What is the best coating to use on out drive. I want to re-finish mine. I am sure powder coating would do a fine job. Would you have to completely disassemble the drive to do this? Are there any other options? I don't like the like the black Mecury paint as it does not hold up even if the surface is properly prepped. Has anyone tried a base coat-clear coat automotive paint? Looking for ideas.

doller uses nason blue label synthetic enamel... its cheap and will last as long or longer than any paint out there. you get paint hardener and reducer mix according to the directions. i would use a good two part primer. sand with 220 and then 2 wet coats of the enamel. good luck, ratman

My drives are currently being re-painted by a local "guru". They tell me that powder coating doesn't last and they are using some kinda 2 part epoxy. Don't know from experience, just following advice from those that should know.

I repainted my lowers last yr. Sand blasted to bare aluminum. It's all in the prep. 1st use a cleaner, then a conditioner. Epoxy primer, then finished with Concept Acrylic Urethane paint. All PPG products. 1 yr later and still looks like I just painted them this morning.

I assume you are talking about the spray can paint. If so, I never had any luck with that. looks good until it gets wet. Then it turns greyish, then it peels.

The original finish is hard to beat. Takes for ever to blast off. I have yet to see the original finish not hold up. I even tried a plumbers torch to take the paint off. No dice. Paint stripper didn't touch it.

And yes, to be powder coated, they have to be stripped to bare housings. You'll have some $$$ just in the R&R of the guts without even getting into the recoating cost.

Ratman
I found a couple of different Nason enamels. I didn't find anything called Nason Blue. Is it the Nason Ful-Base or the Ful Cryl II? The Ful Cry II seems like it would work well. Dupont describes it as chip resistant and flexible.

US1 Fountain,
The way you described sounds like it would work well. I have always had good luck with PPG products in the past. Thanks for the info.

I need to refinish my drives this year too. Have any of you had any experience with a product called POR-15? They have a metal cleaner, metal prep (with zinc), POR-15 then a topcoat product to finish it. They make claims about it being chip and corrosion resistent (or proof). Can be brushed or sprayed.

JK

US is right on prep!
I used IMRON with alum primer, etc , in a spray gun. Drives and tabs still look wet, and hold up very well.
good luck

Christian

how many of these fantastic results are on boats that stay in the water? FW that is.

That's the combo I want to hear about. The one that lasts multiple season on a FW slipped boat, with appropriate magnesium anodes and a working Mercathode system of course.

Ful cryl is the cheapest of the Nason , Ful thane has more Imron properties and will last longer . It is a urethane and has held up fine on my Scarab .