My quads aluminum parts are fogged due to the use of mag wheel cleaners like Purple Lightning. Especially the swing arm area. There is gunk in the crevices and chain. I have tried to power spray but the gunk stays on there. Is there any product I can use that will easily remove mud and gunk but not tarnish the aluminum?

I am probably going to have to polish and buff these parts, any recommendations?

 

Yes, the best cleaner I have found is ORANGE BLAST made by greased lightning. You can get it at Wal-Mart. It is in a bright orange bottle. It wont hurt any of your aluminum, or discolor it. I have used it on my ATV since new and it works great. Spray it on, let it sit a couple of min. , then wash it off. I also use it on my 2500HD's aluminum wheels.

 

Simple green is some good stuff for cleaning stubborn buildup on a quad, just keep it off your chain though, because it will eat up the grease and maybe damage the o-rings too.

 

The key there is not to let the product dry on the metal.

Even Simple Green will fog metals if left to dry, especially on hot metals. Make sure the metals to be cleaned are wet, and keep them moist for as long as the are on there. Truth is that the products are made to work with water, they clean better with more moisture. Just spray a fine mist every so often and let the cleaner eat the dirt. It also pays to spray the metals with a moisture-chasing agent after they are cleaned. A thin based "WD-40 type" spray will make it easier to clean next time and protect the metals from corrosion.