Refinishing transfer case halves

[ERobinson88]

Hey everyone.

I have been working on rebuilding my np231 transfer case the last 6 months as money allows. Recently was able to buy a slip yoke eliminator kit for it and now I want to really clean up the main case halves. Otherwise they won't match the new rear output/speedo housing that came with my sye kit. Looking for some advice on what to use to bring back that new aluminum look and preserve it.

Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[ehall]

First would be to clean it. Any transmission shop in your area should have a parts washer. Or you can use mom's dishwasher if she's going to be away anytime (it will leave a smell--you need to run multiple empty loads), but you will need to completely strip it first. After the grease is off, look for somebody that can do media blasting

 

[mtbxj87]

machine shop with a hot tank

 

[TRCM]

be easier to dirty up the SYE so they all match

 

[trippled]

If you go hot tank route remove all the bearings. They're unfiltered and can blast dirt into the bearings. Really any mechanic shop should have a hot tank. They work like a champ

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Bare aluminum starts oxidizing immediately, so it
won't stay looking new very long.

The best way to preserve it is to clean, primer (using
zinc chromate primer), followed by your favorite
gray paint.

If you don't have spray equipment, you can use a brush
to apply the paint coatings. Even with brush strokes
showing it'll still look better than the rest of the
undercarriage...

 

[rockclimber]

so you just spent the last 6 months rebuilding the case and now you're gonna pull all those bearings and tear it completely apart, have it tanked just so it can just get dirty again?

a couple cans of brakleen and a brass brush will take care of that and you wouldn't have to disassemble it. although it would be a waste of time IMO.

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

Purple degreaser. Power washer. Brush.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Here's an interesting story that happened several years ago
after a local shop rebuilt a Mustang transmission for me:

After a few weeks it was due an oil change, so up on the
ramps it went and I crawled underneath. I was amazed to
find that the tech had cleaned and painted the transmission
to look better than new. But that's not all. He had also used
a permanent marker to SIGN his work! Now that's a person
that takes pride in what they do.

The car shifted great for many years until it was sold. I also
recommended that transmission shop every chance I got...

 

[xcm]

Its a tcase, not a table.

 

[md21722]

First trip through a mud hole and it won't matter.

 

[ERobinson88]

I hadn't originally planned on getting an sye but after much research on driveline angles and the noise I'm having, I went with it mid rebuild. I haven't finished the rebuild and don't mind taking the new bearings back out. I think with the painting idea, I may go clear coat after getting down to bare metal. That or black. Thanks for the replies

 

[ERobinson88]

I typically wash my undercarriage after mud to prevent rust so a good looking tcase and other parts is important to me. Clean surfaces allow me to see problems sooner

 

[PaulJ]

Polish it.

 

[olysteve]

I insralled a transmission for a guy that painted it silver

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Eastwood Alumablast

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I guess a clean and strip disc, primer and paint. Or maybe a clear after you strip it?

 

[Madmanmarty]

Eastwood Alumablast

I've heard of this but never used it.
How do items turn out if proper prep is done?

 

[notamos]

Hmm. Want to clean up the tcase huh? How about having that thing tanked and then chrome it? Gold plating?

NP231 version of Saddam's AK?