Polishing plastic chrome

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krouchchocolate

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Is there anything I can use to restore this plastic chrome, or am I better off buying some new ones? The previous owner didn't really wash down their jet ski after using it in salt water, so as you can see from the pictures the salt water really messed them up!

Also, does anyone know any good plastic chrome dipping places? No one can dip plastic chrome in Texas.

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Yes, a very gentle paint polish like Meg's scratch x or even an AIO product like Pinnacle XMT360 will do the trick. I have a plastic chrome grill on my car and XMT360 is what I tend to use on a consistent basis and does a fantastic job without inducing its own marring on the soft chrome surface.
 
What can i use to remove the salt residue that is etched into the plastic?
 
Krouch,

Water and a little "elbow" grease will remove surface salt. If the "chrome" is pitted away the problem may be deeper and a polish might not help - the "chrome" may be gone. I have a similar problem on some aftermarket (auto) pieces. I was planning on just gently sanding them to a smooth surface - painting again with Duplicolor's "chrome" spraypaint and then covering that with a good spray clearcoat. I would certainly try some polishes to see what you get. If you can still buy new pieces I would go that route as the trial and error and expense of repair might not be worth the hassle. Some of my "pieces" are no longer in production so I've got to do a re-do but now is not the time of year here in Chicago.

On my "new" pieces I'm going to try to clearcoat one to see how it turns out because, in my case, some pieces hold up real well and others do not. In experimenting, it is not as easy as it seems as some finishes cause the clearcoat to "bubble" up somewhat - I don't know why. The nice thing is if you take a little Ultimate Compound or Meg's 205 to it you can smooth it out and "polish" it up or spray again. I got brand new license plates last summer and wanted a "thick" clear on them so I could protect and polish. Probably got an eighth of an inch inch there now and could put the "rotary" to them if I had to. LOL. Duplicolor makes a spray clearcoat - I've not tried theirs. I bought some Dupont Acrylic Clear A-7480S - based upon a reco from someone here a while back re: chip repair methods. Can't remember where I got it but if you google you'll see it. ($25 for a large can but I used half a can just experimenting on my plates, test spots and learning "technique".) Your pieces look very much like mine and in my case the "chrome" paint is pitted away and gone. I would just buy new pieces if I could get them. Getting a nice even finish of chrome and clear on those angles will not be easy.

Anyway, I'll know more come Spring.

Best Regards,

Martin
 
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I like to use a cleaner wax (like what you get with the Meg's and Mothers clay bars) on plastic chrome for one step cleaning/protection
 
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Try the P21S multi-surface restorer. It's gentle and won't harm the plastic. Then seal the chrome.
 
+ 1 for P21S. We favor the gel here, and it's as safe and effective as anything.
 
Soak them in Vinegar for one hour then a diluted solution of LIME AWAY 1 Part to 2 Parts water overnight. Then take a low pile MF like a glass cleaning cloth and if there is any residue see if it will wipe off with hard pressure but no dampness. (DRY on DRY).
 
Thanks for all the tips guys! I just wanted to see what route I can take before purchasing some new ones. New ones from the seadoo dealership is very expensive. All the pieces that I need totals up to about $350. Some of the chrome plastics did bubble up due to the sun i am assuming?
 
Krouch,

No, the "bubbling" occurred in the garage - off the car as the clear was drying on a flat surface. Perhaps not shaking the can enough or too thick an application. Once you get a nice clean ap the sun won't bother it as it is clearcoat. Just a little tricky out of a spray can. Those pieces do add up to a tidy sum. I would try some of the polish suggestions above and if that does not work try the Duplicolor option on the worst piece and see what you get.

I'm interested to see what you discover.

Martin
 
mfortier said:
Krouch,

No, the "bubbling" occurred in the garage - off the car as the clear was drying on a flat surface. Perhaps not shaking the can enough or too thick an application. Once you get a nice clean ap the sun won't bother it as it is clearcoat. Just a little tricky out of a spray can. Those pieces do add up to a tidy sum. I would try some of the polish suggestions above and if that does not work try the Duplicolor option on the worst piece and see what you get.

I'm interested to see what you discover.

Martin
Click to expand...

Martin,

These pieces were off my jet ski that I just recently purchased from another owner. It seems like he left the ski out on the sun in salt water on their vacation, and caused the chrome pieces to have that salt water oxidation, and bubbling?
 
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