Is there a way to fix this?

[Jim Bronson]

My (new to me) 2013 FXDC has some rash on the fork leg. I did notice it before I bought it, so I knew that I would have to try a repair. I think I know what happened. The previous owner was in the Navy and had a base sticker on the fork leg, and when he removed it, some of the clear coat was removed with it. He may have tried to remove the adhesive residue with a knife. It is hard to tell.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix it so that it looks at least a little better? (Please don't tell me to join the Navy again and get my own sticker.) 

Thanks.

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[Pirsch Fire Wagon]

There is a guy on eBay who strips them and resurfaces them.

[Jim Bronson]

I watched a couple of youtube videos in the meantime. There's a guy who got great results with just progressively finer sandpaper and finishing with some aluminum polish. His results seem almost too good, but maybe I'll give it a try. It took him about an hour.

[Ohio HD]

That works very well. Just that it can be time consuming is all.

I have a set to do as well, much worse than yours.

[Rockout Rocker Products]

One warning... bare polished aluminum starts oxidizing right after the last polishing stroke. Ask me how I know. 

[JW113]

I love polished aluminum. Behold:

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If the surface is already fairly smooth (i.e. no scratches or gouges), I wet sand with 600, then 1000, then 2000 grit wet/dry. I have an electric buffing wheel which puts a mirror shine on it, but you can get pretty close with products like Mothers or Blue Magic. It's true, aluminum does tend to oxidize especially if it gets wet. I just use plain old car wax on it since I live where it seldom rains, but there are products especially made for polished metal to seal them, like ShineSeal.

-JW

[kd]

One warning... bare polished aluminum starts oxidizing right after the last polishing stroke. Ask me how I know. 

True that.    Have it masked off where necessary and be ready with a rattle can already to go and shoot a very light seal coat on. Just enough to seal it and keep the air off it. You can go back later and carefully lay on a gloss coat.  Aluminum typically needs a special first coat that stops oxidation and primes.  The one everyone recognizes is an ugly yellowish shade.  Keeping the air off is critical without primer. I have used acetone to wipe and an acetone base clear immediately after the wipe down even if damp (not sopping wet).

[Jim Bronson]

Thanks guys. I'm off to HD (Home Depot) tomorrow for some sandpaper.

[kd]

Keep the grit very fine.  Sand paper will cut into the soft aluminum and then you'll be chasing scratches.  Be patient.  It will pay off.  Rush and it will take you backwards.  Having said that, I had a set that were so scratched in the 70's that I shot the with hot black (flat) paint.  They looked great and I had as much or more chrome than your shiny new Dyna has. 

[Coyote]

 

Start with wet dry 400 and go up

[Breeze]

I polished my '92 Dyna and '07 Electra forks. It certainly took more than an hour, but it was a project I liked. I progressively worked to 1500 grit before using alum. polish. I keep a coat of carnauba on them and have no problem with them oxidizing (lived on Fl Atl coast). About once a year I hit them with alum. polish.

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[Hossamania]

Looks good, You guys are making my neglected but hard ridden bikes look a little dull.

[Jim Bronson]

I polished my '92 Dyna and '07 Electra forks. It certainly took more than an hour, but it was a project I liked. I progressively worked to 1500 grit before using alum. polish. I keep a coat of carnauba on them and have no problem with them oxidizing (lived on Fl Atl coast). About once a year I hit them with alum. polish.

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Wow!

[Ratfade]

I polished my '92 Dyna and '07 Electra forks. It certainly took more than an hour, but it was a project I liked. I progressively worked to 1500 grit before using alum. polish. I keep a coat of carnauba on them and have no problem with them oxidizing (lived on Fl Atl coast). About once a year I hit them with alum. polish.

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On my '94 Electra Glide, I used the methods recommended here---progressively finer sanding followed by polishing with a dremel buffing wheel and metal polish. It took awhile, but when I was finished, the looked beautiful, and they looked much worse than the OP's when I started.
And like Breeze, I was surprised how little oxidation there was afterward. I touch them up maybe once a year.

[JW113]

Same here, no issue with oxidation. I wonder if the guys that are having problems live in areas where they salt the roads in the winter?

-JW

[kd]

Same here, no issue with oxidation. I wonder if the guys that are having problems live in areas where they salt the roads in the winter?

-JW

.... or never take the time to crack a beer and give them a good rub down with a fine polish like Silvo and waxing once a year?

[jmorton10]

One warning... bare polished aluminum starts oxidizing right after the last polishing stroke. Ask me how I know. 

No kidding !!

I spent hours polishing an old set of legs until they looked like chrome once because I love the polished aluminum look.  I never did it again however & my current ride has chrome legs.

I had a buddy who worked in a plating shop for years. He was always polishing stuff for me no charge.

He polished a set of shovelhead rocker covers, a timing cover, tranny top & side cover, primary cover, S&S A/C cover & some other odds & ends for a bike I was building around 1980.  After it sat parked in an unheated garage over an upstate NY Winter, it all corroded badly enough it needed to be done over again.

~John