Came across this information while browsing the Chevy Avalanche forum, (my winter vehicle is an EXT). Here is the link to the discussion on the Avalanche forum if you want more opinions, (22 pages worth):
My car is a daily driver here in California and with 70K miles on it and all the sunshine we get I have tried every snake oil made to make the running boards look new again. Many of them work great but not for very long. The best ones come off with water. One day I sad why not and picked up a four pack of Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Scrup Sponges. I got a bucket of warm water and applied some scrubing always going in the same direction (length wise) and rinsed the pad often to keep the build up out. I also took care not to touch the paint.
I NOW HAVE BRAND NEW LOOKING RUNNING BOARDS. All the gray color came off and I have had no other problems with them. I still treat them with Adams VRT just to be safe. Also the pad wears out quickly so you will need two.
__________________ MY OTHER RIDES
1931 Chevrolet
MY EX-RIDES
C-3, C-4
1967 Chevelle SS
Mustang GT 5.0 Convertible
Good idea about using Scotch Brite pads. Will try it out.
Good news. I found Refinish Restorer at a local auto store. Bad news is they have to order it in, but should be here next week.
Will take some before and after pictures so everyone can see the difference. The tonneau on my EXT is pretty faded. From what I read on the Avalanche forum, this stuff lasts for 6 months or more. Given the amount of plastic on the older Avalanches, I can see them not wanting to use protectant every couple of weeks.
My SSR: '04 Purple (Penelope)#3438 1st '04 Production UV and '06 blue over silver auto, #22851 #5 0f 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tug Boat
Good idea about using Scotch Brite pads. Will try it out.
Good news. I found Refinish Restorer at a local auto store. Bad news is they have to order it in, but should be here next week.
Will take some before and after pictures so everyone can see the difference. The tonneau on my EXT is pretty faded. From what I read on the Avalanche forum, this stuff lasts for 6 months or more. Given the amount of plastic on the older Avalanches, I can see them not wanting to use protectant every couple of weeks.
Tug Boat....any luck with this stuff yet??
__________________
" Isn't it great to live in a society where the penalty for lying to a congressman can be up to 30 years in jail, but the penalty for a congressman lying to you is another two years in office. "
the 303 Aerospace spray works but you need to reaply every so often
that's reason Ive been trying to look for something else though, aerospace spray is great but I get lazy enough because of the constant reapplication..
My SSR: '04 Purple (Penelope)#3438 1st '04 Production UV and '06 blue over silver auto, #22851 #5 0f 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbracefan1977
that's reason Ive been trying to look for something else though, aerospace spray is great but I get lazy enough because of the constant reapplication..
Good point.....I just don't want to do-it-again after a couple of rain showers. 303 doesn't hack it for this application.
Quote:
I use Turtle Wax Wet n Black and I have had great results
How often do you have to reapply it?
__________________
" Isn't it great to live in a society where the penalty for lying to a congressman can be up to 30 years in jail, but the penalty for a congressman lying to you is another two years in office. "
Good point.....I just don't want to do-it-again after a couple of rain showers. 303 doesn't hack it for this application.
How often do you have to reapply it?
Actually I have not had to reapply it, I am so happy with the way it looks whenever I clean the interior and spray my seats with leather treatment I just grab the bottle and go over the running boards again. Its simple I just spray a bit on a soft cloth and run it down the treads.
They really look great now, and there is no greasy residue, it also doesn't seem to be affected when I wash the truck. It just looks great, I think it was $5 or $6 well worth the price.
Recently, while on a trip, I noticed that the rubber pad on my steps was coming loose. Further inspection showed that it was loose in numerous locations, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. I looked around for several adhesives, but nothing looked like it wouls work. Also, the rubber appeared chalky white. So wanting to do the easiest thing possible, I removed the rubber pads from the boards. It takes about 45 minutes to remove the adhesive strips from the boards, but the dull chrome look of the board looks better than before. Now I don't have a problem with the rubber washing out.
Recently, while on a trip, I noticed that the rubber pad on my steps was coming loose. Further inspection showed that it was loose in numerous locations, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. I looked around for several adhesives, but nothing looked like it wouls work. Also, the rubber appeared chalky white. So wanting to do the easiest thing possible, I removed the rubber pads from the boards. It takes about 45 minutes to remove the adhesive strips from the boards, but the dull chrome look of the board looks better than before. Now I don't have a problem with the rubber washing out.
