Want to strip the paint / color off a chassis

[Boggs3010]

I then want to paint And clear coat it. Automotive paint and clear. Doing this instead of buying another carbon fiber chassis.

The color on the chassis is tough. Powder coated??? Tried sand paper , that will take months.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Camaroboy383]

Deanodize it with oven cleaner.. any product with lye in it will strip the anodize off.. let It sit a few minutes and just scrub it with a brush..

If left to long the aluminum will start to blacken, so keep and eye on it, don't walk away..

Stuff is caustic as heck so wear proper safety gear as well..

 

[slick2500]

I used drain cleaner crystals. https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/deanodizing-fun.7870/

 

[hobo]

I used drain cleaner crystals. https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/deanodizing-fun.7870/

thats what I used had to put a mask on though nearly choked to death

 

[SrC]

I use a bath of strong liquid degreaser. Commercially available. It works fast. Don't walk away from this at all!!! The alloy will turn dark and black. Then only alu. polish might remove that if you are lucky. Just need the color to come off. Or then the the Clear Anodizing is broken and the alloy is bare. Then it will darken from oxidation. Not pretty after a while. I just don't de-anodize the shock bodies, because the insides lose their smoothness and wear out more quickly from the pistons rubbing. Significant Sticktion can result. Just me. Internal anodizing of the shock bodies makes for a smoother shock IMHO.

 

[Dan B.]

I then want to paint And clear coat it. Automotive paint and clear.

Make certain you use a self-etching primer on any aluminum you plan on painting. Different animal than steel or ferrous metals, and a little different process.

 

[Camaroboy383]

Make certain you use a self-etching primer on any aluminum you plan on painting. Different animal than steel or ferrous metals, and a little different process.

The lye is already etching the heck out of the aluminum...

 

[Dan B.]

The lye is already etching the heck out of the aluminum...

Good point, I didn’t think about that. Self etching primer is a must on all bare aluminum, I learned from doing boat hulls. This is even after using a fairly caustic paint remover beforehand, so it seems it would be a similar effect, but you still need the special primer afterwords. Conventional primers will lift and fail soon after application. Maybe I’m just a nervous Nelly, but I’d go with the self etching primer for aluminum anyway.
EDIT: I just looked, but I can’t find the link I used years ago. But I do recall that the reason was not a mechanical bonding issue (i.e., even if the aluminum was roughed up with a scotchbright before priming it still would not adhere well) it was some kind of chemical or electro-chemical necessity for aluminum. I don’t remember completely, that was a whole lot of brain cells ago. Can anybody school me on this?

 

[Sandracer_NL]

I used a Dremel and bought a set of (cheap) sanding discs with various grits. A few bucks and enough for years to come. The black is indeed pretty tough, but I believe the 60 grit took care of it.
Actually I’m doing a full rebuild/upgrade of my DR8 and sanded the chassis yesterday. Previous time I ended with the polishing disc, it was a mirror. This time no mirror, only making it smooth again; the bottom side of the chassis, so it will get scratched again. The top(inner) side of the chassis just got a new carbon wrap. Work in progress.

 

[slick2500]

Make certain you use a self-etching primer on any aluminum you plan on painting. Different animal than steel or ferrous metals, and a little different process.

I personally wouldn't use spray paint. I would anodize it.

 

[Dan B.]

I personally wouldn't use spray paint. I would anodize it.

I personally would do none of the above and leave it alone, but we each have a vision.

 

[slick2500]

I personally would do none of the above and leave it alone, but we each have a vision.

I meant if I was going to color it. I like the look of raw polished aluminum. Have you seen my Outcast 6s?

 

[Boggs3010]

I used oven cleaner didn't work as well as I had hoped. But the chassis went from back to blue. Still not bare metal. The smell was to much for my wife. ( Darn work at home) so I left it blue and wet sanded it to make sure the paint could bite. 500/1000/1500 and the tried the blue paint I wanted. Results to dark, I wanted a few shades lighter. So I painted it silver, the entire chassis. I was going to paint the top silver anyway. Then painted the bottom blue. Look pretty good for a rattle can and less then 15.00 vs the 350.00 for a carbon chassis and looks really good. I may take a clear vinyl and cover the blue. Clear coat for automotive finishes is 30.00 for a decent brand. I am doing this on this cheap just because. Vinyl will cost approximately 10.00 and enough for 3 chassis. All in just under $20.00 will put up pics of it painted and on the car in a day or 2. Have to swap my red CF chassis 1st. Should be here any moment.

 

[Boggs3010]

Look pretty good.

 

[Dan B.]

Look pretty good.

View attachment 174993

View attachment 174994

Nice job, looks good!

 

[Boggs3010]

Nice job, looks good!

Thank you.

 

[Boggs3010]

Ok did a second one this time Dremel style tool. Little more work but better results? And to keep it even cheaper no paint just clear vinyl. And no smell just noise semi happy wife. Although I did get a how much longer?

 

[Dan B.]

And no smell just noise semi happy wife. Although I did get a how much longer?

View attachment 175619

View attachment 175620

View attachment 175621

How much longer? Until all of our great grandkids and all their friends are tired of it!

 

[slick2500]

Not gonna lie that looks really bad.

 

[Boggs3010]

Not gonna lie that looks really bad.

All good glad to your honest. It is temporary I will eventually paint it. On a bit of a budget/smell my wife is super sensitive to smell. The downside of working from home. When I paint it is away from home and has to stay outside for a day or 2. I thought bare metal would be different.