Cleaning fake diamond plate TT fronts

[Beachbourbon]

What are some good ways to clean the fake silver diamond plate on the lower front of a TT? I used Camco wash & wax, but still looks the same. I know this is plastic with a silver coating, and I don’t want to damage it. Anyone with good luck cleaning this? Thanks for all replies

[Beachbourbon]

Nobody successfully cleaning this stuff?

[Fishtexx]

Try a non-etching aluminum wheel cleaner. Get it a wal mart or auto parts store.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by Fishtexx

Try a non-etching aluminum wheel cleaner. Get it a wal mart or auto parts store.

Aluminum wheel cleaner on plastic?

[Fishtexx]

You sure it is plastic? My last TT was a Keystone Springdale, diamond plate was aluminum.

[Fishtexx]

If it is chrome over plastic, a chrome cleaner would be more in order. The non etching aluminum cleaner may still work. Non etching is key, as it is for clear coated aluminum wheels.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

What are some good ways to clean the fake silver diamond plate on the lower front of a TT? I used Camco wash & wax, but still looks the same. I know this is plastic with a silver coating, and I don’t want to damage it. Anyone with good luck cleaning this? Thanks for all replies

That plate is known as a rock guard and is made with aluminum diamond plate that has been lightly polished. If it has a grayish appearance the surface has been subjected to road grime and salt. You will need to polish it with a polishing compound. Though you can find some aluminum diamond plate that has a clear coat it is more polished and costly.

[Bama Rambler]

Get Mothers Aluminum Polish and their Power Ball polishing ball.

First clean the plate with original Windex and then use the Mothers. It's a little work, but it's worth it.

[Beachbourbon]

Thanks for all the replies.

Just to reiterate, The material i am discussing is NOT metal. It is plastic. However, it is designed to look like the old metal they used to use. These are now FAKE diamond plates made of light weight plastic. Some are black, some are silver metallic like the originals.

I am trying to clean the silver without damaging or removing the silver coating on the plastic.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Got tired of trying to clean mine (flat black), so I roughed it with heavy steel wool and painted gloss black. The black looks better on my TT anyway.

[D W]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

That plate is known as a rock guard and is made with aluminum diamond plate that has been lightly polished. If it has a grayish appearance the surface has been subjected to road grime and salt. You will need to polish it with a polishing compound. Though you can find some aluminum diamond plate that has a clear coat it is more polished and costly.

X2, except mine is anodized matte black. Cleans up well with any car wash/wax compound. If it gets dinged I touch it up with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black. I can't imagine a plastic one. Certainly wouldn't last long.

[Freetyme]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

What are some good ways to clean the fake silver diamond plate on the lower front of a TT? I used Camco wash & wax, but still looks the same. I know this is plastic with a silver coating, and I don’t want to damage it. Anyone with good luck cleaning this? Thanks for all replies

If it is indeed plastic, I use a product called Novus on my trucks bug deflector. They have both a plastic cleaner and polish, still takes some elbow grease. May work. Pretty sure mine is aluminum and ×2 on Mothers for that.

[BigRockr]

My rear bumper is wrapped in this "diamond plate". I was bolting on a receiver to hold a bike rack and the "diamond plate" cracked into many plastic pieces. Gotta save a buck wherever you can on a $40k sale.

[Tiguan Tow r]

I used a drill with a foam pad and a combination cleaner/wax called "Zymol". Let it dry and rub off with a micro fiber towel. The results were good but I may give another cleaner/wax a try in the spring just for the heck of it.

[Terry Luther]

The silver diamond plate on my TT was shinny enough that it glared in my eyes when I was driving toward the sun. I wound up painting it a blue to match the trim and it was much better.

[ABFJV]

Fortunately I have not had a problem with the diamond plate on the front of my W&P but when/if I do I will use the same product on it that I use on my Aluma motorcycle trailer, which is Starbrite or MaryKate Hull Cleaner made for fiberglass boat bottoms. One should be available at WalMart or West Marine. They contain Oxalic and/or Phosphoric acids which can be harmful to skin; the warnings are on the container. The motorcycle trailer shines line new without buffing. It may take some of the sheen off but eventually it will wear off anyway. Be sure to rinse with plenty of water. When you think you have rinsed enough, rinse again. Just a suggestion of what I would use. And try in a small area before wiping down the entire plate.
I am not sure if this would work on the "fake" or plastic plate as the OP original stated.