Water spots on diamond plate

[PVFD233 68]

Anyone with any tips on removing water spots off of diamond plate?

[towerladder2 22]

Never Dull or Mothers chrome polish seem to work the best for us.

[TAPSJ 30]

Yea Never Wash The Truck At All!!! LOL. Then No Water Spots.

Thomas

Edited May 21, 2008 by TAPSJ

[DaRock98 76]

I was told recently to use starter fluid/ether I just purchased some yesterday and I will try it out on a small piece today I will let you know how it works. Again I have never tried this so if you do it before I do only use it on a small piece first.

[jack10562 414]

That is not such a good idea.

It seems as if someone is setting you up for a darwin award nomination or win, or at the very least, honorable mention.

Needless to say, using something as extremely flammable as ether might remove much more than a few water spots, if you get my drift....

Do yourself a favor: put the ether away, and look up the MSDS for ethyl ether...

Here is a possible news story headline:

Fire engine Bumper with water spots lands 1/4 mile from firehouse, after a cleaning experiment levels building....

[DaRock98 76]

That is not such a good idea.

It seems as if someone is setting you up for a darwin award nomination or win, or at the very least, honorable mention.

Needless to say, using something as extremely flammable as ether might remove much more than a few water spots, if you get my drift....

Do yourself a favor: put the ether away, and look up the MSDS for ethyl ether...

Here is a possible news story headline:

Fire engine Bumper with water spots lands 1/4 mile from firehouse, after a cleaning experiment levels building....

Thanks Jack I kind of figured that but I was told by a very knowledgeable person so I figured I would give it a shot, after reading your post I think I am going to pass that option over! Thank You. So Please everyone disregard my previous post.

[EJS1810 7]

Use a terry cloth towel to dry the water off the diamond plate after you wash it and you won't get water spots. Our guys have the same problem with the diamond plate on our new (2005) engine. They complain about "inferior" diamond plate. I checked with the engineers and they say it is still the same type of aluminum. All I can say is you can't make em like they used to.

[ENG47INE 17]

Mothers worked the best for us.

[Stepjam 118]

Straight white vinegar works great for removing mineral spots from glass, I'm sure it would would also work well on chrome or polished stainless steel. I wouldn't use it on polished aluminum though, the acid will probably etch it.

[Bababoosky 24]

Anyone ever try the Mother's powerball that Chip Foose hawks on TV?

[subband 0]

yes i have used the power balls... i use zephyr metal polish with the power ball's on the plate and it shines.....

[EMT1094 0]

I have some pretty good techniques....but that would mean giving up my old department's secrets!!! Anyone from East Fishkill care to let the secret out???

But terry cloths to dry and polish do work very well. Also, try something like lime away to get rid of the spots before polishing. That's all I can share...My lips are sealed

Edited May 21, 2008 by EMT1094

[Dondestro 9]

"CLR" Works very well..... then i use a powerball with mothers polish and makes it looking like new......make sure all dirt is removed from dimpond plate first before using powerball or it will be like polishing it with sandpaper!!!!

Edited May 21, 2008 by Dondestro

[subband 0]

another way too get it really clean is to get a couple of pieces of carpet and use the metal polish with it and use terry cloth or the ball's too remove it...

[DMM8240 2]

flitz or never dull

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Ummm...I really am NOT trying to sound facecious...but what really is the big deal with having water spots on diamond plate? I'm all for a clean fire apparatus...wax twice a year to protect the clear coat...but I'm not getting the deal with water spots.

It is a fire truck...we use water...I mean we even have some other colored stains on ours.

[ltjay157 10]

It's a big deal for people because parade season is among us. Personaly, I think parades are a waste of time. A real fire truck will have dings, scratches, and god forbid the water spot!

[PVFD233 68]

Ummm...I really am NOT trying to sound facecious...but what really is the big deal with having water spots on diamond plate? I'm all for a clean fire apparatus...wax twice a year to protect the clear coat...but I'm not getting the deal with water spots.

It is a fire truck...we use water...I mean we even have some other colored stains on ours.

Never said it was a big deal.

[EJS1810 7]

It's a big deal for people because parade season is among us. Personaly, I think parades are a waste of time. A real fire truck will have dings, scratches, and god forbid the water spot!

Some people take pride in thier equipment regardless if it is parade season or not. As a senior member said to me some 30 years ago: Dirty Equipment means you have no pride.

On another note, in the oriional post nowhere does it mention apparatus. Maybe he was asking questions about his POV. Lots of SUV's Pickups have Diamond Plate running boards or tool boxes.

[99subi 121]

i have used Noxon 7 Metal Polish Cleaner again though test it out on yours in a non noticable spot, buecuase the quality of the aluminum may differ from mine yeilding you bad results, if not use mothers.

[brian19fd 22]

Another product we use alot is Blue Magic with the Mothers Powerball... Works great for us...

[redman 2]

Another product we use alot is Blue Magic with the Mothers Powerball... Works great for us...

Guys take it from someone who has been cleaning diamond plate for 23 years we have tried every home remedy & nothing works but good old elbow greese

[VAEMC 10]

It's a big deal for people because parade season is among us. Personaly, I think parades are a waste of time. A real fire truck will have dings, scratches, and god forbid the water spot!

I agree it is a fire apparatus, but when your department is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase them it behooves you to maintain it as best as you can. Water spots may be trivial, but putting pride into your equipment goes a long way.

[DRF 5]

For a great job at cleaning and polishing aluminum diamond plate and wheels, I have used Mothers Mag & Aluminum polish. A little elbow power and it comes out great.

One other product I came across at Raceway Park in New Jersey, is called Ultrashine. It is a two step proccess and the end result is the aluminum looks showroom new. I have never actually used it but it appears to work really well. They have a web site with a number of before and after pictures so one can judge for themselves. Thier web sit is Ultrashine For the record, I am not selling anything and am in no way asscoiated with this company. I also believe they are located in Port Chester, NY.

I hope some will find this info helpful.

Edited May 22, 2008 by DOC22
Corrected link data and set ive

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Never said it was a big deal.

And I never commented that you did say that...I was making a general statement, relax a bit brother.

Some people take pride in thier equipment regardless if it is parade season or not. As a senior member said to me some 30 years ago: Dirty Equipment means you have no pride.

So if I were to take that comment like some others, I could reply "I never said I don't take pride in my equipment."

I don't like dirty equipment either, and some of it is only pride. The other is I want to protect it so the investment of taxpayers dollars will last as long as possible, the tool or equipment will work properly and not fail to cause more money to be spent or even worse get someone injured.

It's a big deal for people because parade season is among us. Personaly, I think parades are a waste of time. A real fire truck will have dings, scratches, and god forbid the water spot!

Can't say I wasn't having the same mindset in general, we must have been in the same watering hole at some point brother! lol. Lets have an event, line up the public and then have rules you can't wave to them or interact with them or you lose points towards a trophy that we really don't have much more room to store and is going to collect dust and no one will care about or remember 2 years from now.