Polishing Side Cases?

[PaRedneckRiders]

Alright guys, im tearing my 400 down again this winter to get alot of new parts and make everything nice again so i can mess it up next summer.
But my question is about polishing side cases, i know it can be done but how?

Would I just need to take a fine grit sandpaper and take the factory top layer of color off of it to get it down to bare metal?
Then could I take some polish and polish it up??

Correct me if i'm wrong on that because thats what i was gonna do but i want some input on it first

My color scheme is mostly black and chrome but ive got silver plastic so i want some of the parts to stick out and look a little more flashy
Thanks guys

[Racerjames]

Not sure how you are going to get the inside contours, but I useto refinish wheels for a living.
You are going to want to strip the paint off, leaving bare metal, if its really clean you might be able to get through this without sanding. If so, get a can of wenol, its expensive but great stuff. Maybe work it in with a buffing end on a dremel, bigger stuff with a 2" foam pad. The Wenol will go from pink to a nasty grey color as it works it. Wipe clean and see where you are at. If this is a no go, you will have to go with sanding. I used a random orbital and 400 grit disks, maybe use dremel to get the deeper sections. Work your way up the chain(800, 1000) up to 2000 grit and you should be pretty close. Give er the Wenol treatment again and it should shine like a mirror!
BUT heres the deal, if you live in a big enough city, there should be a shop that can take the covers to this big greasy buffing wheel, just strip the paint and drop em off, they come back
looking preeety nice

(chemical strip before anything, if its unabused, you just got off scot free...polish away!)
Looks like you can get wenol in "small" form....MUCH cheaper!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41VjZMJNHDL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by Racerjames
Not sure how you are going to get the inside contours, but I useto refinish wheels for a living.
You are going to want to strip the paint off, leaving bare metal, if its really clean you might be able to get through this without sanding. If so, get a can of wenol, its expensive but great stuff. Maybe work it in with a buffing end on a dremel, bigger stuff with a 2" foam pad. The Wenol will go from pink to a nasty grey color as it works it. Wipe clean and see where you are at. If this is a no go, you will have to go with sanding. I used a random orbital and 400 grit disks, maybe use dremel to get the deeper sections. Work your way up the chain(800, 1000) up to 2000 grit and you should be pretty close. Give er the Wenol treatment again and it should shine like a mirror!
BUT heres the deal, if you live in a big enough city, there should be a shop that can take the covers to this big greasy buffing wheel, just strip the paint and drop em off, they come back
looking preeety nice

(chemical strip before anything, if its unabused, you just got off scot free...polish away!)
Looks like you can get wenol in "small" form....MUCH cheaper!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41VjZMJNHDL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Ok ya well my cases have like the factory grayish color on the right now but its starting to were pretty good, i was thinking use some sandpaper and elbow grease to get the rest of the work my way up to like 2000 grit so its nice and smooth then just polish it, i want to do this by myself, and i live in a pretty small town

I've got a couple containers of some decent aluminum polish from when i had my cr250 and crf450 so i think
ill take the spot that is already worn down and try that on it, if it doesnt work ill try your method

[Racerjames]

I wish you luck, polishing the paint is a pretty neat trick ;)
When you chem strip, you will expose bare aluminum, then hit it with the polish, you'll be golden (err silver)

edit: Wet sand at the 800 level if you really want the shine

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by Racerjames
I wish you luck, polishing the paint is a pretty neat trick ;)
When you chem strip, you will expose bare aluminum, then hit it with the polish, you'll be golden (err silver)

edit: Wet sand at the 800 level if you really want the shine
Ya man ive got alot of time to do it yet so i want to make it nice, im just now stating to strip the quad down for powder coat and polish and lots of new goodies lol

[Thumpin440ex]

It is a pita, but can be done. The inner contours of the cases are hard, more then likely will not be accesable unless you have special tools. I did all mine with a die grinder, with a small buffing cone, a bench grinder with a buffing wheel.. After they are done it is hard to tell the areas that are still dull.. Take your time and they will turn out nice..

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/038.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/037.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/003-1.jpg
John

[PaRedneckRiders]

Originally posted by Thumpin440ex
It is a pita, but can be done. The inner contours of the cases are hard, more then likely will not be accesable unless you have special tools. I did all mine with a die grinder, with a small buffing cone, a bench grinder with a buffing wheel.. After they are done it is hard to tell the areas that are still dull.. Take your time and they will turn out nice..

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/038.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/037.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/003-1.jpg
John
Wow man that looks sweet

[Bababouie400]

But wouldn't you have to polish it after every ride? I woullld want to do this to mine but not if I'm going to have to polish it after everyride... as lazy as that makkes me sound

[yonsracing]

You could spray a clear coat over it after you polish but after time you will have repolish it. Im doing both crank cases now and it does take some time to do it, so don't think it will be done an hour or so. i got 8 hours in one case but it will look good afterward.

[atv fan 28]

Get with "Pumashine" on this site. Im sure he could help you with polishing your side cases. He does really good work!:macho

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=443172&highlight=polishing+aluminum

[400exshop]

Originally posted by Thumpin440ex
It is a pita, but can be done. The inner contours of the cases are hard, more then likely will not be accesable unless you have special tools. I did all mine with a die grinder, with a small buffing cone, a bench grinder with a buffing wheel.. After they are done it is hard to tell the areas that are still dull.. Take your time and they will turn out nice..

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/038.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/037.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/mangler0075/400ex%20build/003-1.jpg
John
WHERE DID YOU GET THE OIL TANK ?

[Ian400ex]

Originally posted by 400exshop
WHERE DID YOU GET THE OIL TANK ? Check ebay & RMATV.