The right way to bring your plastic back to life.

[Budweiserebel07]

Alright I was going to wait till tonight to start this thread but I'm bored at work so here we go. This is for the people like me that like the color of your plastic but its in rough shape and you don't have the cash to drop on new plastic.

You will need a bucket of water, 180,220, 400, 600, and 1000 grit sandpaper. ( 2 sheets each) Also you will need a liquid rubbing compound (medium is best), liquid wax, and a 10 inch buffer.

So here is what ya do. No need for any paint or Plastic renew or any of that crap. Wet sand then buff it out.

Keep in mind plastic is the same color all the way thru so sanding isn't going to be a problem. Depending on how horrific your scratches are is what grit to start with. Mine looked like a badger gnawed it. so I started with 180. Then to 220, 400, 600, and finally 1000.

It is imperative to only wet sand using as much water as you can. Plastic burs easy and wet sanding will prevent that.

With the 180 grit just sand the really bad places and get the deep scratches, nothing more. After they have disappeared, Use 220 on the whole bike. Sand until the color is even all over and the scratches are gone.

That was the obvious part. lol

By this time some part of your bike has dried and it looks almost white and foggy. Like the picture below.This is normal.

Now using lots of water again use the 400 grit and sand till you can't feel resistance between the sandpaper and the plastic.Should feel like your hand is gliding across a wet glass table. Do this with the 400, 600 and 1000 all over.

Dry off the bike completely. You will notice its still foggy and faded looking. Time to buff. I recommend using a buffer or even a mothers ball for the rubbing compound and wax. Usually i would say to do it by hand but plastic isn't like paint, it will need some persuading to buff to shine.

Don't be shy with the rubbing compound. It will be self explanatory when to stop. This will bring the plastic back to a shine. After going over the bike heavily with the compound, wipe it all off. Then do the same process with the wax.
Once its buffed, take a dry rag and wipe it down and you will have clean shiny plastic. ENJOY !

pics of how i did the process below in order of how i wrote this.

[Budweiserebel07]

Started sanding

[Budweiserebel07]

I will have pics up of what it will look like after the 1000 grit, as well as the buffing and the finished product this evening after work..

[MisterGraphic]

Nice write-up!

What brand of liquid compound are you using?
Looking forward to the next pictures!

[Budweiserebel07]

Thanks man !. Well I'm using 3M medium compound and wax. I know its ridiculously expensive. I used it simply because I had some leftover from a guitar I was buffing. Turtle wax, Mothers and Maguires will work well too. Ya I'm pretty anxious to get it done.

[Budweiserebel07]

Alright all here is the closer. A few changes have been made, which will need a little explanation. First of all I could not find my 10" buffer. SO I used my pnuematic drill and a mothers ball at about 16000 rpm. This isn't all that necessary .

Now the explanation. To buff something as hard as atv plastic you need 2 of 3 things. Either pressure and compound (hence the buffer) OR speed and compound (which is my little pneumatic friend with the mothers ball).

The first pic is as promised what the plastic looks like after using 1000 grit.

The second pic is after i buffed with the compound

The third is me playing with the mothers ball. lol

The fourth is my finished plastic with me on it NOT riding in anyway so please dont delete my photo lol.

ENJOY !

[Budweiserebel07]

Small buffed area.

[Budweiserebel07]

16000 RPM wooo

[Budweiserebel07]

Grand finale !

[CJM]

I painted mine with krylon fusion awhile back. The plastics utter trash tho and Im buying new. I have front cut fenders I dislike anyways.

But this, this is gonna be filed away into the "really good idea" bank in my head. Very good job man!