Aluminium Pannier Cleaning

[Mad_Accountant]

Clean them and wrap them because scratched paint or powder coat looks horrible. Wrap can just be replaced as necessary.

I fancy having my bike done in blue splinter camo with carbon look on the black parts.

I don't disagree with you but the Vines contact charges £100 per box and that was outside my budget.

Black vinyl does look great though ......

 

[Richie N]

Just received my Givi Trekker top box, and in the instructions it warns about rings or spot on the surface, and it is "characteristic features of the materials used".

The only thing you can do is regular cleaning (not likely) with colourless lubricating spray. Or buy black ones to start with

 

[MattW]

As above, if I was taking the plastics off, I'd seriously consider getting them vapour blasted and hard anodised.

 

[lmg]

I shortened a pannier to make a top box for the wife's bike. I just used M6x16 stainless bolts to re-assamble. (I then wrapped the box as it was a bit tatty).

I notice in your picture that there appears to indentations at the points where you've put bolts to replace the rivets. Do you think this would not have happened if you had used washers or do you think it is inevitable that indentations will occur?

Sent from SYDland....

 

[Bendy toy]

I don't disagree with you but the Vines contact charges £100 per box and that was outside my budget.

Black vinyl does look great though ......

Ouch!!!

Im sure Richard at D-Signs was a lot less than that when I asked. He's always busy so might need a few tries on the phone to catch him.
http://dsignsdevon.co.uk

As Captain Spanner says hex socket screws and nuts might be easier. Large button heads or even the flanged style similar to the torx body screws used by BMW should be less distorting. Mylar (or some other stiff but thin plastic sheet) washers under bolt heads will reduce alloy oxidation around the stainless. Not needed over vinyl but could avoid wrinkling if/when the bolts turn. I imagine its hard to get the rivets out without crimping the metal edge.

Large flange head style pop rivets could be another option. Fill the pop holes with JB Weld for a neater look.

 

[topcat2006]

I've been investigating soda blasting. Apparently it will clean thin materials with no distortion and not damage plastics, rubber seals or glass.

Just a thought.

 

[Bendy toy]

Soda is good but won't polish the metal or shine up any corrosion pitting.
Three option
1 leave the boxes to develop a "patina"
2 spend every waking moment polishing
3 Get the case painted or wrapped. Some alloy finish wraps look almost like brush finished metal.
With no compound curves, DIY should be easy enough.

 

[lmg]

Whilst looking at the 1150adv neoprene fork covers recently posted. I noticed this on the suppliers website

http://www.moto-discovery.com/eshop/design/bmw-design/bmw-top-case-black-matte-cover-with-backrest.html