Clear Coat for Aluminum & Steel?

[EarlyPorsche]

I bought one of these aluminum crawler boxes for a truck I am building. I don't fourwheel but I'll play on a trail once its done, hopefully. With that said, this custom made and literally gorgeous aluminum transmission came to me and I just don't want it getting crusty under there. Its primarily aluminum with some steel shifter stuff on the side. Is there a high quality clear that I can apply that will maintain the finish, and be easy to rinse dirt off, and protect from corrosion? The iron transfercase I am just leaving black but the aluminum part with its steel shifter I would like protected just like it is. I was thinking this could be a good candidate for one of those heavy duty tractor supply paints or maybe something from a boat place?

[Don Ro]

Clear powder coat? Or...
when I wanted good protection I used clear wheel rattle can paint. Worked for me.

[sc_rufctr]

POR 15 make a product... "GLISTEN PC is a High Gloss, Rock Hard, Water-clear topcoat"

I've never used it so I can't vouch for it personally but if it's anything like their rust paints it would have to be decent.

GLISTEN PC

[Nickshu]

Check Eastwood. I've used their aluminum clear coat and it works great!

-Sent from my Galaxy s5 using Tapatalk

[targa911S]

aluminum is hard to paint. Most regular paint will just flake off. Brownells ( gunsmith supplies) makes a rattle can of a coating/paint called "aluma-hyde II" that comes in clear. Takes a while to cure but it's tough as nails. no primer required.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/paint-finishes/air-cure-aerosol-paints/aluma-hyde-ii-prod1117.aspx

[LWJ]

Worst case? A really good wax. Targa is correct. Aluminum is tough to paint. We used to zinc chromate before paint when I was in the industry. Never painted clear. Anodizing won't work in your situation as it is assembled.

Good luck. Let's see pics of the truck? I think it will be special.

Larry

[cashflyer]

I would treat it with clear alodine 1001 before spraying it with either a clear topcoat or clear powder coat.

Alodine® 1001™ Conversion Coating is a nonflammable, chromic acid based, coating chemical that will produce a chrome conversion coating on aluminum and its alloys. The coating formed by Alodine 1001 is clear in color and it becomes a part of the aluminum surface. This chrome conversion coating offers the best affordable substrate for both paint adhesion and corrosion resistance. Alodine 1001 is used when it is desired to retain the silver white aluminum.

Disclaimer: I only use the tinted alodine, so I do not know how "clear" the clear alodine actually turns out. Google images shows this as a comparison, though:

[LWJ]

Hmmm. That looks like what we did pre-paint. It was referred to as a chromate conversion. Not really attractive in my book.

[cashflyer]

There are two commonly used preps for painting aluminum, at least in aviation. And sometimes they are used together.

Alodine wash. Usually considered a pre-treatment, and most times the yellow-orange color is used so that you can see that it has been done. Also available in clear (as mentioned above).

Zinc Chromate primer. This is usually a yellow or green primer that has a high content of zinc solids. This can go on top of Alodine or can be used alone. The idea is that the zinc element is more "sacrificial" than aluminum, and so will act as a protective layer. Like having a zinc block bolted to your boat engine.

Both products contain chromium and both "contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm."

[dad911]

How about Rustoleum NeverWet? Has anyone used it?