I have a couple of summit viper aluminum stands that have lost quite a bit of paint. I tried a quick coat of flat paint back in early season but it's flaking off as well. How do I make it stick?

I was always told to rub it down with lemon juice and let that dry, then paint it. I know that sounds crazy, but that was back in the 80's, i'm sure there is something better and easier nowadays.

You can use some etching primer for aluminum but short of powder coating I dont know if you will "cure" the problem. They flake commonly and I think the flex is what causes it.

i got two new vipers from Summit AND got to keep my old ones because of the paint issue about 10 years ago. Take pics, email them and get new stand. I think they have cracked down on that though. I "may" know some folks that abused that system.

Summit uses an acid etch primer on their stands, but doesnt work too well in my opinion. Take some fine sandpaper and rough the chipped area up then paint it in couple LIGHT dusting coats till covered.

With aluminum you need to get an aluminum cleaner and brightened. It's technically an acid. But do that then hose it off let it dry and paint it. You'll be good

self-etching primer

Not . . . . . . zinc chromate primer is a requirement when painting aluminum.

Has anybody tried spraying plasti dip on one?

Clean it with aluminum brightener, scuff and spray with zinc chromate primer and paint.

plasti dip is nice, but not for something that sees alot of use from direct contact. It rubs off with use. (insert penis joke here)

I bet a local powder coated would do it cheap. That is if you could wait until they are running a color you could live with. You would need to strip it before hand. I have been thinking about having one rhino lined.

I did a tool box, turned out good, it has been 4 years and it has a few chips. I used etching primer then the spray can duplicolor bed liner and black paint. I have done aluminum wheels also, holds up well, it will chip, but is easily touched up.

I usually hand sand with about 60 grit and rough it up real good so the primer has some something to grip. Then self etching primer. Couple coats and you'll fill in the scratches. I think in hard use areas I've done a coat or two with auto primer you can sand.

Never have a problem with flaking and have painted everything from boats to stands to whatever you name it. Maybe I'm just lucky but works for me.

I've seen one done with the spray on bedliner in a can. I'm going to do mine like that after the season. It looked pretty dang good.

I happen to be somewhat of an expert at painting aluminum and that's exactly what we do. Aluminum brightner then paint. It won't come off if it's good paint. Aluminum brightner is a very strong acid. I THINK (that means try at your own risk) that it's hydrochloric acid and another acid mixed together. You might try muriatic acid. It might work, then again the fumes of it on aluminum might kill you.

X2 on zinc chromate primer. The zinc will reduces the oxidation between the metal and paint and that's what makes the paint lose the bond. I've painted a lot of aluminum down here at the beach and have zero failures

But mirage said I was wrong how could it be? Oh maybe because we deal with it every single day for a living. 99% of all signage are aluminum and that's what I do but we must be wrong

Well, let's see . . . . . I've been in the marine business for the last 30 years, and deal with aluminum every single day. ALL, let me say that again . . . ALL manufacturers of aluminum products for the marine industry use zinc chromate primer for their products. I believe that you would find that to be true through out the rest of the aluminum industry too. All I'm saying is if you want to do it right and not have it peel off, then use what the aluminum industry recognizes as the product that works, if that's not what you want, then paint it with fingernail polish for all I care.

Direct To Metal by Sherwin Williams. DTM is what to ask for.

What's the difference in zinc chromate and zinc phosphate ?