Your ATV is a beast of the outdoors, seldom spending much of its life inside. The plastic body of ATVs becomes faded from the sun’s rays, and thrashing around in dirt, mud, snow, and water doesn’t help. Plastics get scuffed by boots or passing debris, and cracks can appear in the body or windshield.
There are a few options for restoring your ATV’s faded plastic so it looks like a showroom model again. These options vary in cost and difficulty. In this guide, we’ll look at all the common ways to restore the luster of your ATV’s plastic body.
Image from www.can-amtalk.com
Linseed oil can restore faded plastic, but it takes ages to dry. You want boiled linseed oil, instead. Note—this doesn’t mean you boil the linseed oil yourself! It means that the linseed oil has been pre-treated to dry faster.
To speed things along, choose boiled linseed oil and mix it with paint thinner. We recommend a 40/60 ratio of linseed oil and paint thinner.
Start by cleaning your ATV thoroughly. For best results, you’ll want to remove the rack and any other parts of the machine that are covering the plastics.
Apply the mixture to your plastics using a dry cloth. You’ll notice the linseed oil will remove the oxidization that’s causing fading. After you’ve applied the mixture to all the plastic, allow it a full day to dry.
If you keep your ATV covered and don’t use it every day, this fix will last for a few months. If you constantly use your ATV outdoors, this treatment may be required to be performed again in 4-6 weeks.
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You’ll need good access to your ATV’s plastics, so remove the skid plates and racks. If they are severely damaged in any way, you may want to replace them completely. To complement your better-looking new plastics, you may want to strip or sand your racks and paint them with a spray-on bedliner.
Next up, give the ATV a good clean overall. A mixture of dishwashing liquid and water will remove all the grease and oils from the surfaces.
Now it’s time to prepare the plastic for waxing. This means sanding the plastic with fine sandpaper, working your way up from the lowest number of sandpaper up to the highest. You can use an oscillating tool to speed up the process. Make sure you’re wearing safe gloves, and finish up by sanding with steel wool.
Apply a vinyl floor liquid wax to the plastic using a car wax applicator. Using thin coats, you can work on one section of the plastic while another section dries. You will need to apply several coats, buffing out the plastic after each application.
After the final coat is complete and bone dry, finish up with an automotive wax for an extra layer of sheen.
This process is more involved than the linseed oil and paint thinner fix, but it typically has a longer-lasting result.
Image from www.
atvhonda.com
Instead of a linseed oil and paint thinner mixture or vinyl liquid wax, you can use a dedicated plastic restorer product. While most of these products work very well, they are basically just variations of our above options with slightly different chemical compositions.
Image from Lea Arnold YouTube channel
Using a heat gun does work to make plastics look new, but it has downsides.
To perform the procedure, you use a heat gun set to a low setting and blow it from a few inches above the problem plastic. Voila—the plastic looks as good as new.
But it’s not really an option that we recommend. It works by melting the top layer of the plastic, which in turn makes the plastic more brittle. Every time you perform a heat gun restoration, your plastics lose some strength.
Where we would suggest using a heat gun is to work out small cracks in the plastic. Severe cracks necessitate replacement, though.
These are the top ways to restore your ATV plastic. Another option is to cover your faded plastic with a new lick of paint from a spray paint that’s specifically suitable for plastic. Whatever option you choose, with just a little bit of elbow grease you can have your ATV back in showroom condition.
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Since ATVs invest the majority of their time outdoors, their plastic body ends up being discolored from the sunlight’s rays, as well as surging around in dirt, mud, snow, and also water does not help.
Plastics get messed up by boots or passing particles, and also splits can appear in the body or windshield.
There are a few choices for restoring your ATV’s faded plastic so it appears like a showroom model once more. These alternatives differ in price as well as problem.
In this guide, we clarify exactly how to make your ATV resemble new. We provide you with some suggestions on exactly how to restore ATV plastic.
