restoring faded plastics

[The Other PaulG]

Hi

I have picked up a 20 year old XT600 - it's in decent shape generally but the (blue) plastics have faded with age.

I've tried traditional paint polishes, and t-cut type products with no great results - is there a product that will restore the colour of the plastics, or is it simply that when they're faded, that's it?

Paul G

 

[JayC]

Hi

I have picked up a 20 year old XT600 - it's in decent shape generally but the (blue) plastics have faded with age.

I've tried traditional paint polishes, and t-cut type products with no great results - is there a product that will restore the colour of the plastics, or is it simply that when they're faded, that's it?

Paul G

What do you mean by 'type'?

T-Cut , with mucho effort should bring plastics back up. Aren't the plastics dyed as opposed to painted, therefore one colour right through?

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

hot air paint stripper played over the surface - very carefully

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

hot air paint stripper played over the surface - very carefully

Works well

 

[solidstate100]

Fine wire wool then some aggresive t cut action followed by good old WD40 polished in hard did it for me on a faded Honda XR 350 came up like new

 

[Neil W]

Try polish intended for white UPVC window surrounds, works very well

 

[The Other PaulG]

Thanks for all the feedback - brilliant stuff.

I'm not sure I'm brave enough for the hot air paint stripper... that sounds like the kind of thing I'd cock up royally!

I'll be trying all of the above to see what works best. Interestingly, so far the best result I had was not with Tcut, but with turtle wax polish, which is of course far less aggressive

Anyway, it's great just to know that there's a real chance of these parts restoring nicely - the faded colours made me think it might be UV-related and therefore beyond help.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Timolgra]

If there's any white marks from being bent etc. try putting them in the freezer overnight, for polishing plastic use this to get the finish back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xerapol-C...re_Cleaning&hash=item19cf3a3022#ht_3165wt_962

 

[Humbug]

I've used Mer Bumper Cleaning Gel in the past with fantastic results. Highly recommended.

EDIT - I've just bought some from Halfords as they have a BOGOF offer on at the moment with free delivery!

LINK HERE.

 

[dizzyrascal]

Plastic

Silicon spray will look better than new

 

[Wapping]

Thanks for all the feedback - brilliant stuff.

I'm not sure I'm brave enough for the hot air paint stripper... that sounds like the kind of thing I'd cock up royally!

I'll be trying all of the above to see what works best.


Thanks for all the advice!

The hot air method system does work and it's easier than it sounds.

Best advice, get some old plastics from a breaker's or scrap yard and have a go first. There are several quite good DIY videos on UBoob to help you.

Try a flick through: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=restoring+faded+plastic+parts&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari For every question on UKGSer it's a safe bet someone somewhere in the wild has asked it before.... And got several answers, too.

 

[Black Rooster]

just used the heat treatment on the air intake and the plastic on the otherside oth the tank worked a treat

thanks guys

 

[Kritou]

I've used Mer Bumper Cleaning Gel in the past with fantastic results. Highly recommended.

EDIT - I've just bought some from Halfords as they have a BOGOF offer on at the moment with free delivery!

LINK HERE.

This stuff is sold for exterior vinyl and really works a treat for the black cockpit areas and also seat vinyl - much better than Back to Black etc

It goes a long way so a BOGOF deal will see out your motorcycling career!

 

[Goose]

I've just done a restoration on a barn-find XT550 (1982 model) with broken and faded plastics.

Some plastic welding and then flatting the plastics allowed me to respray with Krylon plastic paint...

http://www.krylon.com/products/

I think they turned out quite decent?

 

[The Other PaulG]

Nice work Goose they look great.

I couldn't find the Mer bumper gel (well I couln't be bothered to go to halfrauds in fact) so when I saw the Simoniz equivalent I bought that.

It has made quite a difference to the colour, deepening the blue and getting rid of most of the white hue, and a BIG difference to the finish, creating a deep shine.

Thanks for the gel recommendation.

PG