Painting fender flares

NCJeeper

NCJeeper

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Aug 16, 2016
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I picked up a set of Sahara flares that do not match my TJ. I'm curious if anyone knows if I can just strip them with a chemical paint remover to get them back to just the plastic or do I need to just go ahead and paint them black.

Also any suggestions on a particular rattle can black would be appreciated. I thought about plasticote but I think that will scratch too easily.
 
I don't know how, or if, you should strip them but if you get them back to plastic I would sand them smooth; wet sanding works well as the final sanding, and then use Krylon Fusion paint as it does well on the TJ's plastic fenders.

Here's a before and after on my old 2000 TJ. I used Krylon Fusion satin black.

Before
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After
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Thanks for the reply.
I'd prefer just straight plastic to paint if it's doable. If I need to paint them, I won't bother stripping. Might try a test spot on the back side with some Jasco remover that I've had good luck with on some other projects.
 
You can use a product called PGR remover. I will warn you it does burn if you get overspray on your arms, but it works amazing.
 
Are they already black or have they been painted a different color?

If they are already painted, the best way to get paint to adhere to them will be to lightly scuff up the existing paint with something like a grey scotch brite pad (that's what I use), get them nice and scuffed up, then use some acetone to clean them up nice and good, and then lay down several coats of some SEM trim black paint which will make them look like brand new factory flares.
 
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What Chris said. If they are already painted with the factory topcoat, just scuff them up, clean them and SEM trim black FTW.

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Chris said:
Are they already black or have they been painted a different color?

If they are already painted, the best way to get paint to adhere to them will be to lightly scuff up the existing paint with something like a grey scotch brite pad (that's what I use), get them nice and scuffed up, then use some acetone to clean them up nice and good, and then lay down several coats of some SEM trim black paint which will make them look like brand new factory flares.
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They're a champagne color and I have bright silver. I just prefer the straight plastic because it's easier to maintain and shows less scratches etc. I have everything to redo them except the actual black paint. I was mainly curious to see if anyone had ever stripped them down to the original plastic and if it's even an option. If it's as easy as applying the stripper, scraping off the gunk, clean up and go that would be my ideal scenario. Otherwise anything else would be about the same as just repainting.
 
I had mine line-x'ed black. And I know they can do different colors. I didn't want an aggressive finish on mine, so it's just a little rougher than smooth.
Easy to keep clean, and they'll never fade.

Little more expensive than a rattle can, but it looks really good.
 
I just bought new flares cause mine were fifty shades of grey(no pun intended) and I got a good deal. Old ones were cracked as well


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NCJeeper said:
They're a champagne color and I have bright silver. I just prefer the straight plastic because it's easier to maintain and shows less scratches etc. I have everything to redo them except the actual black paint. I was mainly curious to see if anyone had ever stripped them down to the original plastic and if it's even an option. If it's as easy as applying the stripper, scraping off the gunk, clean up and go that would be my ideal scenario. Otherwise anything else would be about the same as just repainting.
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The only way you are going to get them down to bare plastic is a shit ton of elbow grease (seriously, you'll spend a LOT of time doing it), or if you want to do it the fast way, use an aircraft stripper that's safe on plastic. I've done the latter before many times.
 
You could end up scratching the bare plastic trying to scrape the paint off. I've never tried aircraft stripper on plastic.
 
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bobthetj03 said:
You could end up scratching the bare plastic trying to scrape the paint off. I've never tried aircraft stripper on plastic.
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Aircraft stripper will work, but only if it's one that's safe for plastic. If you use that kind, the paint will come right off in a matter of a minute.
 
Chris said:
Aircraft stripper will work, but only if it's one that's safe for plastic. If you use that kind, the paint will come right off in a matter of a minute.
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Ah, clicked on your linky. If it works as well as their regular aircraft stripper then that may be the way to go with a plastic razor blade to scrape the paint off.
 
bobthetj03 said:
Ah, clicked on your linky. If it works as well as their regular aircraft stripper then that may be the way to go with a plastic razor blade to scrape the paint off.
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I've used it on plastic parts before. It lifts the paint off in a matter of seconds. Then you just have to rinse it off and you're good to go.

Of course it's a little more difficult if the plastic is pitted.
 
Chris said:
I've used it on plastic parts before. It lifts the paint off in a matter of seconds. Then you just have to rinse it off and you're good to go.

Of course it's a little more difficult if the plastic is pitted.
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Yeah man, that's what I'm talking about!
I'll probably give it a shot. My usual stripper I just read doesn't recommend use on plastic although I have but not this type of plastic. I'll just buy this stuff.
 
NCJeeper said:
Yeah man, that's what I'm talking about!
I'll probably give it a shot. My usual stripper I just read doesn't recommend use on plastic although I have but not this type of plastic. I'll just buy this stuff.
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Yes, don't use normal aircraft stripper on plastic, it will destroy it in no time at all!

The plastic stuff is specially made for plastic. I've used it before on plastic motorcycle fairings and it does indeed work as advertised. Took all my paint off in a matter of minutes.
 
Flare thread revival.

Mine are actually in great shape, but going out this morning, I noticed someone scraped my front passenger flare, probably in a parking lot. Anyway, the flare and light lens now have some scrapes that weren't there previously, and they're in the surface of the flare. One - the Rubicon flares, at least mine, are not textured, but smooth, and have a bit of a semi-gloss black finish. How do I restore the scraped areas back to smooth?

Two - would the SEM trim black be the choice for matching the semi-gloss finish on the flare now? Ideally, I would prefer to repair the one flare, but I am not opposed to doing them all if necessary. Sort of hard to see, the scrapes are mostly above right and below the side marker lens, and on the edge of the flare over the tire...

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SEM trim black will be the closest match. As an experiment, take a Mr. Clean magic eraser to the scuffs with some water and see if that will smooth out the scuffs. Plastic is tough to repair.
 
bobthetj03 said:
SEM trim black will be the closest match. As an experiment, take a Mr. Clean magic eraser to the scuffs with some water and see if that will smooth out the scuffs. Plastic is tough to repair.
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Would you suggest the satin or gloss finish? And would you think adhesion promoter is needed?
 
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