Table of Contents
Now that you understand what creates your ATV plastic to fade allow’s take a look at the various ways you can recover your vehicle to its previous glory.
When it concerns restoring your ATV, there are many methods that can be made use of to take on discolored plastic, with everyone delivering different outcomes. So to help you at the same time, we have actually detailed the various techniques down below.
Before you restore your ATV plastic, you should keep your ATV clear.
Wash the ATV completely using Dawn dishwashing fluid. Dawn helps get rid of oils and grease from the surface area. And afterward, completely dry the maker totally. If there are scratches, you will also require to sand its plastic surface.
Linseed oil can recover discolored plastic, however, it takes ages to dry. You need boiled linseed oil, rather. Note– this does not imply you steam the linseed oil on your own! It implies that the linseed oil has actually been pre-treated to completely dry faster.
To speed up points along, choose boiled linseed oil and mix it with paint thinner. We advise a 40/60 proportion of linseed oil as well as paint thinner.
Begin by cleaning your ATV extensively. For best results, you’ll intend to eliminate the rack as well as any other parts of the device that are covering the plastics.
Apply the mix to your plastics using a completely dry cloth.
You’ll discover the linseed oil will remove the oxidization that’s causing fading. After you have actually used the blend to all the plastic, allow it a full day to dry.
If you maintain your ATV covered and do not use it on a daily basis, this restore will certainly last for a couple of months. If you continuously use your ATV outdoors, this treatment might be called for to be done again in 4-6 weeks.
The following video shows you how to restore ATV plastic with boiled linseed oil.
There are plenty of products in stores that declare to recover plastic. One of the most preferred is Solution Finish and CAR GUYS Plastic Restorer.
A look through customer testimonials shows that they work. How much time the remediation lasts differs from item to item, and just how well you protect your ATV. Yet most appear to last for a number of months.
When using a certain restorer, inspect the instructions of the application on the label. Also, the majority of these items are likewise helpful for plastic. If your ATV seat has a plastic cover, you can make use of these restorers to reverse fading.
First, you should remove the skid plates and racks. If they are drastically damaged whatsoever, you might intend to replace them totally. To enhance your better-looking new plastics, you may intend to strip or sand your racks and repaint them with a spray-on bed liner.
Next up, offer the ATV a good clean overall. Now, it’s time to prepare the plastic for waxing. This means fining sand the plastic with fine sandpaper, working your way up from the lowest amount of sandpaper to the highest. You can also use an oscillating device to quicken the process. Make certain you’re wearing risk-free gloves, and finish up by fining sand with steel wool.
Use a vinyl flooring liquid wax to the plastic using a car and truck wax applicator. Using thin layers, you can service one area of the plastic while one more section dries. You will need to apply a number of coats, and polish the plastic after each application.
After the last layer is full and also bone dry, end up with an automotive wax for an added layer of luster.
This process is more complex than linseed oil and paints thinner restoration, but it usually has longer-lasting results.
This is the debatable one that we don’t advise. It works such as this: you set the heat gun to the lowest setting and blow it a few inches away from the plastic, moving slowly over the discolored areas.
This approach generates instant outcomes. The faded plastic instantly appears new and also glossy.
While it functions, how it works is the issue. The heat partially thaws the top layer of the plastic, making it show up new.
Comparable to various other plastic restore methods, the heat gun method does not last forever. Oxidation as well as fading will certainly return after a number of weeks or months. So you need to duplicate the treatment.
The trouble is that every time you use a heat gun, the plastic gets more brittle as well as more probable to crack as you set about your riding.
So we do not suggest making use of a heat gun. Use linseed oil or a plastic restorer. If you want long-term remediation, see the last method below. You can watch the following video to learn how to restore ATV plastic with the heat gun.
For the last approach, we are going to go over; we have selected an option that is arguably one of the most efficient when it comes to restoring ATV plastic. If you see that your ATV has actually begun to discolor, you can constantly battle the issue by repainting it.
