Need advice on how to polish up the stock Wakeboard Swivel Racks with Pin that come on X model boats. Previous owner didn’t take care of them at all.

[NewBoater]

As the title states these racks were not cared for at all by previous owner which is odd as the boat was in really good shape for being lightly used with 50 hours. He bent 2 of the forks on one of them guessing he ran into a tree or something near his house reversing into his driveway and forgot to fold them in once. He tried to bend with a vise more then likely to line them back up but didn’t get anywhere besides scratching/mauling them all up with vise and pliers. Also there is salt damage on them and some pitting and marks on them.

I had a local machine shop bend the forks back but need advice on how to clean these up to make them look good again? 0000 steel wool? Some kind of chrome or metal polish? There looks to also be lots of salt inside the black bumpers to protect the board so I may need to remove the bumpers and clean out the tracks for the bumpers then replace bumpers. Not sure how easy they are to remove. Also it needs new bungee cords for both sides. Looks like monster tower sells replacement bungee cords and bumpers.

I removed these from the boat a few weeks ago and bought some black new Monster Tower racks with swivel arms from their website which they said was the model that replaced the one that comes stock on the X boats like my 242x. I’ve had them on 3 weeks or so and no matter how hard I tighten the racks to the tower the rack moves around in the bay and ocean when we hit waves with boards on the racks. I literally have to readjust them every time. The old system is just flat out better. Massive heavy stainless system versus it seems like the weight of something cheaper on the new ones. Also the pin system on the old ones instead of the knob spinning to rotate boards in and out is way better. Knob spins off and can fall in water easily. They should have never switched from pin system. There are also 4 hex bolts holding arm of rack to frame of boat on the old rack the one I’m trying to fix. And only 2 hex bolts holding new one which is another reason it prolly moves
during regular boat usage.

Lets hear some thoughts on how to make these old ones look good again? Wonder if I could find someone local to somehow coat them black as the marks and scratches wouldn’t be as pronounced on the racks. And black racks look really good on the black and red boat.

Thanks in advance for any help and ideas!

 

[NewBoater]

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[BrandonG]

I bet bar keepers friend would work good on most of it but the scratches and salt pitting will most likely require you to fill it in and paint or powdercoat them.

 

[Rodder77]

Steel wool in direction of the grain only (they will come out like new) Then a coat of wax (mothers aluminum polish) or ceramic sealer.

 

[Cambo]

Be careful with steel wool to clean up residue or it will rust. Red scotch brite or green red is more coarse use in grain direction try an inconspicuous spot first. Coat with stainless steel polish when done this leaves a fine oil coating to keep from oxidizing and conceal oxidation you could try this first but they did look pitted it may cover the pitting for an even look