Questions about Aluminum Polishing

I'm also curious to how to get that "super mirror shine" not just a mirror shine. Company truck or not, I want it looking top notch! I tryied some thing's before and even a buffing wheel but couldn't get any where close. If I can find somebody who know's how to get that good of a polish then I want to sit down and learn how to do it myself. You can never have a truck "too clean"!

 

Sand the pits out. Make it as smooth as you can. No deep scratches. Then polish it.

 

i've caught the pride and polish bug...

but I need help.

here's what i've found.

http://www.airmarktools.net/services/graphics/polisher-group-fullsize.jpg

http://www.swmetal.com/cart/item?itemID=11882

 

HOLY COW!!! I'm scared to ask what all that stuff is.

 

Good video.
This brings up a question.
What do you folks do when you have a dented tank.
Repair, or replace?
If you repair, how easy was it to get the tank fixed in your area?
Actros

 

I had a tank replaced and the fuel gauge was never even close to being correct after that.
However, it was predictable.

I hit a chunk--0--Sumthin' on I-80 in Wyoming -- west bound.
Put a gash in the left tank -- which I just filled at Cheyenne.
Right in the bottom.

But -- IMO very repairable.
Company mechanic said no. Plug one and run a cross-over. Go ahead and drill the cap, if necessary. I figured it was.

This was in Wamsutter, Wyoming. Middle of nowhere, -- Thank gawd.
One quick call to the RIGHT person, and he was right on it.
He ran the gas station across the street from the truck stop on the north side of the road in town -- next door to a restaurant.

In the middle of the night.
And the wind was blownin'.
Cold.


Drained my ruptured tank with a suction truck, -- he said the 100 gallons he had removed from my tank would make good repaving material when mixed with the right stuff.
The rest had leaked. I figure 'bout 10 gallons on the Interstate and another 10 in town.

A few hours delay and I was on my way to the terminal on one 130 gallon tank.
Took about 8,000 miles to get there though.
And no matter HOW much fuel I pumped into that tank -- it aways read empty.

Watch that odometer though.
And keep a Kacklatooter handy.
Do the math -- crunch the numbers --
walk softly and carry a long stick to dip the tanks.

It took the truckin' company's head mechanic two days to git-'er-done.
I was in a motel waitin'. But the Big truck had those side fairings. Those take more time to R/Replace.
Take your time -- that's what I tell mechanics.
I"m not lookin' for rush jobs at the expense of getting it correct.

For sure go with the safest way -- but if looks are important, what ever looks good. And is the safest. Not in that order though.

 

Past 2 trucks I've been in didn't have a working fuel guage or a tach. You get used to it. LOL

 

you can make your own polish by getting a brick of jewlers rouge. they carry the green and white bars at T/A. using a cheese grate grind up a pretty good bunch. you will also need some ordorless mineral spirits. add about 1in of rouge to a 12oz coke bottle and add the spirits. its good to add a couple of small nut 3/8 or so to help shake it up. add a squirt of any good car polish and PRESTO you have made aluminum polish better tahn you can by. They also sell gray and blue bars but these you will have to get from professional polish suppiers like EASTWOOD INC. Gray makes it brighter and Blue will put your eyes out. Also when polishing use 1rag to put on and a seperate rag to take off. Get a small bucket of flour and dip the takeoff rag in it then take off the residue flour keeps the rag from holding the aluminum. Happy Polishing

 

I am getting ready to replace the grill insert on my 379. The front of the grill shell is pretty pitted from being in the wind for the last 10 years. The sides still look good. It has been suggested to me that I need to sand the front of the shell and then polish it with a machine buffer to get that nice mirror shine back. I have a good D-A sander and a heavy duty buffer. Has anyone tried this method? I am going to practice on a old fuel tank I have laying around but am wondering what grit I want to use and how well it will work.

 

400 grit and then cut it down with a buffer. If you have really deep rock pits you can go 200 then 400 and then cut it with the buffer.