polishing tailpipes..

808Gt · Feb 10, 2008

sorry if its in the wrong section, but search and cant seem to find an answer... but I wanted to know how to polish an aluminum tailpipe, I got flowmasters and wanted to clean them up...

would using mothers ball work?

4G-KDMP · Feb 10, 2008

Most tails that you see are stainless rather than alumimum, i think.
the power ball with the right type of polish should bring that shine back.

foxmustangman · Feb 10, 2008

I use this foaming scrubbing bubbles stuff. It works pretty dang good.

Another really good method (i've done this) is to take just regular dishwashing soap and water and scrub one direction with steel wool. It got all the tar and road crap I had on my pipes off and shined them up pretty good!

808Gt · Feb 11, 2008

ok, kool thanks...

yea it is stainless lol, but ill try the mothers ball an steel wool, do you know what grade of steel wool, like 00?

blackened88lx · Feb 11, 2008

I dono if I'd use steel wool on stainless. If you're going to, use the finest, 0000. I haven't polished a lot of stainless stuff, but it seems real fragile. I would try it by hand with mothers or something first.

SVT32VDOHC · Feb 11, 2008

I just use my wheel cleaner it works fine. I just go over them every car wash with the wheel brush.

Flavadave4 · Feb 11, 2008

SOS pads are awesome for stainless. Run them under water, they get soapy and have at it! They can be found in the kitchen cleaner isle of just about any supermarket...heck, check under the sink you might have some already!

25thmustang · Feb 11, 2008

The SS pads work but you wont get a polished or mirror look, just a clean SS look. To truly polish them, your going to need sand paper, polish, probably a buffing wheel and countless hours. Depends how motivated you are and what you really want!

Rock777 · Feb 11, 2008

Can't believe nobody's suggested it yet, but NEVERDULL!! It works awesome. It will clean up any tar, oxidation, and any other impurities. It will clean them up and give you a clean, new looking pipe. If you want to shine them like chrome, you will have to use other methods after the NEVERDULL, but it will clean them up relatively easy.

pavich91 · Feb 11, 2008

never dull is good, but I just use very fine steel wool, then a polish. mothers works good. Just use you hand to polish, and keep goin until the black goes away. SoS works god too aswell. Sand paper was mentioned, thats the best way but make sure you dont go to heavy on it. Mabey use 1000-1500-2000 then a polish. But like I said up top...steel wool works great and its cheap and wont do any harm unless you have cheap plated chrome tips.

25thmustang · Feb 11, 2008

The sand paper will take time. I had some tails I was going to use, and started at them with sand paper. After about 6 hours or so they were clean looking and had a dull shine, but for a mirror finish you will need a good amount of time, and skill. I didn't have the patience for it, so I sold them!

TRWXXA · Feb 11, 2008

If you jsut want to clean them up and make them look good, then Scotchbrite pads and WD40 will do the trick. Follow that up with some Neverdull, and they'll look real good.

If you want a mirror finish then prepare to work you nuts off. 0000 steel wool and then finer and finer grades of sandpaper, followed up with some kind of mechanical polishing.

foxmustangman · Feb 11, 2008

really WD40? I'll have to try that one...

808Gt · Feb 12, 2008

ok, thats for all the ideas...

does anyone have like before and after pic... my tailpipes are stainless steel all the way no chrome tips, dont really like chrome :-/

TRWXXA · Feb 12, 2008

foxmustangman said:
really WD40? I'll have to try that one...

Works like a charm. It's a great solvent, as well as a lubricant.

WD40 is right up there with duct tape as far a usefulness goes.
If it shouldn't move, but does -- use duct tape.
If it doesn't move, but should -- use WD40.

You can use them together too -- WD40 removes the adhesive residue left when you pull the duct tape off.

pavich91 · Feb 13, 2008

I just bought some 2 1/2" tips and they came lookin pretty ugly. I almost finished one. I will post a pic of the 1 that I did and one of the other that's untouched.

SVT32VDOHC · Feb 13, 2008

Rock777 said:
Can't believe nobody's suggested it yet, but NEVERDULL!! It works awesome. It will clean up any tar, oxidation, and any other impurities. It will clean them up and give you a clean, new looking pipe. If you want to shine them like chrome, you will have to use other methods after the NEVERDULL, but it will clean them up relatively easy.

A friend of mine used that on his aluminum dirtbike frame. Looks close to chrome.

Darkwriter77 · Feb 13, 2008

Turtle Wax brand chrome and metal polish has always worked perfectly well for me over the years. It even took all of the primer overspray off of the tailpipes on Frankenstang's Capri.

polishing tailpipes..

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