Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

[Bostonsfavson]

Hey fellas--hope everyone had an excellent Memorial Day I posted this same topic over on Autopia. I'm not a fan "cross posting" the same thing on multiple forums, but no one over there was able to help, so I'm left with little choice.

I have the Westin Signature Series nerf bars on my truck, which I took off this weekend to do some thorough polishing. They have some light scratches, minor rust and above all an unsightly haze on them. I *thought* that they were SS, but according to Westin they are "chrome plated mild steel."

There was some undercoating overspray on the one, and when I removed it I could see the original brilliant finish. The rest of the surface has this haze that simply will not come off. I've tried the following:

-Meg's UC (w/white and orange pads w/PC)
-Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish
-3M Metal Polish
-0000 steel wool w/glass cleaner, various metal polishes
-Power Ball w/various metal polishes
-aluminum foil

*Nothing* is getting the haze off. Any other suggestions? Some help with these would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Murr1525]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

Any chance of a pic?

The haze is not scratches is it? Can be hard to get scratches out of metal.

[Bostonsfavson]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

Any chance of a pic?

The haze is not scratches is it? Can be hard to get scratches out of metal.

Unfortunately, my camera was stolen. No, they're not scratches--it's a definite haze. Very odd, in that nothing I've used has even *touched* it.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

Chrome is a very hard coating that doesn't take well to being abraded with the end results looking good or like it was when it was new.

I've read somewhere that there was a product that could be used to polish/abrade the thin chrome coating without leaving scratches behind and without removing too much material to expose the underlying layers which are nickel and copper.

When you read about triple plated chrome, there's not 3 layers of chrome, theres 3 different layers of one layer each of copper, nickel and lastly chrome. The chrome layer is very, very thin, thus polishing it, as in abrading it to level the surface is going to be very hard to do without going through the layer.

Most chrome polishes on the market, like ours, are for restoring shine to the surface because the surface is dirty, stained or water spotted, they are not actually for abrading the surface with the intent of removing swirls, scratches and other defects by leveling the surface.

So if you do have below surface defects, chances of removing them by leveling the surface are pretty slim. Check with www.eastwood.com and see if they offer any products or tools for removing scratches out of chrome, that plus a Google search might turn something up.

If you do find a product that can actually remove scratches from chrome without messing up the chrome, please share that here as others have had this problem in the past.

For what it's worth, I've personally never been able to buff scratches out of chrome. I've buffed chrome and any chrome still in good shape can make shiny or the term is brilliant, but actually removing below the surface scratches and that's usually what the haze is, no luck.

[BarryK]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

I deal with Chrome a lot on classic cars.
As Mike mentioned, triple plated chrome is 3 layers of different materials, the last top layer being the actual chrome finish.
It is VERY, VERY easy to scratch this top coating and once scratched there is zero solutions to repairing it other than getting the part rechromed.
When I say it's very easy to scratch I mean it in the strongest possible terms. Even so-called "Metal & Chrome" polishes or cleaners that you would assume to be safe for chrome can easily scratch and damage the part being cleaned. I know firsthand from experience (expensive experience unfortunately).
I've learned that the only real safe way to clean chrome is with very mild cleaners such as Windex, or something similar. Once clean I will apply a layer of wax to protect the chrome.

From what you have described and listed that you have already used in trying in clean your bars I'd say you already scratched them beyond repair and probably actually removed most if not all of the thin top chrome layer and you are actually looking at the exposed second layer which you will never get to shine up as much - kind of like cutting thru the clearcoat of paint and now down to the duller basecoat if you can live with that analogy

[Bostonsfavson]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

Mike, thanks for the advice. I'll give Eastwood a look.

Barry, I don't think I've harmed the surface in any way. All of my polishing efforts have been on the underside of the bars, and those areas look *exactly* the same as the areas I haven't touched. No new scratches, no noticeable surface abrasion--just the same damn haze. I was willing to be a little aggressive with these areas because I knew that if I *did* introduce some irreparable marring, it wouldn't be visible.

I'm starting to wonder if some of the chemicals they use when salting the roads simply reacted with the chrome in a manner which caused the hazing. I may just have to live with it :-/

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need Some Help Polishing Nerf Bars

It is VERY, VERY easy to scratch this top coating and once scratched there is zero solutions to repairing it other than getting the part rechromed.

Chrome is less resistant to clear coat paints so while it might scratch easy, it's sure a lot tougher than the paint we're all trying not to put scratches into.

From what you have described and listed that you have already used in trying in clean your bars I'd say you already scratched them beyond repair and probably actually removed most if not all of the thin top chrome layer and you are actually looking at the exposed second layer which you will never get to shine up as much - kind of like cutting thru the clearcoat of paint and now down to the duller basecoat if you can live with that analogy

I would agree, especially if the area in question is also the area where people are placing their shoes as they get in and out of the truck.