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Help with polishing fuel tanks!

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Firebird, Jan 1, 2009.

Page 1 of 3
  1. Jan 1, 2009 #1
    Firebird

    Firebird Light Load Member

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    Aug 13, 2006
    Bristol, VA
    0
    Don't know if this is where this need to be or not, but here goes.

    I have been attempting to get the tanks on my freightliner cleaned up and polished.

    I started with 500 grit sp and then went to 1000, then to 2000 then polished with the green stuff and then the red stuff( I think, it was the extra fine stuff). My tanks look a whole lot better but now, when I get it out in the sun you can see a lot of polishing marks.

    Just wiping them with a towel creates small scratches that are visible in the sun. What am I doing wrong here? They look really good until the sun hits them directly.

    Thanks,

    Dave
     
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    #1
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  3. Jan 1, 2009 #2
    jeepskate99

    jeepskate99 Road Train Member

    1,195
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    Nov 20, 2008
    The Great White Northeast.
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    use a rubbing compund made for paint and a good power buffer. you can also use any non-abrasive metal polish such as blue magic. Do NOT use anything that feels like it has grit to polish from this point.
     
    jeepskate99, Jan 1, 2009
    jeepskate99, Jan 1, 2009
    #2
    Mooch Thanks this.
  4. Jan 1, 2009 #3
    Firebird

    Firebird Light Load Member

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    Aug 13, 2006
    Bristol, VA
    0
    would that be a rubbing compound or a polishing compound? I think rubbing compound has a grit, or is it the other way around?

    Designed for paint? Interesting, but I'll give it a shot.

    These tanks probably hadn't been polished in years. The truck has 750K miles on it and it's a 2002. It may have never been polished.

    Thanks for the reply,

    Dave
     
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    #3
  5. Jan 1, 2009 #4
    Chain Drive

    Chain Drive Medium Load Member

    436
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    Nov 28, 2008
    Nova Scotia,Canada
    0
    my truck was the same way don't think it was ever polished, I just soaked the tanks and wheels with acid than went at them with some "Wicked" polish. mind you I didn't go too nuts as I haul out of woods roads
     
    Chain Drive, Jan 1, 2009
    Chain Drive, Jan 1, 2009
    #4
  7. Jan 1, 2009 #5
    Les2

    Les2 Road Train Member

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    kicked back in my lazyboy...
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    You made a big jump in grit. If you ever do them again start with a 600 to 800 to 1000 grit wet sandpaper. Also sand in an X so you criscross, that help to keep from getting lines in it when your done.

    I used the brown bar then the white one to finish. After I was done with the buffer I went back over them with a really soft cloth with the liquid white polish. try to find a cloth baby diaper they work the best.
     
    Les2, Jan 1, 2009
    Les2, Jan 1, 2009
    #5
  8. Jan 1, 2009 #6
    Firebird

    Firebird Light Load Member

    292
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    Aug 13, 2006
    Bristol, VA
    0
    I have some of the white stuff (polish is white and has a silver label) and I've got some of the Zephyr Pro40 stuff. After I got done with all the buffing I tried both of them and still ended up with buffer marks.

    Even using a soft bath towel(don't tell the wife) I can see fine marks where I ran the towel over it.

    The main problem is light swirl marks, not really scratches, but you can tell where I used the buffer and then when I wipe the tanks down after everything you can see marks created just by wiping the tanks with a clean towel.

    Dave
     
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    Firebird, Jan 1, 2009
    #6
  9. Jan 2, 2009 #7
    RickG

    RickG Road Train Member

    12,812
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    Jul 22, 2008
    Owensboro , KY
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    Aluminum "brightener" is actually an oxidizer and should never be used on stainless steel or chrome . Be very careful you know the content of the product you are using and the type metal you are using it on .
     
    RickG, Jan 2, 2009
    RickG, Jan 2, 2009
    #7
  10. Jan 2, 2009 #8
    dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    May 6, 2007
    Mississippi
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    .
    .
    Cheese Cloth for finishing guys...Cheese Cloth.

    NOT towels.
     
    dancnoone, Jan 2, 2009
    dancnoone, Jan 2, 2009
    #8
  11. Jan 2, 2009 #9
    Mack185

    Mack185 Medium Load Member

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    Feb 25, 2008
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    I always just sprayed everything down with acid and gave it a quick scrub. I do mean quick, from the time the acid leaves the sprayer until I scrub/rinse it off is about 15 secs. Than I always used this polish from the Peterbilt place, it was in a black bottle with silver writing/logo. It was great stuff. Anyway than I get to polishing with a buffer for the most part, by hand where the buffer won't go. I use those terricloth? rags you buy at autozone in a bundle for the actual polishing, better quality rags for wiping. I always went in little sections at a time, polishing than rubbing clean and moving over a little. Just rub until it's good and black and wipe clean and there ya go. Always seemed like the blacker my rag got, the better it polished. This might not be the right way but it always worked out great for me. I'm sure theres more in depth ways, but i was doing dump trucks/trailers and they were dirty 1 day after you polished them. So They didn't get any show truck attention.
     
    Mack185, Jan 2, 2009
    Mack185, Jan 2, 2009
    #9
  12. Jan 2, 2009 #10
    Les2

    Les2 Road Train Member

    5,150
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    Jul 25, 2008
    kicked back in my lazyboy...
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    Never heard of Cheese Cloth, what is it?
     
    Les2, Jan 2, 2009
    Les2, Jan 2, 2009
    #10
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