Mike
Semper Fi
Interesting... I had thought about gluing the rubber or maybe removing and having the area the rubber covers sprayed with something like Rhino Liner or some other kind of spray-on truck bed liner, but never considered just leaving it bare. I'll have to take another look under where the rubber is lifting on my running boards.
I use Turtle Wax Wet n Black and I have had great results. After one application all the fading was gone and the running boards looked like new.
Now I spray a little on when I am cleaning the interior, and it looks great.
A lot depends on how much your running boards see the weather. I use the Mequiars products on my and it's easy enough to maintain in the summer. With the rain we get in the Northwest, they get spotted and grungy pretty quick in the Spring and Fall.
The Refinish Restorer arrived today. Will take some before pictures of my EXT tonneau cover, but it will likely be the weekend before I get the time to clean them and try this new product out. Stay tuned.
A lot depends on how much your running boards see the weather. I use the Mequiars products on my and it's easy enough to maintain in the summer. With the rain we get in the Northwest, they get spotted and grungy pretty quick in the Spring and Fall.
The Refinish Restorer arrived today. Will take some before pictures of my EXT tonneau cover, but it will likely be the weekend before I get the time to clean them and try this new product out. Stay tuned.
I would say you are 100% correct. I keep my SSR covered in the garage and will not drive it in the rain. I have managed to keep both my motorcycles out of the rain for the last 6 years, and sometimes thats not easy.
I would say you are 100% correct. I keep my SSR covered in the garage and will not drive it in the rain. I have managed to keep both my motorcycles out of the rain for the last 6 years, and sometimes thats not easy.
If I didn't drive my in the rain, it wouldn't have very many miles.
My EXT sits outside and is my winter vehicle. With 24 square feet of plastic tonneau cover, I'm looking for something better. Keeping my fingers crossed.
My SSR: 2005 Ricochet #14248 " Lean into the turns if that don't work pray"
Refinish Restorer
Its a great product for hard plastic, but it is not recommended for Rubber which I believe the running boards of the SSR are.
I will give the scotch Brite pads a try on the as I have also tried all the products and they only seem to last a week or so.
On my Avalanche I tried the Refinish Restorer it was put on in August 2008 applied 2 coats as directed. It was applied in the sun so it only took about 20 minutes to dry and applied a second coat. It was as good as new and now 6 months later only the Tunnue cover need's to be redone but it is still in better condition than when I had applied anather product only 2 weeks prior the truck has never been inside I have put 15,000 miles on it in that time and was in Florida for 2 of the months Jan & Feb 2009 . I would say this product is 100,000 times better than any other product I have tried for this use. Only thing I would recommend is that you use masking tape so you don't get any on the paint, it is very light and will drip if you put to much on. I did get a bit on my paint and it does not come off easily but good thing is its not very noticable looks like a clear coat when dry. Also I used about 1/2 of the can for the entire truck for 2 coats .
My SSR: Striping by Fairfield, Confidence by Mike in AZ
We have mixed emotions on ours. About 6 months ago, I stripped everything off the rubber with scotchbrite and comet cleanser. Took it down to bare rubber. I have NOT put anything on and Purple Hawk put Aerospace 303 on hers. So far, all it takes is either water or the water-less solution we use to clean them. No more grey spots for either of us. Both are outside 24-7, and mine is a daily driver.
First thing is to scrub all the other stuff OFF and start from bare, squeeky clean rubber. Treat them sort of like a new linoleum floor and just watch out for how you treat them so as to not end up with the wax build-up, being whatever product you use on the boards, and how often. Too much is not always better....
As stated, we are trying both ways. Nothing and the 303. It's about even after 6 months. The Jury is still out, at this point. I won't use Back to Black or any of those other products, either. On second thought, the Bare boards are being wiped (when they're tracked with footprints) with the waterless cleaner made by Solder Seal, called "The Solution" which I have used exclusively for the past 4 years on everything painted, plastic, glass, & rubber, including my own glasses. Great stuff! Bear finally got her first clay bar and 'wax job' in Dec before Laughlin, after nearly 4 years. Hardly had any crap on the clay, which convinced me the Solution was really doing it's job.
