Fixing Malibu's peeling & pitting billet

[kstateskier]

While Malibu makes one of the best driving/skiing boats out there (IMO) from 2003 to sometime around 2008 they had serious quality issues with their billet aluminum. I knew this before I bought my 04RLXI, and suffered through last season with peeling emblems. This offseason I set out to fix that. Removed the emblems, took them to a local plating company and had them stripped and new chrome plating applied. Cost was $125, but quite a bit cheaper than buying new stainless emblems from Malibu or Bakes.

 

Here is the finished product with two coats of chrome sealant applied and ready to go back on the boat.

 

http://greyststudio.com/malibu/plated_emblem_2.JPG

 

http://greyststudio.com/malibu/plated_emblem_3.JPG

 

[Moskier3ev]

Or did you just send them down to Drew and have him detail them... just kidding.. Brad They look good.

 

Jeff

[kstateskier]

I wish I could have just detailed them @Moskier3ev . They were peeling BAD! You know me, those little things annoy me!

[6balls]

There are no little things :smile:

[DmaxJC_ski]

I have issues on my 2010, lots of pitting no peeling yet, I can keep it polished so it looks good but eventually I will have to get it redone also

[Zman]

@kstateskier Are going to do this for the instrument panel too? The emblems look awesome. We have a plater just down the road, so may do what you did too.

[kstateskier]

@Zman my 04 LXI doesn't have the Billet instrument panel that you're thinking of.

 

Instead of this.

http://git.me/photo/2014/10/02/2605362404056340992/14633151094669258752/2006-MALIBU-RESPONSE-LXI.jpg

 

My 2004 dash looks like this.

http://greyststudio.com/malibu/lxi_dash.jpg

 

[Zman]

Thanks @kstateskier I was thinking you might not have that on 2004. There is kit sold by auto stores that allows you to paint old chrome wheels to have a black carbon fiber appearance. I was thinking of doing that for the instrument panel to have just a little less bling.

[inland]

I've got a 2006 RLXI and have not yet noted the peeling on the emblems, but I have seen it on the instrument panel. I'm tempted not to fix the instrument panel and instead, coat in in something that provides less glare. A finish like what's on the TXi is ideal as there is no glare.

[kstateskier]

The TXI dash appears to be powdercoated or painted with a textured paint. Whatever it is, it looks nice. If my dash was the 06 billet dash I would scuff that sucker up and paint it/powdercoat it for sure.