Magnetic sticker damage - how to restore stainless steel finish?

[personage]

I had a "student driver" magnet on my tailgate over the winter and it left some rust/etching in the stainless steel. I have tried removing the spots with BKF, which removed the rust spots, but white etching remained. I then tried a metal polish, but only made the problem more noticeable, as I now have a shiny blob on my tailgate, but the etched spots remain. Any recommendations on restoring the tailgate to the original finish?

This is after BKF application.

This is after metal polish.

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[hemiarch]

Wonder if cyberbrite would do it. I have magnets all over mine but it’s also got PPF on it.

 

[UberNoob]

There’s a YouTube video showing you how to do it with 3 different sand papers. You will have to do the whole tailgate.

this video here shows it all.

 

[personage]

Wonder if cyberbrite would do it. I have magnets all over mine but it’s also got PPF on it.

Unfortunately not. I tried it before BKF. Cyberbrite was the reason I removed the magnet, as I was going to apply it to the whole truck.

 

[personage]

There’s a YouTube video showing you how to do it with 3 different sand papers. You will have to do the whole tailgate.

this video here shows it all.

This looks great. I wish he provided the info on the three pads that he used. Several people have asked in the comments but did not get a response.

 

[65SoYoLO]

I don't have video but I use a Ryobi dual action polisher and bar keep his friend I just did my entire truck in preparation to test a coating. I had two magnets on the back when was a 4x6 American flag and the other one was a 3-in state trooper magnet. It came perfectly clean, I will get a picture tomorrow

 

[personage]

Someone in the comments said these look like the Walter Blendex 613, 614, and 615 pads.
https://www.walter.com/us/product/Quick-Step-Blendex-Non-Woven-07R613
https://www.walter.com/us/product/Quick-Step-Blendex-Non-Woven-07R614
https://www.walter.com/us/product/Quick-Step-Blendex-Non-Woven-07R615

 

[UberNoob]

This looks great. I wish he provided the info on the three pads that he used. Several people have asked in the comments but did not get a response.

yea I havnt done it yet, I need to do my frunk hood, someone thought getting bugs off with a scratchy side of a dish sponge was a good idea, so now have bunch of scuffs scratch’s I gotta get out. If I’m not mistaken there just medium, fine and ultra fine pads for the orb sander.

 

[CybertruckPilot]

yea I havnt done it yet, I need to do my frunk hood, someone thought getting bugs off with a scratchy side of a dish sponge was a good idea, so now have bunch of scuffs scratch’s I gotta get out. If I’m not mistaken there just medium, fine and ultra fine pads for the orb sander.

LOL - exactly the same ... green side of a dish sponge to get bugs off, now I have some scratches!

 

[HaulingAss]

I had a "student driver" magnet on my tailgate over the winter and it left some rust/etching in the stainless steel. I have tried removing the spots with BKF, which removed the rust spots, but white etching remained. I then tried a metal polish, but only made the problem more noticeable, as I now have a shiny blob on my tailgate, but the etched spots remain. Any recommendations on restoring the tailgate to the original finish?

This is after BKF application.

This is after metal polish.

Unless you want to polish your entire truck for a new look, always use the same grit and type of polishing action the panel was finished with from the factory. Tesla details both the tool (6" random orbit sander with a 5mm orbit) and the appropriate pads in the Cybertruck Workshop Repair Manual but the pads are only listed by brand and grade (fine, very fine, etc.).

My experience is that about a 500 grit pad will match the factory finish. It doesn't have to be exact since you will be polishing the entire surface that is in the same orientation and thus it will look like it matches the panel faces pointing in other directions even if the grit isn't an exact match (thanks to the wonder of the way light reflects off panels differently depending upon their angle to the light source and the viewer).

It looks like you got some strong acid behind that "Student Driver" magnet. Just be glad your truck isn't painted!

My experience is that a non-woven abrasive pad

 

[silvioscope]

I have the same problem on mine. Trying to get the “rust” off. I am using the Citrisurf 77. Let’s see. I almost wish it had paint. This stainless steel is a pain to upkeep!

 

[65SoYoLO]

I had to remove the flag magnet to clean the area since it rained last night and the trees dropped some crap all over the truck. My kingdom for a garage...
The Bar keepers on the buffer cleaned all the spots of rust flecks, road crap, bugs and bird crap. I have done the entire truck like that 2-3 times and it is making the finish even, no dark spots. I am considering polishing (diy) the frunk between the DRL and headlights to a mirror finish then putting PPF over it. Maybe. IF I do that and it comes out nice, I might consider polishing the tailgate also. Maybe. My body is getting older but my brain doesn't know it so my brain keeps coming up with projects that my body disagrees with.

 

[jameslook]

I had a "student driver" magnet on my tailgate over the winter and it left some rust/etching in the stainless steel. I have tried removing the spots with BKF, which removed the rust spots, but white etching remained. I then tried a metal polish, but only made the problem more noticeable, as I now have a shiny blob on my tailgate, but the etched spots remain. Any recommendations on restoring the tailgate to the original finish?

This is after BKF application.

This is after metal polish.

Unfortunately. That is permanent.
I had a small one on a panel and it cannot be polished out.
you would need to do the entire panel and take a significant layer off the panel.
I had my Autobody shop look at it to determine if it could be polished using the Tesla approved method and they confirmed that it could not.
If they spot polished it, it would leave a slight groove as it would be taking a layer off. It would look much worse.
That said. These spots are interesting. It was thought mine was from a rock chip. It is like a thin micro layer is removed.

 

[CYBERBRITE1]

I had a "student driver" magnet on my tailgate over the winter and it left some rust/etching in the stainless steel. I have tried removing the spots with BKF, which removed the rust spots, but white etching remained. I then tried a metal polish, but only made the problem more noticeable, as I now have a shiny blob on my tailgate, but the etched spots remain. Any recommendations on restoring the tailgate to the original finish?

This is after BKF application.

This is after metal polish.

Hi The pics indicate that the stainless has been corroded in those spots. CYBERBRITE will uniformly restore to its original finish but will not smooth out the corrosion. Fortunately the surface can be refinished past the corrosion. Unfortunately Cybertruck’s do not all have the same finish. The pitting can be removed by professional with stainless steel refinishing expertise.
Gary

 

[personage]

I am going to try sanding the tailgate with my Rotex RO 150.

I have ordered a soft interface pad for it (https://www.amazon.com/Festool-203351-MJ2-Thick-Interface/dp/B073S8FL3T) and Walter Blendex 614 and 615 pads (Grainger item numbers: 819X67 and 819X68).

I have decided to skip 613 medium grade pad since my spots do not look as deep as the scratches in the video.

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