OP
@bobthetj03. I’m sure I could use some of your pointers.
05 Flame Red TJ Build
- Thread starter JMT
- Start date
Take your time. Spray when it is warm (75*-80*) ish. Practice with the HF gun. Primer will lay out different than base and clear. Keep in mind what tip size the gun has. 1.3mm-1.5mm for base/clear, 1.8mm-2.0mm for primer. Choose the proper temp activator for the temps you'll be spaying at. They make different temp range activators and reducers to optimize your spraying conditions. Light! You need to see what you are doing and how the paint is laying out on the substrate, so more light is moar bettah. Wet the floor down before painting. it will help with goobers. Break out the fans. Air flow will help. Keep the gun perpendicular to the substrate while spraying. Use the "hang loose" with your hand to determine distance from the gun to the substrate. Get some tack cloths.
OP
I’ll practice with some water before. At least get the pattern even. I have a 1.8mm tip for the primer and a 1.4mm for the base coat and clear. The activator is 70-80*. Water, fans good. I’m good with perpendicular painting and 8-10”.
I have a regulator at the gun. I have a water trap. I have a 3/8” hose ID. My compressor is 22 gallon and will only do 5.0cfm at 40psi. I read that it should do 9.0cfm @40psi. ??? As for sanding, the lady said 400 for primer and any other sanding after keep at 600 and no finer???
My amateur painting tips....
I found primer and base coat to be very easy. Clear is a pita because it is so much easier to screw up. For clear I found waiting longer between coats worked best for me. If memory serves me right I waited 30 min on the first coat and 20 for the next 3. You may want to consider doing the A pillars to learn on before moving to the corners / flares
Also remember to go either vertical or horizontal every other base coat to avoid tiger stripes (on the corners is most important) and always give the paint a bit of a mix before spraying.
I did 300 to rough up the piece before adding the self etching primer. You need to spray fairly quickly after sanding the alumnuim because it will flash rust and not stick as well. After primer I wet sanded with 600. If I screwed up durning base I'd wait about an hour and wet sand with 600 to try and get it looking better. I found wrapping the sand paper around a paint stick made a nice block to sand flat with.
After clear it's important not to wax it for a month or two. The paint will be off gassing for a while and you need to allow it to breath.
Follow the manufacturers recommendations for flash times between coats and thicknesses so you don't get solvent bubbles.learn to read the paint,you can fudge those recommendations a bit.including which temp thinner
OP
OP
I think I’ll pick up one of these LVLP guns. Second one comes with different size tips.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SPRAYIT-LVLP-Mini-Gravity-Feed-Spray-Gun-SPRAYIT-SP-33500/204343810
AEROPRO Tools R500 LVLP Air Spray Gun with 1.3/1.5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMNWDL3X/?tag=wranglerorg-20
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OP
Mocked up the GR A-Pillar armor so I could set the nutserts. Two of the lower factory Torx bolts share a plate inside the pillar. If you remove them both you could have a difficult time getting the plate re-aligned. I got some 5/16-18 threaded rod and replaced each one as I removed them, then mounted the armor and started at the lowest of the three holes drilling through the provided hole, then removing, expanding the hole, installing the nutsert, then putting the armor back on and going to the next one. This is necessary to get the holes in the right places for final installation so it’s tight against the pillar.
OP
The driver side was a little more challenging due to the recent A-Pillar damage at Moab. I removed the inner trim panel, but there’s another metal panel that separates it from the outside panel, so no way to get through to work on pushing it out. So, I lined it all up, installed the nutsert, then screwed the bolt in and gave it a few taps with a hammer to get it properly oriented for the armor.
The fitment is very good. My only complaint is the Allen head bolts they send you. I replaced them with #4 Philips like the GR armor and Savvy TCase skid. These are 316 stainless which has very good corrosion resistance.
The fitment is very good. My only complaint is the Allen head bolts they send you. I replaced them with #4 Philips like the GR armor and Savvy TCase skid. These are 316 stainless which has very good corrosion resistance.
OP
Bought some 1”x1.25” aluminum bar for two projects. My son wants to build and install an enclosure for a 10” sub under his rear seat. Due to the mounting depth of the sub we need to raise his rear seat mounts and seat belt latches 1”. This width will fit in between the ribs on the tub floor. The other project is some tub slider rails. I’m not as gutsy or skilled as @Alex01 and don’t have a press, so these will just run along the side and taper on each end. For now I just mocked them up so I could make some marks for cuts. When I remove the armor for painting I’ll drill and mount them. The front and rear mounts will be through bolts. The middle 3 will be tapped from the back side so they are hidden. They are 41.5” long. This will also provide more strength to the upper tub rail in addition to the internal backing plate. Wish I’d had all this before the flop. 
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Bought some 1”x1.25” aluminum bar for two projects. My son wants to build and install an enclosure for a 10” sub under his rear seat. Due to the mounting depth of the sub we need to raise his rear seat mounts and seat belt latches 1”. This width will fit in between the ribs on the tub floor. The other project is some tub slider rails. I’m not as gutsy as @Alex01 and don’t have a press, so these will be along the side and taper on each end. For now I just mocked them up so I could make some marks for cuts. When I remove the armor for painting I’ll drill and mount them. The front and rear mounts will be through bolts. The middle 3 will be tapped from the back side so they are hidden. They are 41.5” long. This will also provide more strength to the upper tub rail in addition to the internal backing plate. Wish I’d had all this before the flop.
View attachment 428832
View attachment 428833
Put a large tarp down before busting out the router. Cleanup was a major PITA.
Looking good!!!
OP
Nice work, Jeremy. By the way - what idiot spotted you into a roll-over in Moab?
I’m never going to live this down Allan!
And all I had to do was stack a few rocks or air down a few lbs.
OP
Mocking up the rub rails. I’ll be removing the flares when I go to the W side of the state for wheelin, so they’ll be useful in that context. Trails are really narrow over there. This is where I am now. Not sure how I want to cut the end right by the door.
OP
That’s what @NashvilleTJ said too. Match it. It’s a 41.5* angle. Don’t ask me why other than it looked most aesthetically pleasing.
P.s. LVLP gun on the way.
OP
The link you gave me was currently unavailable.
HIUHIU R500 Car Paint Spray Gun 1.3mm Nozzle, LVLP air Spray Gun https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F2KWF3K/?tag=wranglerorg-20
OP
The rub rails are for when I wheel in W WA and will remove the flares. They are attached by four hex bolts and it takes about 2 minutes.
I finalized the cuts. Both ends are 41.5*, but I didn’t want to take it all off the front. I had already cut the end at the angle of the sliders, so I took 41.5* off of that to the outer edge leaving a little bit flat on the door facing. It was my wife’s idea. She’s got a good eye.
I finalized the cuts. Both ends are 41.5*, but I didn’t want to take it all off the front. I had already cut the end at the angle of the sliders, so I took 41.5* off of that to the outer edge leaving a little bit flat on the door facing. It was my wife’s idea. She’s got a good eye.