You can do this by using spray paints ideal for ATV plastic, although you will need to apply a primer coat and a safety top layer for the best outcomes.
Like the majority of recovering approaches, paint is not permanent as well as will certainly start to fade with time. Nevertheless, it can last much longer than various other repair choices and can be quickly reapplied whenever the plastic begins to discolor.
If you want to learn more about paint, you can click here to get a guide for painting your ATV step-by-step.
Broken plastic is a little bit a lot more challenging to fix. If a piece of the plastic has come off, not simply a basic fracture, you may be much better off changing the whole plastic part.
However, if it’s just a crack, there’s hope. We discovered numerous feasible means to repair broken ATV plastic. Nonetheless, most of them, such as using epoxy or superglue do not work well. As quickly as you go out with the ATV once again, the sealed cracks are then loosened
The solution that appears to work ideal is melting the plastic. You can use a plastic welder, heat gun, soldering iron, or some other source of heat to melt the plastic along the crack. You’ll require to apply stress on both sides of the plastic up until the melted plastic remedies and holds.
For larger fractures, you may need to thaw an exterior plastic to fill the fracture. You can also get plastic welding rods or reinforcement plastic mesh.
When it comes to the windshield, because it is likely acrylic, an acrylic solvent concrete or an acrylic adhesive is the best option.
Adhere to the directions on the label. Keep in mind to clean the windshield before using any item.
Plastic burs very easy as well as wet fining sand will prevent that. With the 180 grit just sand the actually bad areas as well as get the deep scratches, nothing even more. After they have gone away, Use 220 on the overall vehicle.
Sand up until the shade is also all over and the scratches are gone.
Brightening with Toothpaste or Sodium Bicarbonate Toothpaste and baking soda are both light abrasives that you can make use of to brighten plastic. For deeply etched or blemished plastic, capture non-gel toothpaste straight onto the surface and also buff it in a circular movement with a microfiber or cotton cloth.
WD-40 Multi-use product is excellent for most plastic surfaces that have actually had a great deal of exterior direct exposure, so it’s great for garden furniture. It is very important to note that Polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastics are among the very few surfaces where WD-40 multi-purpose products can be avoided.
The very best method I have actually located for removing light scrapes is to choose some 1500 Grit Wet Sandpaper.
Just utilize the sandpaper over the locations with scrapes and also enthusiast it out when you’re done. You can end up with a coat of the plastic restorer I discussed above to make it look new.
To restore the shine, apply a small amount of plastic or metal polish just enough to cover the dull areas, then apply it in a circular motion with a clean, dry cloth. You may need to repeat the process a few times, but eventually, the plastic will shine like new again.
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Rodney L Herron
Rodney L is a technical writer and product consultant with over a decade of experience in the motor industry. Rodney is a fan of performance machines that run fast and loud and an expert in all things custom. His numerous articles and write-ups are available at our knowledge base. Whether it’s something wrong with your motorcycle or you are building a custom bike, you can trust Rodney’s experience.
Do-it-yourself ATV painting is a very exciting, but also very time-consuming task. As a rule, the following reasons prompt the owner to paint the motorbike:
? the old paintwork is worn out and looks unattractive;
? the presence of scratches and traces of corrosion;
? the desire to change the appearance of the vehicle.
If you have no experience in performing this kind of work, then for painting plastic on an ATV, the best solution would be to turn to the services of real professionals or simply pick up a new device in the dvako.com.ua/kvadrocikly/ catalog.
Before you get started, you need to decide on the choice of paint. The following options are used for painting motorcycles:
? nitroenamel dyes are most often used for coloring vehicles. They boast a budget cost, the widest range of colors and shades, as well as a high drying speed. Such paint, unfortunately, cannot boast of having a glossy sheen and good performance.
