What really, actually works?????????????????
On original factory painted outdrives.
I tried Zip Strip paint stripper with very little gains. Went thru 7 applications and still had to scrape and wire brush most of it off. This stripper just softened the paint for most part.

Only doing the drive lowers w/o disassembly, with them removed for uppers, so blasting is out. Taking complete lowers down to bare aluminum for repainting.

Thanks

You want to be carfull with that stuff as if there is any of it on there when you paint it you will have real problems. The best thing to do is use a DA and sand it all off. It really does not take that long.

Jon

I tried aircraft stripper,
didn't do much.

Ended up sanding them down.


jt

Audiofn,is right use a DA using 80 grit paper and then go to 120 grit and in the real tight areas use a small angle grinder ,with a medium course(brown) scotch-brite pad.

The sander sounds fine for the large open areas, I'm just thinking of the areas above the cavitation plate where a sander will not fit, not to mention the voids where the nuts are.
Would washing real good with water remove any traces of stripper?

Also, will it be ok to let it set stripped to bare Al for a couple weeks until I can primer and paint? Or do I have to give it a cheap and dirty spray can primer job that can be wiped off with thinner when ready for finishing?

Thanks

The stripper is ineffective on the factory finishes. I ended up having mine sand blasted. I just used duct tape on the parts that I didn't want to get blasted.

Believe me, there are aircraft strippers that will take that stuff off in less than a half hour- it's just not available to the general public. Very dangerous stuff, and requires special handling and disposal.

You're best off bead blasting- make sure you use glass bead or you will actually erode away some of the casting. Walnut shells are not aggressive enough.

I just did mine with stripper. Put lots on let soak in until it looks like it is dry then keep adding it until it stays wet and starte to peel then start to scrape until no more will come off and do it again. It took about 2 hours each night for 5 days and they were clean and ready for sand blasting. It's not very hard you just need to let it sit.
I used 3 qts. Jasco

Try sealing it in a heavy duty garbage bag, it helps keep the volatile solvents from evaporating. It still will take more than 1 application along with lot's of elbow grease.

OT - Actually where did the term elbow grease come from?

Thanks, Going to work on removing the paint this weekend.
Now what about the bare aluminum? It will be a couple weeks before I can do any painting. Can I just scotch brite it before I do the prep and primering?