I just received a fishing boat that is aluminumThe person before me painted it brown but it is starting to come off and i want to make it look new againHow do i take the paint off with out recking the aluminum? What kind of paint do i need? Any finishes that i may need? What kind of price am i looking at to do all of this?
Painting should be easyThere is no need to sand all of the old paint off as long as its still adhering to the boatPrimer and paintMake sure that the paint is compatable with aluminumI know that if you're leaving the boat in the water, make sure that the bottom paint you use is compatableMost bottom paints contain copper which will cause the aluminum to corrode.
Your problem is difficult to visualizeThese are general ideas for trouble shootingRadial ball bearings can be open or sealedThe sealed variety is greased at the factory for it's normal lifeThe seal or shield must be pried off to inspect the internal conditionWhen opened, foreign matter should be removed and a small amount of grease addedThe appearance of the grease is a good indication of the bearings conditionIf the grease is translucent and soft, the bearing is probably goodIf the grease is hardened or contains metal particles the bearing has failedIf the bearings are open (unlikely from your description) they require continuous immersion in clean grease or oil (not WD-40)Bearings can be installed by push fit or press fitIn an aluminum housing, you should be able to unseat them by handTo remove the bearings from a steel shaft you will need a puller which exerts force against the inner race but not the outerWith patience, shields and seals can be removed (and replaced) to permit inspection and cleaning and re-greasing if necessaryWD-40 is not suitable for ball bearingsMore details, better answerPS: The inner and outer race have the same diameterIf one bearing housing is dead ended, and the shaft is inserted to far into the bearing, yes the shaft can rub the housingAs mentioned above, by grasping the shaft, you should be able to extract the bearing from the housing.
