Aluminum Armor Finish?

[PNW_LJ]

The first time I took it on trail after the paint job, my passenger rear tire rubbed the edge of the armor and took the paint off the edge. The good thing is it's aluminum, so it won't rust, but it is a lot of work to prep and get a good paint job to begin with. The good thing about aluminum is its easier than steel to sand and get flat and scratch free. Once you get it that way you have to wipe it down with a vinegar and distilled water solution, then self-etch prime it, all within about 15-20 minutes so there's no flash corrosion. Once it's self-etched, you can treat it just like painting steel.

That's one thing about painting armor is making sure you leave the edges about 150 or 220 grit so that when you paint it gets a good bite on that edge, because if you don't then the most likely places the paint will chip are along the edge and edge face. The rest of it you sand to 400 grit.

I know you don't really need this Jeff, but it might help the OP.

Thank you for this.

Considering the shitty job I did at spray painting my rear bumper.. not sure I’m ready for a project like this. Body work is not my strength

 

[PNW_LJ]

Mine will stay raw aluminum.
View attachment 461066

Now that I built the tub rails out of aluminum, I will go back and do some cleanup on the corner armor from the previous owner's installation. But nothing extravagant because I will add my own scuffs.
View attachment 461067

So Colorado must get its own load of precipitation, not as much as Seattle.

Any evidence of corrosion, with it being raw?

 

[PNW_LJ]

Wheeler Lake. I entered it recently, but no one will vote for me anymore.

Perhaps there is a reason..

 

[jjvw]

So Colorado must get its own load of precipitation, not as much as Seattle.

Any evidence of corrosion, with it being raw?

The aluminum skids and control arms have been in place for 6-7 years, most of that being daily driven year round. I see no signs of corrosion with our weather and road treatments.

 

[ColoJeep]

The aluminum skids and control arms have been in place for 6-7 years, most of that being daily driven year round. I see no signs of corrosion with our weather and road treatments.

Did you seal between the armor and body?

 

[jjvw]

Did you seal between the armor and body?

Nothing beyond spray paint wherever I drilled for bolts and nutserts.

 

[ColoJeep]

Nothing beyond spray paint wherever I drilled for bolts and nutserts.
View attachment 461095

Works for me.

 

[AndyG]

You can definitely color match the aluminum corner armor, as Jeremy said. But to make it last it does take a good bit more prep than painting steel.

View attachment 461021

Very true- @JMT and you are both spot on-plus pre painting makes for a tricky install vs paint after- just adding my experience.

Raw Aluminum is infinitely renewable, can be waxed to slow oxidation but requires work to stay bright.

 

[Irun]

I hit mine a couple times a year with scotch Brite pads, then take a random orbital buffer with Meguiar's cleaner/polish. It makes a mess, but does a good job of protecting the aluminum. The downside is, to do it correctly, you have to remove the rear flares.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002SQYRI?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Both of yours look amazing color matched.

How are you touching it up?

Huh? I’m too chicken to wheel it, so, no need…

 

[gasiorv]

Huh? I’m too chicken to wheel it, so, no need…

Sarcasm at it's finest.

 

[Apparition]

Sarcasm at it's finest.

 

[gasiorv]

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Funny Vic, I was actually thinking about that when you posted.

Your “What’s he compensating for?” is my favorite quote ever!

 

[NashvilleTJ]

OK, back on topic. My body color matched rear corner armor held up fine to this:



No touchup necessary.

 

[JMT]

Both of yours look amazing color matched.

How are you touching it up?

Don’t really need to touch it up. The finish is harder than the aluminum underneath. If I needed to I would use my color match paint and a small touch up brush or the q-tip type just like any touch up elsewhere. If I got light scratches I’d get an orbital polish disc or pad and run Meguiars 210 across it to buff them out.

But really, if I had a silver Jeep, I’d leave them raw. I’d orbital sand all the scratches out and take it to 320 grit. If I needed to I would polish it as needed. Easier than painting. I was going to leave mine raw, but my wife said it would look better red, and it’s easy to convince me to do a Jeep project. I learned a lot, and now I’m prepping steel trail doors.

 

[Apparition]

Don’t really need to touch it up. The finish is harder than the aluminum underneath. If I needed to I would use my color match paint and a small touch up brush or the q-tip type just like any touch up elsewhere. If I got light scratches I’d get an orbital polish disc or pad and run Meguiars 210 across it to buff them out.

But really, if I had a silver Jeep, I’d leave them raw. I’d orbital sand all the scratches out and take it to 320 grit. If I needed to I would polish it as needed. Easier than painting. I was going to leave mine raw, but my wife said it would look better red, and it’s easy to convince me to do a Jeep project. I learned a lot, and now I’m prepping steel trail doors.

View attachment 461150

 

[BlueC]

OK, back on topic. My body color matched rear corner armor held up fine to this:



No touchup necessary.

I just put it together, your seat got messed up something bad during that flip and that's why you took up sewing. Gotta get a new driver seat cover to hide the stains evidence.

 

[Zorba]

If it were me, I'd do raw. Yes, it *will* corrode - but the corrosion will actually form a protective barrier. I've seen unfinished aluminum last literally decades at sea - not necessarily pretty, but sound. Paint/powder coat - when chipped - will form a pinpoint area that *can* corrode badly; bare "spreads the load" so to speak.

But coat/seal/caulk/whatever where it meets another surface. Keep that water OUT - or you WILL get corrosion, and if its an aluminum/steel interface, once both surfaces lose any protection, you'll have a battery and the aluminum will turn into powder. We used grease where stainless bolts went through the aluminum - it helped considerably, but wasn't a perfect solution. We also used Delrin bushings where we could, that was mo' bettah.

 

[JMT]

Don’t really need to touch it up. The finish is harder than the aluminum underneath. If I needed to I would use my color match paint and a small touch up brush or the q-tip type just like any touch up elsewhere. If I got light scratches I’d get an orbital polish disc or pad and run Meguiars 210 across it to buff them out.

But really, if I had a silver Jeep, I’d leave them raw. I’d orbital sand all the scratches out and take it to 320 grit. If I needed to I would polish it as needed. Easier than painting. I was going to leave mine raw, but my wife said it would look better red, and it’s easy to convince me to do a Jeep project. I learned a lot, and now I’m prepping steel trail doors.

View attachment 461150

Always have a copy of the Constitution handy!