While waiting for my Dirtworx bumpers, I thought I would see what all you WTJF folks thought would be the best idea for finishing them. Feel free to chime in...
Bumper finish
- Thread starter glwood
- Start date
Powder coating would be more durable, but touching it up would not be easy or look good. I vote rattle can with SEM trim black.
xxdabroxx
TJ Addict
You'll be touching up that bumper for years, I'd make it easier to do so by using a satin black rattle can paint from either Rustoleum or Krylon.
Make its first coat a self-etching primer which hangs onto the steel better. The satin-black paint will hang onto the primer better too. For sure Rustoleum makes a spray-on self-etching primer, I'm not sure if Krylon does too.
Make its first coat a self-etching primer which hangs onto the steel better. The satin-black paint will hang onto the primer better too. For sure Rustoleum makes a spray-on self-etching primer, I'm not sure if Krylon does too.
Rattle can. Especially on frames and bumpers. Suspension parts as well. They take a beating and need the protection that a coating provides. You can touch any dings up with ease that way.
At some point in the life of all of my previous off road rigs...the whole shooting match gets rattle canned. Usually in flat earth green. It's about protection, not style. It never made sense to me to put a good paint job on something that is going to get brush pin striping, rock chips and other abuse, wear and tear. Painted the last XJ for less than $50 when the local hardware store had a sale. The factory paint gets maintained for as long as it lasts, but then the rattle cans come out.
At some point in the life of all of my previous off road rigs...the whole shooting match gets rattle canned. Usually in flat earth green. It's about protection, not style. It never made sense to me to put a good paint job on something that is going to get brush pin striping, rock chips and other abuse, wear and tear. Painted the last XJ for less than $50 when the local hardware store had a sale. The factory paint gets maintained for as long as it lasts, but then the rattle cans come out.
sgtjdgelinas
TJ Enthusiast
I went with the rattle can bedliner when I fabbed a bumper for my XJ, then I did the trim and rear bumper to match. It covers imperfections and is just as easy to touch up as paint.
Just so I won't regret it if I didn't when I could have, taking the bumpers to two powder coat shops tomorrow just to get a quote...
I wasn't able to find many, so here's some before photos of two seriously strong bumpers...
![IMG_0839[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0839-1-webp.14880/ "IMG_0839[1].webp")
![IMG_0840[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0840-1-webp.14881/ "IMG_0840[1].webp")
![IMG_0841[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0841-1-webp.14882/ "IMG_0841[1].webp")
![IMG_0842[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0842-1-webp.14883/ "IMG_0842[1].webp")
![IMG_0843[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0843-1-webp.14884/ "IMG_0843[1].webp")
![IMG_0844[1].webp](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_0844-1-webp.14885/ "IMG_0844[1].webp")
Powder coating won't hold up to the bumpers being run into rocks etc. any better than properly applied rattle-can paint will when applied over a good self-etching primer. And at way less $$$. 
Last edited:
Those are some fine looking bumpers. They look stout as hell. Mine have been sprayed with Raptor liner and look good. Not sure if they can be touched up easy.
I am aware of that. I have the self-etching primer, and planned to get at least one of these painted this week, but my only place to paint them is my back yard. The wind this weekend prevented me from getting started, so in the meantime, I will at least get quotes.Powder coating won't hold up to the bumpers being run into rocks etc. any better than properly applied rattle-can paint will when applied over a good self-etching primer. And at way less $$$.
I had a Shrockworks stubby bumper on my JK that was powder coated, and I found some rattle can bumper coating that was actually so close to the powder coat, you couldn't tell I had touched up an area unless you got really close.
PStov98TJ
TJ Enthusiast
Rattle can and never look back. Reason one being the already stated easy touchup. Even if you don't do hard core rocks, when a small rock on the highway jumps off the trailer in front of you and chips the paint, the spray can is sitting in the garage. Reason two, spray painting the bumpers allows you to easily and economically make any other parts that you may add along the way match perfectly. I love symmetry, so I'd rather all of my bumpers and armor be painted the exact same way...not to mention I definitely don't have the cash for powder coat at the moment lol
Bumpers look great by the way. I'm still enjoying my DirtWorx tire carrier 4 years later.
Edit: Posted that before realizing you had already made the decision...oops, oh well
Bumpers look great by the way. I'm still enjoying my DirtWorx tire carrier 4 years later.
Edit: Posted that before realizing you had already made the decision...oops, oh well
Since those are pro welded, a nice satin finish will look great. I really like rustoleum's professional spray cans. The come in a spray can that is bigger than the normal can. Its 5-6 bucks here.
I'm a crummy welder, so a nice textured finish help hide less perfect welds. The spray on bedliners work nice for that. Harder to keep clean though, and touch ups are not as easy.
I'm a crummy welder, so a nice textured finish help hide less perfect welds. The spray on bedliners work nice for that. Harder to keep clean though, and touch ups are not as easy.
Rustoleum Black textured is a good choice. This has a satin finish.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Now that I like...
BTW, the powder coat cost turned out to be $125 per bumper, $250 total. I will definitely be going the rattle can route. I figured as much, just had to know.
Now that I like...
View attachment 14914
BTW, the powder coat cost turned out to be $125 per bumper, $250 total. I will definitely be going the rattle can route. I figured as much, just had to know.
I learned about this from Metal Cloak, they recommend using this for touch ups on their powder coated stuff.
Thought about SEM Trim black? Apparently it's amazing. I am going to put it on my 'new to me' stock bumpers to try it out.
