Chrome - cleaning and care of

[AnnAliRse]

Morning everyone,

The Bonnie I'm getting on Saturday has a lot of chrome. It's many years since I had a bike with significant amounts of the stuff - certainly my current bike has little and previous ones over the past 15 years have been the same.

So I'm a bit out of practice with it. Given that my new bike is likely to see a reasonable amount of wet weather/salt ridden road riding, I'm after more opinions please!

Firstly - cleaning - is Solvol Autosol (that dates me a bit ) still the best choice?

Then keeping the chrome in good nick - I've read a bit about ACF 50 and FST 365 etc but would welcome some views from users as I've never actually used these products myself - or is a good layer of old fashioned carnuba-wax based car polish a better and longer lasting bet?

As usual, thanks in advance to the unsurpassed knowledge bank that is TRC

[God]

Solvol is still as good as it was.

ACF50 will change your life. Seriously. Get some. It's expensive, compared to the FS365, but it lasts for ages and you only use a tiny amount.

It also stays on and lasts for a long time. And it works 100%.

God, who bathes daily in ACF50 and looks not a day over 18.

[AnnAliRse]

Thank you, O Holy one.

I've seen some on Amazon for just under £16 for a spray can. Is there a better place to try? (I'd prefer to get some liquid to put on with a paintbrush if I can rather than spray).

Thanks again.

[Taipan]

I used to use Tcut for removing surface rust on chrome. This was back in the day when cars had chrome bumpers and the mighty Simoniz made chrome cleaner too!

[God]

Originally Posted by AnnAliRse

Thank you, O Holy one.

I've seen some on Amazon for just under £16 for a spray can. Is there a better place to try? (I'd prefer to get some liquid to put on with a paintbrush if I can rather than spray).

Thanks again.

The stuff in the bottle is best. It's really gloopy (good word) too.

I got mine from some aeroplane maintenance people, but it was so long ago, I can't remember who.

The problem with the spray cans, is that because it lasts so long, the can loses pressure and you end up wasting most of it.

[MrTack]

Belgom alu is better than solvol trust me.then slather in acf50 .my harley after 8 years had no rust on it

[Didge]

Originally Posted by MrTack

Belgom alu is better than solvol trust me.then slather in acf50 .my harley after 8 years had no rust on it

Another vote for Belgom Alu, for chrome or ali bits.

Brilliant stuff.

[Zanx]

Originally Posted by God

The stuff in the bottle is best. It's really gloopy (good word) too.

I got mine from some aeroplane maintenance people, but it was so long ago, I can't remember who.

The problem with the spray cans, is that because it lasts so long, the can loses pressure and you end up wasting most of it.

Transair?

Search The Transair Pilot Shop Website

[Makman]

Definately the ACF-50 route. I lather the bike in it each year and it really does work. no corrosion and even the fork lowers still look new. And I do ride it all year round. I used Autosol, but that might be a touch rough for chrome...

Cans of ACF-50 in Hein Gericke were going to £12-99 the last time I looked.

[Cousin Jack]

I have a Bonnie with shiny chrome crankcases. After 7 years it still looks good (the wheel rims are begining to go).

FST365 is not that good. Allegedly ACF50 is much better but I've never tried it. Polish is your friend. I use Mr Sheen. It's quick. It's cheap (pinch it from the kitchen). And it's easy, much easier than car polish.

[EddieJ]

Originally Posted by MrTack

Belgom alu is better

Originally Posted by Didge

Another vote for Belgom Alu, for chrome or ali bits.

Brilliant stuff.

Same as that. I wouldn't use anything else on my bike restorations.

[Trogladyte]

Chrome. Love it. This is one of my favourite songs of all time.

[CoolHands]

Originally Posted by Zanx

Transair?

Search The Transair Pilot Shop Website

theirs works out as £35 inc delvery for 1 litre
ACF-50 Anti-Corrosion Formula 1ltr

whereas I bought from flightstore.co.uk and it works out at £33 inc p&p
ACF 50 Anti-Corrosion Formula 1 Litre Bottle

so £2 cheaper at the moment.

[wheelnut]

Remember autosol is abrasive and will wear down the chrome plate if used too much.

Another vote for acf-50, but don't buy it in a spray can, buy in a 1 litre bottle with a pump spray. If you're spraying it on with the pump spray warm in a cup of hot water first as it sprays better. Then for the bits you can't spray use a brush or a cloth to apply it. In fact I find I use a cloth more than the spray, only using the spray where I can't get a brush or a cloth. Don't get it on the disks - it takes an age to wear off.

http://www.flightstore.co.uk/ACF501.asp

It will last a long time but if you an acidic cleaner such as muc off it will need to be applied more often.

When it's salty it's still worth running a quick hose over it every day before you put it away though.

I also use fs365 pretty much daily, hose off on a night and a quick spray of fs-365 in vulnerable places in the morning. FS 365 is much cheaper if bought by the 5 litre. Try not to get it on the disks, but if you do it wears off a lot quicker than acf50

Edit: god, rereading that I sound like weeksy

[AnnAliRse]

Originally Posted by wheelnut

Remember autosol is abrasive and will wear down the chrome plate if used too much.

Another vote for acf-50, but don't buy it in a spray can, buy in a 1 litre bottle with a pump spray. If you're spraying it on with the pump spray warm in a cup of hot water first as it sprays better. Then for the bits you can't spray use a brush or a cloth to apply it. In fact I find I use a cloth more than the spray, only using the spray where I can't get a brush or a cloth. Don't get it on the disks - it takes an age to wear off.

ACF 50 Anti-Corrosion Formula 1 Litre Bottle

It will last a long time but if you an acidic cleaner such as muc off it will need to be applied more often.

When it's salty it's still worth running a quick hose over it every day before you put it away though.

I also use fs365 pretty much daily, hose off on a night and a quick spray of fs-365 in vulnerable places in the morning. FS 365 is much cheaper if bought by the 5 litre. Try not to get it on the disks, but if you do it wears off a lot quicker than acf50

Edit: god, rereading that I sound like weeksy

Hope the OCD gets better soon

Thanks everybody.