helocat
New member
Tips for those painting raw sliders.
There are many different ways to paint a raw steel part. This is how I personally do it. The #1 key is in the prep. Take the time at first to prep them out and your paint will look 10x better and last longer.
1. Use basic laundry soap to wash the sliders down, not facny fabric softerner etc. talking basic stuff in a box. (Dollar store cheep stuff!) Use a sotch-brite pad (Red or green, I use RED) as your washing tool. You are scrubbing the steel hard to remove all oils and scruff up the surface to get ready for the paint. NOTE: WARE GLOVES, the reason you use laundry soap its about the most lye based soap you can buy. Lye will eat your skin. :flame:
2. Thoroughly rinse the sliders with lots of water. Hot water is best to use if you can. Hook a hose up to your hot water tank. Or do like I did in college and disconnect the apt. washing machine and run the hose outside. If you can use hot water, get the steel HOT.
3. From here on handle ONLY with fresh powder free exam gloves.
4. Dry with clean towels the best you can. Set out in the sun or put inside if you are in a high humidity area. Bottom line, get them dry quickly.
5. Once dry go right to paint, do not let them sit for a few days.
Paint:
1. Light coats for everything!
2. Use good quality raw metal primer, spraying 2-3 real light coats. Talking dusting here almost.
3. Use the same brand as your primer, top paint for the color you want. Again spray light coats. Read the directions and don’t rush if it needs to dry 100% between each do it.
4. Let them dry 100% before install
For Touch up on the truck, clean and ruff up the area a bit, then use a chunk of cardboard to protect the body from over spray and lightly spray 2-3 coats.
NOTE: Truck Bed Liners are popular to use as well. Keep in mind it will peal away as soon as the slider touches rock/wood etc. Its best to have a real good base paint or metal primer on the raw steel. The best looking truck bed liner sliders I have seen are were the lower half was paint and the top foot area was truck bed liner.
Remember Truck Bed liner will take a bush to clean it to look good after wheeling! It holds dirt.
There are many different ways to paint a raw steel part. This is how I personally do it. The #1 key is in the prep. Take the time at first to prep them out and your paint will look 10x better and last longer.
1. Use basic laundry soap to wash the sliders down, not facny fabric softerner etc. talking basic stuff in a box. (Dollar store cheep stuff!) Use a sotch-brite pad (Red or green, I use RED) as your washing tool. You are scrubbing the steel hard to remove all oils and scruff up the surface to get ready for the paint. NOTE: WARE GLOVES, the reason you use laundry soap its about the most lye based soap you can buy. Lye will eat your skin. :flame:
2. Thoroughly rinse the sliders with lots of water. Hot water is best to use if you can. Hook a hose up to your hot water tank. Or do like I did in college and disconnect the apt. washing machine and run the hose outside. If you can use hot water, get the steel HOT.
3. From here on handle ONLY with fresh powder free exam gloves.
4. Dry with clean towels the best you can. Set out in the sun or put inside if you are in a high humidity area. Bottom line, get them dry quickly.
5. Once dry go right to paint, do not let them sit for a few days.
Paint:
1. Light coats for everything!
2. Use good quality raw metal primer, spraying 2-3 real light coats. Talking dusting here almost.
3. Use the same brand as your primer, top paint for the color you want. Again spray light coats. Read the directions and don’t rush if it needs to dry 100% between each do it.
4. Let them dry 100% before install
For Touch up on the truck, clean and ruff up the area a bit, then use a chunk of cardboard to protect the body from over spray and lightly spray 2-3 coats.
NOTE: Truck Bed Liners are popular to use as well. Keep in mind it will peal away as soon as the slider touches rock/wood etc. Its best to have a real good base paint or metal primer on the raw steel. The best looking truck bed liner sliders I have seen are were the lower half was paint and the top foot area was truck bed liner.
Remember Truck Bed liner will take a bush to clean it to look good after wheeling! It holds dirt.
