Proper maintenance and cleaning of wakeboard towers and accessories go a long way to extending the life and good looks of your products purchased from Aerial Wakeboarding. This page has detailed instructions about our two most common finishes for our towers and accessories.
Regular Wakeboard Tower Maintenance
We recommend torquing down all nuts, bolts, set screws and other components on a regular basis. Over time, the movement and forces put on the tower from wake boarding might gradually loosen the hardware. This commonly happens with all towers whether they are installed from the factory or an aftermarket model. By tightening everything down, you are ensuring your tower is as solid as possible with little to no sway or wiggling. For a 15-20 minute investment, you get the best tower performance and avoid costly breakage or damage to your boat.
For care of your Aerial wake board tower or tower accessories, please read below for your tower’s finish.
Polished Aluminum
Aluminum is a great choice for wakeboard towers, speaker canisters, rack and other accessories as it is very light, extremely strong and does not rust. All Aerial products with bare metal finishes are polished aluminum- they are NOT anodized. The differences between maintaining polished aluminum and anodized aluminum is quite different. Make sure you are aware of this when it comes time to clean and polish. Polished bare aluminum is more forgiving compared to an anodized finish. Even for the most neglected products, you can usually buff the metal out to remove any affected area. During the manufacturing process, we painstakingly hand polish the entire surface to create a highly smooth and reflective finish. It's very slick and allows water to roll off and can be quickly wiped down with a soft micro fiber cloth.
Cleaning Solutions
The best method of cleaning is by regular rinsing of the surface using clean water. Note that if you have mineral rich or “hard water” in your area, you will want to make sure you completely dry off the entire surface with a cloth. Just like with bathroom fixtures in a home, the minerals that get left behind during evaporation create water spots that are annoying to remove. Neglected surfaces that have had many cycles of built-up minerals are more stubborn. All surfaces should be wiped off and dried using a clean soft microfiber cloth. Dirt in the cloth, sponge or other medium can be abrasive and scratch the surface.
The biggest culprits of an ugly looking finish are exposure to the elements where pollutants in the air can sit on the metal and etch or pit it if left alone. If exposure or atmospheric pollution has resulted in surface damage, then an appropriate aluminum cleaner or polish should be used. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using their product. Some customers have tried electric hand buffers with success. Just make sure you’re using a clean dirt-free buffer.
General Cleaning Tips
- Over-cleaning or excessive rubbing can do more harm than good.
- Strong solvents or strong cleaner concentrations can cause damage to painted surfaces.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners.
- Do not use abrasive materials such as steal wool, abrasive brushes etc, can wear and harm finishes.
- When using recommended cleaner avoid drips and splashes. Remove run downs as quickly as possible.
- Avoid temperature extremes. Heat accelerates chemical reactions and may adversely affect the finish. Extremely low temperatures may give poor cleaning effects. Ideally, cleaning should be done in shade at moderate temperature.
- Do not substitute a heavy duty cleaner for a frequently used mild cleaner.
- Do not scour painted surfaces.
- Never use paints removers, aggressive alkaline, acid or abrasive cleaners. Do not use trisodium phosphate or highly alkaline or highly acid cleaners. Always do a test surface.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for mixing and diluting any recommended cleaners.
- Never mix recommended cleaners.
- To prevent marring, make sure cleaning sponges, cloth, etc, are grit-free.
- Test in a small, hidden area before cleaning the entire surface.
Powder Coated Finish
Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin". Because powder coating does not have a liquid carrier, it can produce thicker coatings than conventional liquid coatings.
Although it may have a similar feel to your car's paint job, it's important to note that taking care of it is not the same. Also, it's important to point out that powder coated finishes do not have a clear coat like on automobiles. Please read below for more specifics on cleaning.
Cleaning Solutions
The best method of cleaning is by regular washing of the coating using a solution of warm water and mild detergent. All surfaces should be cleaned using a soft cloth or sponge, using nothing harsher than natural bristle brushes. If the atmospheric pollution has resulted in heavy soiling of the coating, then nothing harsher than white spirit should be used for cleaning.
General Cleaning Tips
- Over-cleaning or excessive rubbing can do more harm than good.
- Strong solvents or strong cleaner concentrations can cause damage to painted surfaces.
- Avoid abrasive cleaners. Do not use household cleaners that contain abrasives on painted surfaces.
- Abrasive materials such as steal wool, abrasive brushes etc, can wear and harm finishes.
- When using recommended solutions avoid drips and splashes. Remove run downs as quickly as possible.
- Avoid temperature extremes. Heat accelerates chemical reactions and may evaporate water from solution. Extremely low temperature may give poor cleaning effects. Cleaning under adverse conditions may result in streaking or staining. Ideally, cleaning should be done in shade at moderate temperature.
- Do not substitute a heavy duty cleaner for a frequently used mild cleaner.
- Do not scour painted surfaces.
- Never use paints removers, aggressive alkaline, acid or abrasive cleaners. Do not use trisodium phosphate or highly alkaline or highly acid cleaners. Always test on a small, hidden area.
- Follow manufacturer instructions for proper usage.
- Never mix recommended cleaners.
- To prevent marring, make sure cleaning sponges, cloth, etc, are grit-free.
- Test in a small, hidden area before cleaning the entire surface.
Special Notes
If unsure what cleaning product(s), pads or application medium to use, please consult a professional. It is highly recommended that you test the use of any cleaning solutions or mediums in a small inconspicuous area before treating the entire surface. Be sure you perform your cleaning out of direct sunlight and have allowed the metal surface to cool. Be sure to follow the instructions located on the back of cleaning solutions.