sand blasting-lower unit

[kjly63]

Picked up a spare 270 Volvo drive and was thinking there's gotta be an easy way of getting the old paint and barnicles off. Don't know if this can be done without digging into the aluminum housing.
Also need to be careful of the U-joints.

Has anyone tried this? or is this a bad idea :idea:

Kenny

[gcarter]

Rootsy has blasted some. I scraped mine. A lot of work but it turned out pretty good. :smash:
http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36526
I think if you consider blasting, you should disassemble the outdrive first. It may be im possible to keep media out of seals.

[Bob]

How about trying walnut shells. Web information says that it is very friendly to rubber and won't "pit" the aluminum. I'm considering that media to remove the paint job on the Hornet.

[olredalert]

-------I had my TRS sandblasted and it came out great. I was careful to point out to the sandblaster just how I wanted it done. What to do and what to cover and what stay away from. Cover stuff you dont want sand near with heavy plastic and plenty of duct-tape...........Bill S

[BERTRAM BOY]

Kenny,
Send it to me, and I'll glass bead it for you.

[MOP]

Sand balsting aluminum can turn out poorly if the medium has any carbon content, that will cause corrosion and pitting of the case. I would if possible take Cliff (Bertram Boy) up on his offer glass bead does a great job and is absolutely safe. Nut shells do almost as good but do not blend nicks & scratches as nice.

Phil

[gcarter]

When I was refinishing my drive, I had the gimbal housing bead blasted, after taping up the gimbal bearing as well as I could. When I got it back, there was grit in the bearing. It didn't really matter as I was going to change it any way. I was attempting to find if I could keep the glass dust out of seals or bearings. I couldn't.
If you pursue this, I hope you're more successful than I was.

[Rootsy]

when blasting aluminum, the downfall with using "sand" is taht it can imbed in the aluminum. This is especially troublesome when you have to weld... beadblasting is the best way with glass bead.. it is very non invasive and leaves a find finish... a lot more convenient and easily accessible without going to a full time professional for such things as media blasting with walnut, baking soda, etc... then again.. there is also the CO2 blasting... it really is some cool stuff

i used a 3M abrasive brillo pad on my 90* diegrinder to take some paint off my SS last time... if you don't know what you are doing you can easily make a very uneven surface...

also.. you have to stay away from seals and such if the drive is assembled... it needs to be masked off in these areas...

JR

[olredalert]

--------I hope no one has paid too much attention to my rambling as my unit was indeed bead-blasted as opposed to sand-blasted. Dont have any excuse for my error other than age!!!!!..........Bill S

[kjly63]

:) Thanks for all the imput..............I'd be crazy not to take Cliff up on the offer.

I'll call you tomorrow :bighug:

Kenny