StromTrooper banner

How to polish aluminum side cases? (panniers)

7K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  Bikehigh 
#1 ·
My aluminum side cases have become discolored. Any ideas on what to use to polish or clean them?
I have a 2014 DL650 Adventure. I bought it new this year. The picture attached is after I wiped them down.
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#6 ·
I would caution against steel wool for aluminum. It can deposit tiny bits of steel in the aluminum which will rust and discolor. I have used progressively finer wet/dry paper (wet), from 600 or 800 depending on your starting condition, and working up to 1500. Then buffing with ever finer rouges, then polish. Future treatments are much easier once the AL has this smooth of a finish. It sounds like a lot of work. It does take a little patience and time but it really isn't hard at all. And the results can be quite satisfying. My $300 '83 Maxim 750:
 

Attachments

#7 · (Edited)
Mother's Aluminum Polish. You can get it at an auto parts store. It's specially made for aluminum. It'll remove minor scratches in aluminum, and will polish it to a mirror finish. I used it on a homemade aluminum luggage rack I made, and it looked like chrome when I was done. A buffing wheel on a rotary tool will speed the job up.

The attached photo shows the completed luggage rack. The rack was made from 1" square aluminum tubing, the kind you buy at a Lowe's or a Home Depot. If you're familiar with it, you know what it looks like when it's in the rack at the store. The photo isn't the greatest, but it does show the finish that's possible on the aluminum with just Mother's polish and a T-shirt.

I took another look at your photo. At first I thought they were bare metal panniers, but now that I've looked again, are they actually black? If they are painted or anodized, I wouldn't use the Mother's polish. The abrasive in the polish is mild, but it would probably still cut into the finish. You might try something with a very fine abrasive, like ceramic stove top cleaner, or even the polishing compounds they use for rubbing out a paint job. Try them on an inconspicuous place, like the part of the pannier that faces the bike, so if it doesn't work it won't show.

Worst case scenario, you can have them powdercoated.
 

Attachments

#8 ·
To make it easier on yourself
I'd recommend not polishing but rather a very fine brushed finish, using fine scotchbright pads designed for this very job.

I use them with water and a little bit of dish soap, brushing or sanding in the same direction.
This cleans up the oxides and leaves behind a nice even finish, then I wax it.
 
#9 ·
just pay attention to the "grit" of the scotch brite you select. there are different course levels.
 
#10 ·
Just checking, this is not bare aluminum, right?
 
#11 ·
Whatever you try, I'd try it on the backside. engine cases, fork tubes, etc, coming from the factory have a clear coat on them. To polish these, you need to remove that clear coat first. Not sure what this might be on the panniers.
 
#12 ·
Looking at the OP's photo it looks like these are the black bags, and the staining looks like it was some kind of cleaner (the old formula of S200 cycle wash would do this on some powder coat finishes)

The best bet is to rub out the paint, but that's going to make the matte finish less matte

I would look at maybe taking the bag to a automobile detailing place
and see if they can clean it up.

If it's the black bag and not the aluminum bag
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top