Rocker Trim Moulding Restoration

[finorman]

I purchased a set of Scrambler Rocker Trim Moulding from a member and I'm in the process of polishing. This is a pic of one side done vs. original, and another pic of the difference between sanded with 3000 grit and polished. The polish allowed me to get to a mirror shine, but I'm not sure how to protect it. The aluminum is soft, and even a scuff brush will take the mirror reflection off. I was thinking clear coat, but since it's so polished I thought the clear coat would have trouble sticking.

Does anyone have experience with this? Did you leave it bare or protect it with something?

 

[Scramblin Man]

I think there is a clear powder coat or put on a heavy coat of wax.

 

[finorman]

I think there is a clear powder coat or put on a heavy coat of wax.

Thank you, I didn’t realize there was such a thing as clear powder coat.

 

[californiajeeping]

Wow. I started to do mine realized it needed 100 hours to polish it and decided to just bedlinebit to match the top and bed.

I reallllyyyyy wanted to polish mine out but after sanding off the paint and the anodizing it was too rough for me.

 

[finorman]

This was my first time taking restoring aluminum trim, and I had no idea how long it would take me. As of right now, I am nearly finished, and I would guess it took me about 15 hours to do both.
I ordered these $8 sanding discs from Amazon. They ranged from 80 grit, to I think 2000.
Blue Magic metal polisher $7, along with these polishing Wheels- about $10.
I used a cordless drill and a pneumatic attachment that spun the sanding discs.
I sanded from 80, 120, 180, 240, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000... then instead of using the wheel/sanding discs I used a block and 3000, then finally hit it with a plastic scuff brush, then polished.
I'm guessing the clear/gloss powder coat is going to be $50-100.
I put in head phones and listened to a couple of podcasts while doing it.

 

[jmarston]

You can use urethane clear coat to seal polished aluminum.

 

[finorman]

You can use urethane clear coat to seal polished aluminum.

I just didn’t know if the metal polish left a waxy barrier that wouldn’t allow the clear coat to adhere.

 

[californiajeeping]

You did an amazing job restoring those. Mine were too far gone for polishing so I bedlined them to match the rest of the stuff on the jeep.