Daily Driver, Go Where I Want To Build

The more I think about the rough powder coat Crawltech provides, the less I like it and the likelihood of the finish texture catching dust the way bedliner does. So, I started wet sanding.
20240211_204526.jpg


I ordered some cans of body color matched spray paint. The outside surfaces of the fenders are now going to be sienna pearl. Then I have to decide if the interior engine bay surfaces will also be body color or a semi-gloss black.
 
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jjvw said:
The more I think about the rough powder coat Crawltech provides, the less I like it and the likelihood of the finish texture catching dust the way bedliner does. So, I started wet sanding.
View attachment 499914

I ordered some cans of body color matched spray paint. The outside surfaces of the fenders are now going to be sienna pearl. Then I have to decide if the interior engine bay surfaces will also be body color or a semi-gloss black.
Click to expand...

Who’d you order the paint from?
 
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mrblaine said:
The 2K stuff is a superior product for a rattle can. The only downside is having enough prepped stuff to use a can since once you pop the catalyst, it has a short shelf life. Or worse, is needing 1 1/4 cans of the stuff to get your 2-3 coats done.
Click to expand...

Seems it might be wise to have more than is needed, to be safe.
 
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mrblaine said:
The 2K stuff is a superior product for a rattle can. The only downside is having enough prepped stuff to use a can since once you pop the catalyst, it has a short shelf life. Or worse, is needing 1 1/4 cans of the stuff to get your 2-3 coats done.
Click to expand...
I used that same brand for the 2K epoxy primer on my frame rehab 2 years ago. It went on nicer by far than anything else I’ve used from a rattle can. I still don’t think I nailed the adhesion, though.
IMG_2371.jpeg

Here’s the prep after stripping wheel/flap disc and rust reformer:
1707796516676.jpeg

Then the 2K primer (which was followed by a Krylon semi flat top coat):
1707794868925.jpeg

And here is a performance report:
This is a pretty hard rock hit from Moab last year. I bumped the throttle to get up a ledge climbing out of the creek at the end of Steelbender. Note the area of actual contact circled and the much larger area of smooth, bare metal where the primer and top coat just lifted off:
IMG_2372.jpeg

Not a fair comparison but look at this tow hook I had powder coated. Only the scratched metal is bare, with no surrounding loss:
IMG_2373.jpeg

Do you have any tips for getting better adhesion with a rattle can and not baking the paint on? Or is trying to achieve powder coat performance from a rattle can to lofty a goal? In thinking about it, I also suspect the UCA bracket flexed a lot more than the tow hook with their respective impacts which may have contributed. But body panels, like @jjvw ’s fenders are susceptible to that kind of flexing as well.
 
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Woodrow said:
I used that same brand for the 2K epoxy primer on my frame rehab 2 years ago. It went on nicer by far than anything else I’ve used from a rattle can. I still don’t think I nailed the adhesion, though.
View attachment 500146
Here’s the prep after stripping wheel/flap disc and rust reformer:
View attachment 500134
Then the 2K primer (which was followed by a Krylon semi flat top coat):
View attachment 500133
And here is a performance report:
This is a pretty hard rock hit from Moab last year. I bumped the throttle to get up a ledge climbing out of the creek at the end of Steelbender. Note the area of actual contact circled and the much larger area of smooth, bare metal where the primer and top coat just lifted off:
View attachment 500139
Not a fair comparison but look at this tow hook I had powder coated. Only the scratched metal is bare, with no surrounding loss:
View attachment 500140
Do you have any tips for getting better adhesion with a rattle can and not baking the paint on? Or is trying to achieve powder coat performance from a rattle can to lofty a goal? In thinking about it, I also suspect the UCA bracket flexed a lot more than the tow hook with their respective impacts which may have contributed. But body panels, like @jjvw ’s fenders are susceptible to that kind of flexing as well.
Click to expand...

Sandpaper and etch prime
 
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Woodrow said:
I used that same brand for the 2K epoxy primer on my frame rehab 2 years ago. It went on nicer by far than anything else I’ve used from a rattle can. I still don’t think I nailed the adhesion, though.
View attachment 500146
Here’s the prep after stripping wheel/flap disc and rust reformer:
View attachment 500134
Then the 2K primer (which was followed by a Krylon semi flat top coat):
View attachment 500133
And here is a performance report:
This is a pretty hard rock hit from Moab last year. I bumped the throttle to get up a ledge climbing out of the creek at the end of Steelbender. Note the area of actual contact circled and the much larger area of smooth, bare metal where the primer and top coat just lifted off:
View attachment 500139
Not a fair comparison but look at this tow hook I had powder coated. Only the scratched metal is bare, with no surrounding loss:
View attachment 500140
Do you have any tips for getting better adhesion with a rattle can and not baking the paint on? Or is trying to achieve powder coat performance from a rattle can to lofty a goal? In thinking about it, I also suspect the UCA bracket flexed a lot more than the tow hook with their respective impacts which may have contributed. But body panels, like @jjvw ’s fenders are susceptible to that kind of flexing as well.
Click to expand...

You need a self etching primer, then the epoxy primer...but not generally on the frame (since surface quality is a lesser concern). My process is self etching primer and then top coating. May try the clear coat next time I have paint out, just to help keep things clean.

As @Apparition pointed out...that is wrong. The rest of my statement is good (but not very helpful to @Woodrow )
 
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Mike_H said:
You need a self etching primer, then the epoxy primer...but not generally on the frame (since surface quality is a lesser concern). My process is self etching primer and then top coating. May try the clear coat next time I have paint out, just to help keep things clean.
Click to expand...

I thought etch and epoxy primers were both meant for bare metal? I don't think you are supposed to combine them.

Epoxy is a non-porous primer which seals out moisture where as etch doesn't making it better for mild steel if you don't top coat.
 
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@Woodrow, just sand, 1K self etch, top coat, 2K gloss clear. Best you can do.

Rock vs paint. Rock win every time.
 
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Apparition said:
I thought etch and epoxy primers were both meant for bare metal? I don't think you are supposed to combine them.

Epoxy is a non-porous primer which seals out moisture where as etch doesn't making it better for mild steel if you don't top coat.
Click to expand...

Meh....yeah, I think you're right. Epoxy would generally be the first thing down on bare metal. I'll edit (or just delete) my post.

To add more questionably helpful advice...its possible the surface wasn't rough enough for the epoxy to stick. Its needs a good "tooth"
 
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