Polishing throttles/shifters

ThirdBird · 10-11-2009, 08:02 AM

Zero-Effort controls. I've seen some guys have removed the paint and polished the controls. Is the base material stainless or aluminum? How do you get the paint off? How does the little red emblem in the throttle handle come off.

Also, I've seen guys polish the bezel around the mechnical trim indicators. Is this bezel stainless?

ThirdBird · 10-12-2009, 02:27 PM

ttt

US1 Fountain · 10-12-2009, 04:41 PM

The emblem is just stuck on with sticky to a plastic cap that fits snaps into the handle from both ends. Sometimes you get lucky and the cap will snap out w/o the emblem coming out. They can be bought separate from Merc if they get ruined and you want to replace them.

I 'think' the base is AL. Been a few yrs and 2 boats ago when I did mine.

c_deezy · 10-12-2009, 05:02 PM

The base is aluminum. Not sure about the handles but they polish up too. We did this last winter, and they came out pretty good. Just take a jewelers screwdriver to pop out the red plugs, pry on them from the inside or the side where you won't see them if you muck them up a bit, or as mentioned you can buy replacements. I used roloc brillo pads/surfacing discs on a angle die grinder for the bases, be careful because the pads will eat into the base and deform it if you push to hard. And a 3 inch 180 grit flapwheel on the handles. Then wetsand with a block up to about 800-1000 and buff with a buffing wheel on a die grinder. I'll probably take them back off this winter and polish/seal the bases. I only did the round part of the handles, I left the sticks black.

It was hard to get a really good pic:

ThirdBird · 10-13-2009, 09:04 PM

Thanks US1 and c Deezy, and thanks for the picture c. I'll be working this little job over the winter. Nice to know how to get the plastic red guy out, that kind of concerned me a bit.

I'm gonna make 'em shine!!