Turtle wax makes an excellent plastic restoration product. I chose to paint mine satin black with Krylon Fusion. Worked well IMO.

 

Tried literally everything to restore the cladding on my friends laredo but it just doesnt take well to it.

the most difference we saw was a long and tedious process of wet sanding all of the cladding with 2000 grit. even then he wasnt happy with the looks and just painted them

 

I would say the best restorer is paint.

 

You could always use the "heat gun" method. I've done that before and it worked well.

 

Please explain about the Heat Gun method. I've never heard of this before.

Thanks!

 

I found that eagle one tire gel polish worked for mine. Lasts about as long as it does on tires. So you gave to reapply every now and again. Two coats on the first app.

 

Search the site here a bit, there's a thread about some oil or something you boil for a few minutes (linseed oil or something) and then add rubbing alcohol and then put it on and everyone was saying it would last for months.

 

Linseed oil and Thinner



So I went to Lowes after work and bought boiled linseed oil and paint thinner, mixed it 50/50 and applied it with a terrycloth rag. I have two words for you... "Holy Crap"! What was once light grayish tan plastic is now a deep rich gun metal gray. I swear it is getting darker as well. I also did the door handles, mirrors and window trim. If this lasts a couple months I'll be very happy though in the original thread the OP claimed close to year.

You need to wipe it off with a clean rag before it get's a little tacky (I used paper towels last because the rag was leaving hairs. After it's wiped there is little or no residue. My next batch will probably be 60/40 with the thinner getting the added participation.

I'll post some pix if anyone is interested ... I can honestly say the ZJ looks 10 years younger.
2.25" BB and shocks go on this weekend! :2thumbsup:

 

Thanks for all the replies!
I found the lindseed oil thread and will try it.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/restoring-lower-plastic-panels-303076/

 

i was sprayin my tires the other day with some tire shine cant remember what it was called i bought it at autozone for like $6 but it got on my rear bumper and shined it up pretty nice lol

 

Mothers Back To Black works really well and one application lasts for a few months. It is important to let product cure for as long as possible before buffing off the excess.

I have yet to try boiled linseed oil on my Jeeps plastic trim but have used it on the plastic wheel well liners with great success.

 

Back to Black.

Tire shine stuff doesn't last very long.

 

Use Turtle Wax F21 Ultra Wet Tire Shine - soak a sponge with it and just wipe it on heavy. let it soak in, might take more than one application if your plastics are really dried out - i promise you will not be disappointed if you give it a chance to work. once they're restored use every once in a while after a wash to freshen it up. survives rain/water nicely

makes them look new again

 

pics are a necessity

 

The endlinks wouldn't come off. Bolts were seized. Rear sway bar doesn't do much, you can bend it by hand so howmuch could t be helping anyway...

 

Before & After Pix

My camera skills suck and it was late but here are some pix after the linseed oil app. The first pic is before and actually the ZJ had just come out of the car wash. The pix of with the oil applied were taken tonite after I washed it at home. The stuff really did a good job of rejuvenating the plastic everywhere. I am impressed.
I'll post some more in "daylight" after the lift goes on this weekend.
I guess I should pull those mud-flaps off huh :laugh:

Here's the link to the album:
http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg317/ovrclkd17/Jeep ZJ/?albumview=slideshow

 

ocrclkd, that looks great! Gotta try it!!

If you don't want the flaps I'd be interested in them.

Thanks!

 

Pic w/ 2" lift

Here is a better shot of the plastic restoration and the 2.25 BB lift I put on today along with new RS5000 shocks.
That linseed oil is holding up really well. The ZJ has been washed 3 times since it was applied.