Cleaning uprights

[cjsmith]

I'm interested in making the outer surface my cast aluminum uprights look a little bit better. I have used parts cleaner, simple green, scrubbed with stainless steel brush trying to remove years of break dust and normal grime. So far this process has made a dent on the grime but would like to see it look better. I don't expect to make them look like new castings but would like to make them look better. Any advice ?

[rg2]

I'm interested in making the outer surface my cast aluminum uprights look a little bit better. I have used parts cleaner, simple green, scrubbed with stainless steel brush trying to remove years of break dust and normal grime. So far this process has made a dent on the grime but would like to see it look better. I don't expect to make them look like new castings but would like to make them look better. Any advice ?

I'd run them through a glass bead blaster cabinet, clean them very well and then clear coat them Of course you don't want the bearings in them when you do that.

[Rick Iverson]

Kephos. $85.00 a pair, and they look fabulous.

[billtebbutt]

On old uprights on certain cars, once cleaned, I'd have this sprayed. Tough as nails, lasts forever, doesn't flake off. Came in a dark gray/charcoal colour, and it looked the business. Loved the way it loked and held up, and wiped clean even with brakeclean...

cheers,
BT

[steve48]

I've been doing Vapor Honing, also called Aqua Blasting for a little over a year. The process uses a slurry of round glass beads in water driven by a pump and air pressure. The finish is much more satin than bead blast dull dry finish as the beads 'flow' with the water. It 'brightens' the dark grey color that aluminum castings show after time.I have a unit large enough to do 4 cylinder alloy blocks at Sonoma Raceway.

In the photo of the set of manifolds, both manifolds were ultrasonically cleaned. The new looking one was Vapor Honed. The Alfa Romeo oil sump shows how nice a crusty part can look.
The process produces a really nice finish on machined aluminum timing covers, valve covers, cases.

When removing rusty stains from ferrous parts, the finish looks and feels smooth. the differential had rust patina from sitting on shelf for years. Yet the beads don't removed laser or scribed numbers from the part.

Steve