really have to stand up to the elements.

I use Mother's too, it's always the last step in polishing process for me. Great stuff. Was more curious how to protect its result.

 

[Gorminrider]

Mr Negativity here but I think the sliders and engine casings were anodized originally and then coated. Stripping them removed this protection and corrosion is thereafter nearly instant unless polished with a "polish" (aka a wax residue) constantly... Naturally, this wax gets burned off engine or beaten off the forks ....and if you just hard-coat stripped aluminum any scratch will corrode.. .

 

[Cipher]

Mr Negativity here but I think the sliders and engine casings were anodized originally and then coated. Stripping them removed this protection and corrosion is thereafter nearly instant unless polished with a "polish" (aka a wax residue) constantly... Naturally, this wax gets burned off engine or beaten off the forks ....and if you just hard-coat stripped aluminum any scratch will corrode.. .

No anodizing on most gs bikes a few had the gold treatment but that may have been just paint. The gold calipers were just paint.

 

[Cipher]

I bought a few cans of Spray Max 2K High Gloss and am very impressed. You have to push a button in the bottom of the can to activate it, and wear a good mask. It comes out beautifully and is chemical resistant. Here's a pic of my tank I did, reflecting a cloud. The tank was pretty tired looking and this stuff just pops.

Before pic? Amazing gloss

 

[oldGSfan]

Before pic? Amazing gloss

How I got it...

 

[Gorminrider]

No anodizing on most gs bikes a few had the gold treatment but that may have been just paint. The gold calipers were just paint.

Too bad...Maybe it's worth looking into. It's very tough and works well on sailboat spars......The original coating had a certain look that had me wondering but it may just be they had a certain prep* before a coating was applied...

*The "certain prep" might be as in this found in Google group though I might try "Krylon" Clear that was recommended to me or just my handy can of urethane varnish...

"To do this, they need to be treated with an aluminum prep or Ospho works just fine
Ospho is a self neutralizing metal conditioner ( meaning you don't have to rinse it off but do wipe
the excess off) which can be purchased at most hardware stores or automotive paint suppliers. The
active ingredient is phosphoric acid which is a mild acid ( it won't burn you on contact but will
irritate the skin so you should wear rubber gloves). It's the same ingredient that's in navel jelly.
Phosphoric acid converts rust or ‘red oxide’ into ‘iron’ or black ‘oxide’ which is a stable
compound. It does actually kill rust and corrosion on aluminum in it's tracks! Then they are ready
to polish and/or re-clear.. Any good clear urethane will do such as Imron or I prefer House of
Kolor's UC1 clear. If it's done correctly. it will far outlast what the factory does and will save
you many hours of polishing... Whatever works for you.."