Restoring ATV Plastics

[serious3]

my big bear 400 has lived all its life outside in horrible weather, the plastics are in good shape but very faded scruffy looking, is there anything i can put on them or use to restore them to their former glory?

[oxidized_black]

there are cleaners/restorers out there but very expensive. here is someting i found on you tube that i might try with my big bear .... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KevwAZutZwI]How to Restore Faded or Oxidized ATV Plastic - Fast & Easy - YouTube[/ame]

[ScootersScooters]

I have seen people use bed liner and that looks really cool. We've been wanting to try it for awhile but haven't came across anything that really needed it yet. If you do try it (or something else), we would love to feature it on our website. The link is here, just in case you are interested.

[oxidized_black]

I have seen people use bed liner and that looks really cool.

and i think paint will stick alot better to the bedliner than the atv plastics ...

[bigbear93]

if you scuff sand it with a fine grit, (id say 320+) sandpaper, clean them with technical grade isopropyl alcohol or acetone, and wipe them dry with a clean, low lint cloth, you should have no problems painting them.

I would advise using a paint with flex agents, such as Krylon fusion, regular rattle can will crack and flake off as soon as the plastics start flexing

[serious3]

just to update you on this project, i've finished the renovation of the whole quad. to renovate the plastics i used a..................................blowtorch!!!!! gently heated the plastics till it looked wet, took 15mins to do the whole lot!!

[oxidized_black]

looks great !!

i used a heat gun to take out some small stress marks, the heat works good but be careful !!

[serious3]

heat gun would work better, i'd imagine its a wider are of heat compared to the naked flame of the torch think i'll get one next time they are on offer at my local tool shop

[oxidized_black]

the torch would work well with the fan tip too i think ...

[BradCad]

Thats a great tip! not to mention $$ saver, Thanks

[marioweldinginc]

The heatgun method is more forgiving...mot much more. Then hit the plastic with some plastic polish.

[serious3]

i used a silicone lubricant in an aerosol can, seems to work very well

[dakotasnake]

the blow torch is an interesting fix. so your saying a little heat to the plastics wil bring out the luster and maybe fix some scratches as well? i will vouch for the krlon fusion spray cans. i restored boat seats using that, takes along time to completely dry but lasted for yrs.

[rockwell16]

all you have to do is buff it with wax and clean the plastics the black plastics by the motor with arm and hammer tire shine will make the plastics look brand new and will prevent further fading that video that is so much more work and won't last

[oxidized_black]

the blow torch is an interesting fix. so your saying a little heat to the plastics wil bring out the luster and maybe fix some scratches as well? i will vouch for the krlon fusion spray cans. i restored boat seats using that, takes along time to completely dry but lasted for yrs.

it helps, it doesnt completely eliminate everything, but it can take out stress marks ...

small scratches will somewhat be hidden ,,, i used a heat gun, only because i dont trust myself with a flame (LOL) but you can do damage to the plstics too if you leave it on one spot too long with either ...

[TEXASBAGMAN]

heat gun is the best method i have found. The darker the color the better the results. There is a video on UTUBE using boiled linseed oil and paint thinner. If you want to have $10 less and a half a can of boiled linseed oil on you r chem-tool shelf , waste a couple of hours of precious life and have the plastics look exactly the same as they did be 4 started then thats the vid for you!. Dont ask me how i know, I would suggest that when using heat gun method-plastics should be attatched to the ATV. Other wise you could end up with a big plastic taco looking thing. The cheap plastic welder from HBF has some use as well as the heat gun $9.99 each. HBF staples only fit staple gun that does NOT exist, so take the staples and break off a length, place them over a large break or crack, heat them and press them into plastic to hold 2 pieces together.

[oxidized_black]

it would be nice to find a product, a liquid in a can, that you could just wipe on and off with a cloth that causes a subtle chemical reaction with the plastic to revitalize it ... oh there it is, just behind that unicorn LOL ... soon maybe ??

[TEXASBAGMAN]

[ATTACH]1733[/ATTACH]O"REALY S has some on sale, Its next to the blinker fluid!

Edited December 30, 2013 by TEXASBAGMAN

[rockwell16]

just buff it with wax and on the black plastics by the motor use tire shine it will look like a brand new bike

[TEXASBAGMAN]

just buff it with wax and on the black plastics by the motor use tire shine it will look like a brand new bike

"RESTORING" plastics implies to me that they are damaged beyond wash and wax. SCRATCH,FADED AND OXIDIZED.