Polishing the tunnel

[thor452]

what are people useing for tools and compounds for polishing the tunnel.
I have a 2012 XTX with the alum tunnel and I think it would look sweet all polished up. I have never done any alum polishing before would like to know what you do to get the mirror like shine.
Thanks guys.

 

[Bluebullet]

Mothers alum polish and a cordless drill with a polishing ball!
Blue

 

[thor452]

nice and thats it? how much time is involved?

 

[Bluebullet]

I do a little to a time, 6 pack or so on nice day with tunes cranking! Couple hours of work and you will see a difference! I like the detailed look and have gotten many comments out on the trail. Once you start you will love it! Does take some work but I think it's worh it!
Add some water while polishing helps some too. Corners edges you will have to do some hand work to make it look and match real good.
Blue

 

[yamaha1973]

Mothers alum polish and a cordless drill with a polishing ball!
Blue

X2

 

[sgauthier]

whats that polishing ball look like after your done doing the boards? with the holes punched up i would think it would tear it up. that's the only problem i have when I polish the tunnel by hand, it's around the holes.

 

[04JRB]

whats that polishing ball look like after your done doing the boards? with the holes punched up i would think it would tear it up. that's the only problem i have when I polish the tunnel by hand, it's around the holes.

When I did it, there wasnt much left of it. I just want to find a way to get it done with just one, and dispose of it.

Anyone got any tricks to there methods? I actually tried masking off those sharp openings but they just fly off as soon as the powerball bumps it.

 

[grossman]

Mothers mag and alum polish.

Rubbed it on by hand using a dish towel. Rubbed it off by hand with a microfiber cloth. Repeated this process with a new dish towel and a new microfiber cloth.

Came out amazing IMO. Took about an hour. I did it twice because I think it was the first time it had been polished since 2003.

Hardest part convincing my wife not to beat me to death when she saw what I did to her new white dish towel's....

 

[yamadog1]

polish

i have used all of the products that have been mentioned on site.
best results for me, first lots elbow power and lots of time, i always start with
mothers, do it many times, then finish with wizards metal polish.
also i have wet sanded with 2000 grit first this will make it easier.

 

[thor452]

awsome thanks for all the advise guys. is there an acid base that you clean it with first on is that not nessasary?

 

[Fullback]

Just wash with soap and water.
The nice thing about it is once you have that mirror finish it only takes a light coat at the beginning of each season to bring the shine back up.
If the running boards got a little scuffed up I wet sand them again first with the 2000 grit and then polish.
Been doing this since 03 on my RX.

 

[thor452]

thanks again do you need to worry about the polish getting on the seat and such or is it pretty safe just wipe it off when done.

 

[Roadrider]

Don't get the polish on anything but the aluminum if you can avoid it. There are some solvents in it. The spatter I would only keep off the seat. Tape it up with a garbage bag. It won't hurt anything else if wiped away in a reasonable amount of time. But this isn't like running a buffer on a car. You are using a very small tube of polish and small amounts at a time.

 

[yamaha1973]

take your seat and realated plastic off well worth it imo i also used a buffing wheel for a drill and it came out great!

 

[thor452]

yes i supose it wont be needed again for a few months may as well take it apart and get into the knooks and such. is there any thing you should do with the stickers?