Keeping a Yakima Fairing looking new??

[buddha]

I just bought a new yakima roof rack for my truck, and bought the fairing that clips to the front bar with it. I have a similar yakima fairing on the rack on my wife's SUV, and it is really battered and filthy looking. It has been for a long time. I bought it new, but never did anything other than wash it with soap and water with each washing. However, I think the bugs and road debris take a real toll on it.

I'd like my new fairing to stay "new looking" for a long time if possible. Does anyone have any luck waxing these fairings, or have other tips for keeping them sharp?

Thanks!

 

[IllianaXJ]

Just cover it with stickers

 

[Mc Taco]

Just cover it with stickers

ExPo stickers would work best. :victory:

Sorry to say that I have no useful input, but will check back to see if someone does.

 

[Josh]

Funny everyone has the same thought. I was going to say, "cover it with a buncha' hippie stickers" as that's what everyone seems to do.

Favorites might include:
"Art Saves Lives" (huh?)
"Free Tibet" (placed there by someone who secretly admires communist China)
"Live Simply that others may Simply Live" (I haven't figured out how that works yet either)

But aren't they plexiglass? There's a number of good products on the market for polishing plexiglass. Even for taking out the tiny scratches that make it look dull. An automotive store would have something along these lines but a boating or aviation store would have the good stuff.

Good luck

 

[OneTime]

I use to try an duse Armor-all It never really worked all that well

 

[buddha]

But aren't they plexiglass? There's a number of good products on the market for polishing plexiglass. Even for taking out the tiny scratches that make it look dull. An automotive store would have something along these lines but a boating or aviation store would have the good stuff.

I've tried PlastX and such... things I use on motorcycle windscreens, but my current fairing is beyond repair. Just wondering if there's anyway to keep the new fairing from getting so damaged....

 

[buddha]

I use to try an duse Armor-all It never really worked all that well

Good thought. I hadn't considered that. I think I'll try the wax idea first, and see what comes of it.

 

[roadkill]

what about using some rattle can on it?

 

[Rallyroo]

You could use Meguiar's Gold Class Trim Detailer. I don't have a fairing, but I use it for all the dark plastic and rubber on my vehicles and it works great for me. It works great especially on the plastic trim/vent area just below the windshield wipers of vehicles.

http://meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+G10810



I looked up PlasticX and it looks like it's designed for clear plastics. So perhaps the formulation is different between that and dark plastics.

 

[bucketosudz]

I have used the Son of a Gun tire foam. Just make sure you wipe the excess. It works pretty well. Same with Armor-all, you want to make sure to wipe it down, otherwise you will eventually have little spots permanently etched into the fairing. It happens all the time to the instrument gauge covers. FWIW

 

[tdesanto]

...I'd like my new fairing to stay "new looking" for a long time if possible...

Thanks!

Take it off the rack; eventually it will get pitted and rough looking.

 

[buddha]

Take it off the rack; eventually it will get pitted and rough looking.

Yeah, that's what I figured would be the most probable outcome. Unfortunately, the aerodynamics are such that there is a loud howling with it off the rack that I can't live with. I'll just live with the eventual pitting I suppose....

 

[Hltoppr]

I didn't really like advertising for Yakima...since they didn't give me the fairing...so I just unbolted mine and turned it over, so the logo was on the back. There you go...just lasted twice as long....

-H-

 

[Rallyroo]

I didn't really like advertising for Yakima...since they didn't give me the fairing...so I just unbolted mine and turned it over, so the logo was on the back. There you go...just lasted twice as long....

Isn't the logo just a sticker? Cause I removed all the Yakima stickers on the towers to give a cleaner look.

 

[buddha]

I didn't really like advertising for Yakima...since they didn't give me the fairing...so I just unbolted mine and turned it over, so the logo was on the back. There you go...just lasted twice as long....

-H-

Very good idea. I hadn't considered this.