Rear bumper finish

[WagonMan]

As many of you wagon owners know, the rear bumper isn't a chrome finish, it is anodized aluminum. I have 7 rear bumpers and they all look like shit. I thought about having one covered in wrap with a chrome finish, but the wrap place I inquired about it said it would be expensive because of the size of the roll needed to cover it. Plus it shouldn't be chrome anyway. My friend Dennis works at a place that does powder coating and he says there is a finish called "super chrome". Not really a chrome look but a super shiny aluminum look. BINGO! I sent my best bumper to the media blaster to get cleaned for the power coat process. I will let you guys know what the outcome is. Should be a week to ten days. WagonMan

[87gtVIC]

Cool. I have heard of super chrome.

My other thought was to strip the anodized finish (I have heard some household pipe drain cleaning liquids will do the job) and polish it up yourself. I think the powdercoating will come out nice.

[Mr Bean]

Can't you use Mother's aluminum polish and just polish it?

[Lutrova]

If it's anodized a metal polish won't do much of anything. The anodization would have to be removed first before the aluminum can be addressed. Then you'd want to protect it afterwards with a clear coat or re-anodizing.

[gadget73]

lye will strip it. Most common source of that in household cleaners is classic Easy-Off oven cleaner. The problem with lye and aluminum is that it will eat the aluminum pretty badly if left in contact for too long. It will go from looking like its been lightly media blasted to very seriously pitted in not a whole bunch of time.

that stuff will eat your skin off too, so be careful. Lots of other heavy duty industrial cleaners are lye (sodium hydroxide) and some other herbs and spices, and I think you can just buy straight lye powder still.

[87gtVIC]

Any updates on this Pete?

[WagonMan]

Not good. They Superchromed it and it came out beautiful! BUT the shop foreman said it has to be cleared because Superchrome is not UV resistant. They cleared it and it turned gray, like I painted it. I don't understand because they show wheels and outer body parts on vehicles that look like chrome. WagonMan

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Wonder if something in the clear reacted with the Superchrome.

[87gtVIC]

Ive had the same happen to me with chrome. Reading up on it and I found out that if the base powder is not fully cured (whether it be still hot or fully cooled after flow out) and the top coat (clear in the case) is applied that the clear cross links with the chrome and turns it milky colored//gray.