# How do you get locker doors back to black ?



## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

Hi people , whilst having tried numerous products in an attempt to revive the black plastic covering on the locker doors , there must be a product that has proven the test of time and gets the Black back to being black !

We have tried a polish with a black pigment in it but that seems to come off too easily after a couple of washes . Some people have mentioned black shoe polish but again will wear off pretty quickly.

Most A class hymers have this black strip so wonder if somebody can let me know any successes.


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Dinger,

not sure which black bits you mean but i've always used armorall protectorant for the black exterior bits like mirror housings etc, work well for me. Available from Halfrauds.

http://www.armorall.eu/uk/products

Pete


----------



## Tucano (Jun 9, 2006)

I have just made a new rear locker door on my van, but it is a V reg, I had the black part spray painted, which makes the other black bits look worse now :roll:


----------



## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

*Lockers*

Hi Pete,

The black bits I,m referring to are the bottom part of all the belly locker doors on most A class Hymers , hope that gives a better clue.

It looks like a the surface is a black textured plastic that becomes sun bleached with age.......


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Ahh, I thought you mean't the interior locker doors :lol: 

Armorall works well on those bits but you have to do it fairly regularly.

Pete


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Peejays solution is about as good as it gets, but there are different versions, if you have a some WD40, give that a whirl first as the effect is similar, but doesn't last so long.

Only other real option is to spray them, as it's usually bare plastic and the sun leaches the pigment out.

Kev


----------



## cabra (May 11, 2005)

*back to black*

If its the same plastic as the black bumpers, I use a little vegetable oil rubbed in with a cloth . Comes up a treat.


----------



## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

In the UK there is a product sold in most car spares shops and some supermarkets called, believe it or not, 'Back to Black'


----------



## aircool (Jul 13, 2009)

This is probably the best trim restorer available:

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/chemical-guys-new-look-trim-gel/prod_143.html

Otherwise you will need to spray them.


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Scattycat said:


> In the UK there is a product sold in most car spares shops and some supermarkets called, believe it or not, 'Back to Black'


And believe or not it "doesn't do what it says on the tin" :wink:


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

aircool said:


> This is probably the best trim restorer available:
> 
> http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/chemical-guys-new-look-trim-gel/prod_143.html
> 
> Otherwise you will need to spray them.


and that stuff only says..........................



> what's more it lasts for many weeks not days


So not anything like a permanent solution then?


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Once it turns grey nothing will make it stay black unless you spray them, a few cans at the DIY shop, follow the instruction, mask well, and job done, but not on a cold windy day, sunny and no breeze is best.

DIY car places are stacked to the roof with muppet purchases for people who believe the blurb on the tins/boxes. ask what works best in here as most will have been tried and binned.


----------



## aircool (Jul 13, 2009)

Stanner said:


> aircool said:
> 
> 
> > This is probably the best trim restorer available:
> ...


Wasn't requested.

Hence my recommendation to spraying them....


----------



## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

Stanner said:


> Scattycat said:
> 
> 
> > In the UK there is a product sold in most car spares shops and some supermarkets called, believe it or not, 'Back to Black'
> ...


Hmmm, are you sure?

In the past I've used it on the black plastic switches and other bits on motorbikes and although it wasn't a permanent fix it would last a good few weeks.


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Scattycat said:


> Stanner said:
> 
> 
> > it wasn't a permanent fix it would last a good few weeks.
> ...


----------



## gloworm (Nov 21, 2008)

what you need is a small heat gun or blow torch, heat it gently and it will start to return to its original black, Ive done this w3ith car bumpers and the like, it does work.


Eric :wink:


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Hmm moving the molecules about, not heard that one before, I suppose in theory that could work if all the black ones move to the outside.

I do like an idea that's a little different, it'd be interesting to know if he can make it work too.

Kev.


----------



## rotorywing (Jul 19, 2010)

I have heard that peanut butter does a good job on restoring bumpers etc !!!

Martin


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It'd be the pups bits, to a dog :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

gloworm said:


> what you need is a small heat gun or blow torch, heat it gently and it will start to return to its original black, Ive done this w3ith car bumpers and the like, it does work.
> 
> Eric :wink:


Just to see if it worked I tested that on next door's Ginger Tom and you're right it does work - he's Black all over now. :wink:


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Stanner said:


> Just to see if it worked I tested that on next door's Ginger Tom and you're right it does work - he's Black all over now. :wink:


Oooh your a brave one at a distance, there's a couple of cats round here could do with a good scortching :wink: :wink:


----------



## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

heat it with a hot gun keep it moving, for want of a better expression it brings all the fat to the surface, Remember the first of the mk11 Astras the bumper and grill were all one and they were always a mess, dull grey the hot gun was the only thing that worked.


----------



## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Hi Folks,

I am also a member of the www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com

This topic has cropped up on that site and some of us get good results from this product

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Forever-B...ssories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item35b9ddb04c

Forever black is a dye. you will need to remove rubbish like back to black and other silicon based treatments first. (solvent supplied)

Seems dear at about £15 but I treated the front bumper of my 2006 Transit in March and it still looks really good at the end of July. Needed two coats and I reckon i have sufficient for a further treatment at some point in the future.

Motorwayshop who sold it to me were fast and efficient and I plan to buy the tyre version when i replace my tyres next season.

Davy


----------



## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Now that sounds a good product, may get some for the car, thanks.

Paul.


----------



## Brightsider (Jun 21, 2012)

Looks good Davy, thanks  

Just ordered some as my van is in dire need, be interesting to see if it works.

Might try the hot gun thing too at some point, but not sure I've got the nerve... knowing me, I'd set light to the van or melt the bumpers clean off or something.. :roll:

Nicky


----------



## yarpie (Dec 12, 2008)

Try the ubiquitous "WD40" !! It may need doing again in a year or two, but it restores colour in dark plastics very well.


----------



## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

*Bumper black*

Well folks , I decided to purchase as suggested by other on here the For ever black product and after a couple of applications they are looking pretty good.

I then went on to do the other halfs mini cooper wheel arches and they look good to.


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

WD40 Do not use as a back to black.
Most back to black products are simply silicone sprays.

WD40 is:
Parafin (petroleum distilate) based will degrade plastic just as uv.
Don`t use it as a back to black product or even as a plastic component lubricant.

It does ease stiff joints though.
gran used to rub it onto her knees.

Dave p


----------



## Brightsider (Jun 21, 2012)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> It does ease stiff joints though.
> gran used to rub it onto her knees.
> 
> Dave p


Just the can? Or the contents? :wink:


----------



## zoro (May 1, 2005)

Used this product for bringing the dirty black to new clean black.
It was sprayed on 4 days ago with no fading to date. Will report later for it's 'stay black' duration.

www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...Id_380951_langId_-1_categoryId_165651]Cockpit shine

Steve


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> WD40 Do not use as a back to black.
> Most back to black products are simply silicone sprays.
> 
> WD40 is:
> ...


You can't keep away Dave.

James


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

:lol::lol: It caught you out too then, that post was a year ago almost to the day, I almost posted something similar to yours James.

I was pleased to see the old sods name pop up though, he's only been gone a few days.


----------

