Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: 2xs performance Jan 26 2012, 12:17 PM

Is there anything I can do to touch up my bumper rubber and make it look good again?
I was told NOT to put armor-all on them. They are not in bad shape, just old and dull.

Posted by: SUNAB914 Jan 26 2012, 01:21 PM

Back to Black.

Posted by: Jeffs9146 Jan 26 2012, 01:27 PM

This may sound crazy but I have done it and it works!!

Sand them with 220 grit sand paper then 440 and then put armor all on them!

I did this on these bumper tits and tops!



Attached image(s)

Posted by: '73-914kid Jan 26 2012, 01:28 PM

I used simple green and a tooth brush to clean them of whatever dirt, grime, and oil was on them, and then did two coatings of back to black, and it's worked great. I reapply about once a month, or after before a show, and they always come out looking great

Posted by: 2xs performance Jan 26 2012, 02:54 PM

What's back to black and who carrys it?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Jan 26 2012, 03:20 PM

Rub it down with Glycerine - its not expensive at your local pharmacy.

Posted by: AZ914 Jan 26 2012, 03:43 PM

Back-to-Black is a Mothers product (I think). Available at Autozone/O'Reilly or similar

Posted by: pilothyer Jan 26 2012, 05:22 PM

I am just curious........was any reason given for not using Armor All ?

Posted by: Jeffs9146 Jan 26 2012, 05:23 PM

Once you go back-to-black you can never go back!@!

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Jan 26 2012, 05:35 PM

s-i-l-i-c-o-n-e. Not good for rubber...

Posted by: Tom_T Jan 26 2012, 05:35 PM

It builds up a gunky film on the vinyl & get sticky, then attracts & holds dirt - inside it off-gasses & fogs the windows with the sticky crap, as well as the vinyl surfaces.....ask me how I know, no, on second thought don't!

Armour All is sheer crap. Vinylex is a better product for the interior & rollbar/sails vinyl, Leatherex for the steering wheel/shifter boot in leather, as well as the similar products from Einzeitt, P21, etc.

In the old days many used black boot polish on the bumper tops & tits.

I've used Back-to-Black on our other DD's rubber bits, which also adds black color & makes them a bit semi-gloss, but I don't like the inconsistent black color with the bubbles effect it leaves, plus we've had it run on the body/paint in a rain! So I personally would stay away from it on anything but a DD, and not a very nice one at that - unless there's a way to seal it from running & get a consistent black finish to it.

Today I've used Wurth Rubber treatment on them (spray can), as it keeps the semi-matte look of them & they don't look too artificially shiny. It's also great for the other rubber seals on the 914.

Cheers!
Tom
///////

Posted by: 2xs performance Jan 26 2012, 05:42 PM

I can't recall if I got the reason or not. I was chatting with a guy from TN who I bought a bumperette from and I asked him what I should use to clean it up with. He said he didn't what worked just what didn't work and not to use armor-all. I assumed it might make it gooey or something. not sure.

Being as this is my first older car I figured I'd ask people who would know and learn from them.

"knowledge is power"