Restore Faded or Oxidized ATV Plastic

[Ajmboy 420]

Was looking online and found this video I thought was interesting. The guy in the video is using a 60/40 paint thinner to boiled linseed oil mix to restore the plastic on his Kodiak. The youtube comments have mixed reviews.

 

 

Has anyone used a product that works?

 

[Frank Angerano 550]

It does work. I watched the video and tried it.  However..... it does not last. Fades after a week right back to the way it was.  I continued to add armorall to the plastics but it’s a lot of maintaining.    

[bryanta0502 12]

I just did this trick on my 2001 Big Bear 400 and it worked awesome! Left side is after right side is before.

[orvilleortiz538 10]

12 hours ago, Frank Angerano said:

It does work. I watched the video and tried it.  However..... it does not last. Fades after a week right back to the way it was.  I continued to add armorall to the plastics but it’s a lot of maintaining.    

Best thing to do is use a carpet razor blade (flexible) and take your time and scrape really thin layers, I mean thin that you can barely see..... it works....

[Ajmboy 420]

12 hours ago, Frank Angerano said:

It does work. I watched the video and tried it.  However..... it does not last. Fades after a week right back to the way it was.  I continued to add armorall to the plastics but it’s a lot of maintaining.    

Good feedback!

12 hours ago, bryanta0502 said:

I just did this trick on my 2001 Big Bear 400 and it worked awesome! Left side is after right side is before. 

Looks good!

1 minute ago, orvilleortiz538 said:

Best thing to do is use a carpet razor blade (flexible) and take your time and scrape really thin layers, I mean thin that you can barely see..... it works....

Are you scraping in dry or wet?

[orvilleortiz538 10]

Are you scraping in dry or wet?

Dry,you just want to scrape it lightly, its time consuming, but it all depends on what you want....how good you want the plastics to look!!!

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[Ajmboy 420]

1 minute ago, orvilleortiz538 said:

Dry,you just want to scrape it lightly, its time consuming, but it all depends on what you want....how good you want the plastics to look!!!

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That's cool, great job on that!

Someone also told me to use a rubbing compound and try a headlight restoration kit which takes the fade out of plastic headlights.

[Frank Angerano 550]

Running compound 👎🏻 Take it from me it’s a waste of time.  I’ve never heard of the razor blade before.  News to me. I have to try it.  

[06kfx440 108]

I did the razor blade trick. It works but equal pressure is key. And sharp blades. I usually use a heat gun and compound. Followed by wax.

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[Frank Angerano 550]

So here’s one more thing I wanted to mention. With the recon that I have.  The plastics were faded. I worked in a body shop for years when I was young.  I was always the guy they trusted to water sand and buff out paint without burning the paint on the car.     

So I tried to water sand the plastics on the recon with 1500 grit water sand paper and did so.   The color came right back to new but you seen the sand paper marks. I tried to buff it out like a car and it just does not work.  The sand paper marks would not budge. I eventually went to a 2000 grit paper and compound and got it to look about 90% and left it there. The plastics color is like new but they look like a car with all the swirls you see in the sun.  

 

[orvilleortiz538 10]

16 hours ago, Frank Angerano said:

Running compound 👎🏻 Take it from me it’s a waste of time.  I’ve never heard of the razor blade before.  News to me. I have to try it.  

I spray some of that Meguiars Rims shine and then hit it with a buffer and lightly spraying water not to burn the plastic,its ok,but I could've done better,just to time consuming....

[JacobSlabach 92]

great topic!  Was about to ask this question for my warrior as the plastics are a little faded (they are white so its harder to tell, but they definitely aged...)

[orvilleortiz538 10]

This is the rear plastics of my Raptor660r I haven't done the other one yet,this is very time consuming, specially when you have 2 year old baby Twins running around and all I hear is Papi!!! (Daddy) and they make the quad sounds,meaning they want a ride... but this is all razor blade scraped and I ran the heat gun after,but maybe I'll end up powder coating this? Not sure if it will work ok? Any suggestions?


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[Frank Angerano 550]

Understatement of the year !!!! 

Time consuming!!

It looks great and has a nice blue but I have to say I’ve only been successful with one bike I did plastic restore on and it’s still only 90% . 

Now having said that I can tell you I’ve had 100% success with painting and vinyl and such.  With proper sanding, prep work you can spray them yourself weather it be with can or spray gun they come out great.  I like a spray gun because you can add a flex agent into the paint for flexibility.  

Ive also prepped them myself and had a local body shop spray them for me in a booth.  Charged me very little as they only take minutes and i set it up so when he was spraying black on a car he was painting I used what was left over and the painter was already to go.  It’s not like they went out of there way to mix colors etc.  

 

 

[orvilleortiz538 10]

Understatement of the year !!!! 
Time consuming!!
It looks great and has a nice blue but I have to say I’ve only been successful with one bike I did plastic restore on and it’s still only 90% . 
Now having said that I can tell you I’ve had 100% success with painting and vinyl and such.  With proper sanding, prep work you can spray them yourself weather it be with can or spray gun they come out great.  I like a spray gun because you can add a flex agent into the paint for flexibility.  
Ive also prepped them myself and had a local body shop spray them for me in a booth.  Charged me very little as they only take minutes and i set it up so when he was spraying black on a car he was painting I used what was left over and the painter was already to go.  It’s not like they went out of there way to mix colors etc.  
 
 

I don't mean being with my babies is time consuming just in case it soundedlike that,I meant scraping the plastic takes alot of time,just that one took all day,and it looke like this at first without the heat gun just scraped,I lo e riding them around and I can't wait for them to learn to ride their quads!!!! I have 6 quads and I'm the only one in the house that rides them....but yeah I'm gonna check out how much is for painting the plastics if not then I'll get new ones...I love the Red and Black,but the Blue/White and Gray or black go great as well....

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[Frank Angerano 550]

I know what you meant brother.  But the kids are consuming also lol.  I would definitely explore painting them. Even if you screw them up then no loss.   I can tell you this. I’ve tried everyone of the theories out there.  The only luck I’ve had was water sanding with 2000 grit sand paper and buffing out with compound and a wheel.  And that’s a pain in the ass!!

[orvilleortiz538 10]

I know what you meant brother.  But the kids are consuming also lol.  I would definitely explore painting them. Even if you screw them up then no loss.   I can tell you this. I’ve tried everyone of the theories out there.  The only luck I’ve had was water sanding with 2000 grit sand paper and buffing out with compound and a wheel.  And that’s a pain in the ass!!

I have a powder coating machine/gun whatever its called, brand new, not even open yet,I may try that see how it goes!!! I also have a very good gun to paint cars I may see how that goes too... thanks for the suggestions Frank

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[Frank Angerano 550]

If you have the paint gun and you know how to spray then your set. Keep us posted and some pics brother.  Keep in mind what India’s weather powder coating or spray. DuPont make a flex agent additive. 

[orvilleortiz538 10]

If you have the paint gun and you know how to spray then your set. Keep us posted and some pics brother.  Keep in mind what India’s weather powder coating or spray. DuPont make a flex agent additive. 

What mean by India's weather? I'm a bit lost there brother,but Dupont I heard of....

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[Frank Angerano 550]

Sorry my bad I meant to say weather it’s powder coat  or paint DuPont makes a flex agent additive for the paint to make it flexible on plastics.