This is an on-going study between the two trucks to see how much effort we need to keep the rubber on the boards looking great. It'll be a good study, as the two are side-by-side in the driveway all the time, and neither has an advantage ofer the other.
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No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.
First, I apologize for posting pictures of a dirty truck, but at least it isn't a We got freezing rain last night and the roads were covered in salt brine.
The tonneau cover was cleaned two months ago. I cleaned it using Meguiars Vinyl and Rubber cleaner and NXT protectant. It lasted about two weeks. You can see the chalky finish and spotting. I should also note, the tonneau cover is gray, not black.
Saint, good point about the running boards being rubber. I will check the product sheet for Refinish Restorer and see what it says about use on rubber. Can anyone confirm if the R running boards are rubber? I looked at mine and they seem to be a hard plastic.
Yellow Bear, a very interesting experiment. Please keep us updated.
Its a great product for hard plastic, but it is not recommended for Rubber which I believe the running boards of the SSR are.
I will give the scotch Brite pads a try on the as I have also tried all the products and they only seem to last a week or so.
On my Avalanche I tried the Refinish Restorer it was put on in August 2008 applied 2 coats as directed. It was applied in the sun so it only took about 20 minutes to dry and applied a second coat. It was as good as new and now 6 months later only the Tunnue cover need's to be redone but it is still in better condition than when I had applied anather product only 2 weeks prior the truck has never been inside I have put 15,000 miles on it in that time and was in Florida for 2 of the months Jan & Feb 2009 . I would say this product is 100,000 times better than any other product I have tried for this use. Only thing I would recommend is that you use masking tape so you don't get any on the paint, it is very light and will drip if you put to much on. I did get a bit on my paint and it does not come off easily but good thing is its not very noticable looks like a clear coat when dry. Also I used about 1/2 of the can for the entire truck for 2 coats .
The Saint
Definitely not for use on rubber. From the technical data sheet:
Refinish Restorer provides long lasting protection for plastics, gelcoats, lacquers, chrome Stainless-steel, aluminium (anodised), brass and copper. Over time almost all plastic and varnished surfaces fade and take on a mat finish. This Is due to attack from UV light, exposure to weathering, environmental contamination etc. Only when wet do they appear to be new. Refinish Restorer penetrates deeply Into the micropores of the surfaces and seals them, when dry. It restores the mat surface to the original colour. Refinish Restorer is only for external use. Do not use it on rubber. Refinish Restorer may discolour white surfaces due to its inherently yellowish colour, carry out a test on a non visible part of the surface beforehand.
My SSR: 2005 Ricochet #14248 " Lean into the turns if that don't work pray"
HI Tug
You will be happy with the results of the restorer, Like I said it is by far the best product I have ever used for restoring faded, UV damaged hard rubber, it is real easy to apply and really soaks in. I hated all the other products and I tried them all look good for about 1 week and by the end of 3 weeks looks like you never used anything. Just make sure you wash it well first. No need to strip it just a good soap wash and rinse and let dry and then let the restorer do its thing you will be impressed immediately and instaed of it being a twice monthly chore it will be a once yearly chore.Well worth the money.
I am jealous that you got the EXT I wanted one but could not find a good used one for sale in my area so I settled for the Avalanche it is a good truck and I am happy with it but I still like the EXT more.
My SSR: Black 03, Vin#0168, License Plate-"DRMRIDE". Woodward Dream Cruise Veteran 04-05-06-07-08-09&10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tug Boat
First, I apologize for posting pictures of a dirty truck, but at least it isn't a We got freezing rain last night and the roads were covered in salt brine.
The tonneau cover was cleaned two months ago. I cleaned it using Meguiars Vinyl and Rubber cleaner and NXT protectant. It lasted about two weeks. You can see the chalky finish and spotting. I should also note, the tonneau cover is gray, not black.
Saint, good point about the running boards being rubber. I will check the product sheet for Refinish Restorer and see what it says about use on rubber. Can anyone confirm if the R running boards are rubber? I looked at mine and they seem to be a hard plastic.
Yellow Bear, a very interesting experiment. Please keep us updated.
