Powder Coating Opinions

[xshift28x]

I was thinking of powder coating some parts off my 91' runner. Its the stock black and I was thinking of going with a darker candy apple red or darker candy blue on the skid plate, pro comp light bar, and the spare tire gate in the back. Just wanted some feedback on what you guys think it would look like. I was also thinking of going with a matte black or white paint job eventually. Pour on the feedback

 

[Getsum]

I was thinking of powder coating some parts off my 91' runner. Its the stock black and I was thinking of going with a darker candy apple red or darker candy blue on the skid plate, pro comp light bar, and the spare tire gate in the back. Just wanted some feedback on what you guys think it would look like. I was also thinking of going with a matte black or white paint job eventually. Pour on the feedback

I powder coated several parts on my truck, it looks great and will last much longer than rattle-canning it...as to what it looks like...well, that depends on one's taste. If YOU like it then that should be enough.

 

[xshift28x]

I'm trying to decide on the paint job first and I'm leaning towards a matte white I'm just wondering how it will clean up after a day of off-roading

 

[topdown4runner]

The nice thing about rattle canning it, especially if you wheel, when you scratch the part, you just rattle can it again. No fuss, no muss.
Even with powder coating, things will get scratched. Much harder to match the powder coating with a bit of spray paint.
I rattle can'd my sliders when I put them on a year ago.
I plan on re-painting them tonight due to the rock rubs, shoe rubs, etc...

 

[andyk5]

Do u guys expensive rattlecans or cheapos? I used these $1.50 cans of spray paint from homedepot a year ago on a small inflatable and they made a huge mess, by rubbing off on my shoes feet etc.. after like a month. Of course the occasional contact with salt water and sometimes oil/gas mixture may have contributed to this but i was wondering if the more expensive ones hold up better?

 

[88T4RE]

did u sand with a 400grit before rattle canning?

 

[topdown4runner]

Do u guys expensive rattlecans or cheapos? I used these $1.50 cans of spray paint from homedepot a year ago on a small inflatable and they made a huge mess, by rubbing off on my shoes feet etc.. after like a month. Of course the occasional contact with salt water and sometimes oil/gas mixture may have contributed to this but i was wondering if the more expensive ones hold up better?

There is a big difference in rattle canning a truck part vs something in a marine environment.

As to cost...I used cheapo Ace Hardware on the sliders when I first installed them....because that is what I had in the garage at the time.

For the repaint, I used Rustolium and it came out great!

 

[andyk5]

it does look great for a spray paint job i must say, and no I haven't sanded anything, that maybe the problem i guess.....


how about doing a large part of the truck like the hood. Mine is completely oxidized and it doesn't look good at all. I mean it is hard to mess it up than it already is, except dumping half a can of pink paint on it or something. Anyhow original color is green and there are some small dings and dents that are slowly rusting. If I sanded the whole hood, could I spray paint it? By the way the truck sits in an underground garage so it is not a [private garage and it does get moist/codl at nights and dusty during the days. I am giving out the conditions since its not something i can take off and paint it at home and let it dry.

 

[topdown4runner]

Oooo, thats a tough one.
If that is the only faded/dented spot, how about having a shop do it?
Look on C's list...lots of out of work / slow work body people there....

Have any friends who would let you borrow their garage for 1 day?

I don't know if I would rattle can that large of an area....although if it is that bad, and $$$ was REAL tight, I just might

 

[88T4RE]

I rattle canned my whole truck. The hood was extremely tough, It really didn't turn out too well, it's just too large of a piece and the color banding was horrible. My biggest error was painting it out in the open and the wind was what really messed things up. I painted the fenders in my garage where it was fairly warm and dry. I did them in a black satin they look as good as if a shop had done them. My advice would be if your not using a clear coat on top of the color it will be fairly easy like my fenders were, if you do use a clear coat make sure it is a proper two stage paint some colors were not meant to be clear coated and it will be more difficult to avoid color banding. You MUST use 400 grit on the area to be painted or it will just flake off. My garage was fairly dusty didn't seem to be too bad as long as you don't move things nearby or walk around it too much. Another thing to keep in mind is by the time your done painting the hood the paint with clear will cost around $80-$100 (4/5 cans of each) basically I would stick to parts no larger than say the quarter panels unless your hood is really ugly like mine was!
good luck!:art:
o ya be sure to use a proper respirator!

 

[88T4RE]

o ya for comparisons sake the shop nearby me wanted $400 to paint the hood but I should note I live in Canada and things are much more expensive around here.

 

[andyk5]

ok forget about the hood, how about the tail gate? My tailgate is off a junkyard and it is black, the rest of my truck is green, so it is even worse than color banding considering it is completely a different color. The tail seems to be 1/3 of the surface area of the hood.

 

[88T4RE]

LOL way to thread jack Andy ya the tailgate would be easy peasy IMO (mine was already fine) just be sure the bodywork is good, 400 grit it, use a self etching primer, use even strokes about 10inches in distance overlap one on top of the other, several light coats are the best, do it in a hot dry wind free area if possible, apply 2nd 3rd etc coat as paint becomes tacky not completely dry anyways just my opinion it worked great for me! o ya keep the can upright dont hold it on an angle and between coats turn the can upside down and spray out any gunk dried up in the nozzle:biggrin2:

 

[88T4RE]

another tip dont start or end the spray directly on what your painting if you know what i mean side to side starting just of the panel and break in between back and forth dont just continually hold it