The coating will last for a maximum of one season, as it will quickly begin to be damaged by chemicals and physical damage;
? alkyd paints for ATVs have good resistance to negative environmental factors, but they will also cost much more. But such a coating is easy to apply and lasts a long time, except that there is not a large number of different colors;
? acrylic is good with a large selection of colors, and performance is not bad. True, under the influence of gasoline, it quickly loses its attractive appearance and fades. It is obvious that sooner or later the fuel mixture will still get on the surface of the ATV, leaving a noticeable mark on it;
? powder paints are resistant to both mechanical stress and negative environmental factors. Manufacturers provide a choice of an impressive number of shades. You can choose the intensity of gloss and the type of texture. The cost of the dye is at an affordable level. The only drawback is that specialized technical equipment is required for application.
Therefore, if you don't want to paint ATV plastic too often, then opt for nitro enamel or powder paint.
If you want to try painting an ATV yourself for the first time, then consider the following nuances:
? make sure that a radical change in the color scheme of motorcycles will not cause problems with the traffic police;
? instead of a spray gun and an air compressor, you can use a can of paint, however, such painting of an ATV cannot be called high-quality;
? use a brush to a minimum in your work, it is best suited for correcting minor flaws and painting over cracks;
? before painting the quad itself, it will not be superfluous to practice a little on a similar surface. This will help avoid mistakes for a beginner;
? do not neglect the use of a respirator and special goggles in the process of painting a vehicle. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury;
? inspect the final result of the work in good light to notice all the nuances that need to be improved.
Creative coloring of the frame and plastic of the ATV will give it a truly unique and exclusive look. The main thing is that the painting should be done efficiently and accurately.
If you have decided to entrust the painting of a motorbike to true masters of their craft, then feel free to contact Dvako Moto. We have been working in the field of repair, maintenance and sale of motor vehicles for many years, consistently providing customers with high quality work at an affordable and attractive price.
Here you will find the widest range of motorcycles, ATVs and mopeds, as well as spare parts, consumables and accessories for them. You can buy any product from the store's catalog remotely by placing an order online.
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Professional motorcycle plastic painting may be required for various reasons: during repairs to eliminate surface defects or to renew the top coat of paint if the vehicle has been used for a long time. Masters of Pm-moto motorcycle service guarantee high-quality performance of these works in the shortest possible time.
Motoplastic painting is carried out using the best consumables that will help restore the spectacular appearance of the bike and reliably protect parts from inevitable mechanical stress and subsequent destruction.
The staining procedure is performed in a special chamber. We use only those coatings that were created for motorcycles. In addition, we can paint the plastic of a motorcycle with a preliminary restoration of its surface.
Repair of plastic sheathing is carried out using modern technology, which allows you to maintain the maximum strength of the product. This procedure is effective in the presence of cracks, chips, dents and other defects. Restoring the surface of plastic parts and fasteners, as well as further painting the plastic of a motorcycle, will cost you much less than replacing them completely.
Among the benefits of service in Pm-moto it should be noted:
The quality and durability of painting are ensured by special surface preparation. First, sanding and puttying is performed, and only then a paint and varnish coating is applied. Thus, the effect obtained persists for a long time.
Clients who apply to the Pm-moto service are guaranteed reliable motoplastic painting in Moscow and a spectacular look of the vehicle. We use only those paints and varnishes that do not contain toxic substances, which ensures their safety for humans and the environment.
Another undoubted advantage of contacting us is the provision of a long-term guarantee for this type of work.
For your convenience, we have provided the possibility of recording at any time. You can clarify the details regarding this service or sign up for it online and by phone.
| Name of work | Price, rub | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance complex (changing spark plugs, changing oil and oil filter, replacing air filter, replacing all pads and bleeding the brake system, changing coolant) | ||
| Maintenance complex (Cleaning, adjusting and synchronizing carburetors, changing spark plugs, changing oil and oil filter, changing the air filter, replacing all pads and bleeding the brake system, changing coolant) |
| Name of work | Price, rub | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fork overhaul, with oil seals changed. (reverse) | from 3000 | including disassembly and assembly |
Bulkhead fork, with replacement of oil seals.  |