The cover on my 2006 Chevy Avalanche use to look like yours also! I scrubed it with soap and water first to get some of the film off and then applied Turtle Wax F 21 Super Protectant. Been on for nearly a year and looks better than new! Got it at Wally World of course.
My SSR: 2005 Ricochet #14248 " Lean into the turns if that don't work pray"
Scott
Is the Turtle wax F-21 good for rubber or soft materials. If it lasts a year and is that year outside in the elements if so it may be better than the Restorer because I know my tounue cover is starting to fade a bit after 6 months with the restorer not to bad but it is noticable.
My SSR: Black 03, Vin#0168, License Plate-"DRMRIDE". Woodward Dream Cruise Veteran 04-05-06-07-08-09&10
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Saint
Is the Turtle wax F-21 good for rubber or soft materials. If it lasts a year and is that year outside in the elements if so it may be better than the Restorer because I know my tounue cover is starting to fade a bit after 6 months with the restorer not to bad but it is noticable.
Thanks
The Saint
It does say you can use it on rubber. I only used it on my tounue cover so far. I park in the garage when not on the road. It probably will need another coat this summer. I did use dish soap and a scrub brush first to try to get some of the white film off first and then hose off with water.
Came across this information while browsing the Chevy Avalanche forum, (my winter vehicle is an EXT). Here is the link to the discussion on the Avalanche forum if you want more opinions, (22 pages worth):
If anyone has used Refinish Restorer, I would be interested to know what you thought of it.
I found a product that was made for older Volvo's, Their bumpers fade out and this product brings them back. It has a strawberry smell, and the bottle will last you a life time. Because when you apply it, the fade doesn't come back. The bottle is 29.00 not cheap but well worth it. I bought it, if your interested I will be glad to email you the guys email and phone number.
You will be happy with the results of the restorer, Like I said it is by far the best product I have ever used for restoring faded, UV damaged hard rubber, it is real easy to apply and really soaks in. I hated all the other products and I tried them all look good for about 1 week and by the end of 3 weeks looks like you never used anything. Just make sure you wash it well first. No need to strip it just a good soap wash and rinse and let dry and then let the restorer do its thing you will be impressed immediately and instaed of it being a twice monthly chore it will be a once yearly chore.Well worth the money.
I am jealous that you got the EXT I wanted one but could not find a good used one for sale in my area so I settled for the Avalanche it is a good truck and I am happy with it but I still like the EXT more.
The Saint
I always thought the EXT was just a rebadged Chevy until I drove it. With the all wheel drive, 6 liter engine and air ride it is a pretty sweet vehicle. I told the dealer I would only buy it if he gave me a smoking deal and I got one. It was a one owner vehicle, fully serviced by the dealer and very well taken care of.
Glad to hear the positive comments on the Restorer. Will be sure to post the after pictures.
I found a product that was made for older Volvo's, Their bumpers fade out and this product brings them back. It has a strawberry smell, and the bottle will last you a life time. Because when you apply it, the fade doesn't come back. The bottle is 29.00 not cheap but well worth it. I bought it, if your interested I will be glad to email you the guys email and phone number.
Do you know the name of the product or who makes it?
My SSR: Black 03, Vin#0168, License Plate-"DRMRIDE". Woodward Dream Cruise Veteran 04-05-06-07-08-09&10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tug Boat
I always thought the EXT was just a rebadged Chevy until I drove it. With the all wheel drive, 6 liter engine and air ride it is a pretty sweet vehicle. I told the dealer I would only buy it if he gave me a smoking deal and I got one. It was a one owner vehicle, fully serviced by the dealer and very well taken care of.
Glad to hear the positive comments on the Restorer. Will be sure to post the after pictures.
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SANDY
My car is a daily driver here in California and with 70K miles on it and all the sunshine we get I have tried every snake oil made to make the running boards look new again. Many of them work great but not for very long. The best ones come off with water. One day I sad why not and picked up a four pack of Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Scrup Sponges. I got a bucket of warm water and applied some scrubing always going in the same direction (length wise) and rinsed the pad often to keep the build up out. I also took care not to touch the paint.
and it's easy enough to maintain in the summer. With the rain we get in the Northwest, they get spotted and grungy pretty quick in the Spring and Fall. 
as I have also tried all the products and they only seem to last a week or so.
Red Cat's Fan Club
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