how do I paint my aqualu tub?

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Skullshifter

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
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5
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Okay , from what i have researched the best i've come up with is:

1.)sand surface
2.)clean/degrease
3.) POr Metal ready etches and leaves coat of zinc
4.) apply epoxy primer and paint

is that accurate?

or can I just prep it and slap a coat of POR-15 on?

help needed !! thanks
 
Your research gave you a pretty good answer.

POR 15 is nice, but doesn't seem like it would be a good automotive primer and definitely not a top coat. It is a PIA to sand, and since you'll need to top coat it, another primer will be required for the POR15, tie coat primer, then you could top coat.

Or just clear coat it and go with the bare aluminum look :D
 
I had crummy results with POR15 on aluminum. I painted the bottom of the Aqualu tub on my Cruiser. I prepped with a scuffy pad(scotch brite pad) Marine Clean followed with an alchohol based cleaner(don't remember the namebrand), then Metal Ready followed by POR15, the POR15 is now peeling off in sheets. I can not figure what I missed that would cause the POR15 not to bond the the aluminum; I've successfully used POR15 on media blasted steel parts but the stuff sucked on aluminum. I would go with a self etching primer followed by an epoxy primer then top coat and clear coat.
 
Skullshifter said:
thanks guys, I'm also thinking about just rockguarding the bottom and the inside of the tub. Has anyone rhino'ed an aluminum tub before?
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Rhino lining is not that good, there are better bed liners out there. A lot of people have had good results using the 3M spray on rubberized undercoating. That would be easier and much cheaper.

Gus said:
I had crummy results with POR15 on aluminum. I painted the bottom of the Aqualu tub on my Cruiser. I prepped with a scuffy pad(scotch brite pad) Marine Clean followed with an alchohol based cleaner(don't remember the namebrand), then Metal Ready followed by POR15, the POR15 is now peeling off in sheets. I can not figure what I missed that would cause the POR15 not to bond the the aluminum; I've successfully used POR15 on media blasted steel parts but the stuff sucked on aluminum. I would go with a self etching primer followed by an epoxy primer then top coat and clear coat.
Click to expand...

POR15 says not to use any other solvents or cleaners on the metal when prepping for POR15. It also says that just one drop of sweat or any other moisture will ruin a whole batch of POR15. These might have caused your troubles. All the POR15 I've used on metal has worked fine, never had any experience with aluminum though.
 
Skullshifter said:
thanks guys, I'm also thinking about just rockguarding the bottom and the inside of the tub. Has anyone rhino'ed an aluminum tub before?
Click to expand...

MountainCruiser on this board used "Gator Guard" on his AL tub.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=1632993&postcount=164

I don't have an aluminum tub, but I plan on using the SEM tintable bedliner and spraying it with a shutz gun. This seems to be a really tough product and not much more than the other bedliner options. I also think it gives it a nicer look.

If you look up Buckroseau's builds, he used SEM sauce on his FJ45lpb, FJ45lv, and FJ40.

Here is an underneath shot of his '40
http://www.crustycruisers.com/ps164.jpg
 
Last edited:
I've painted lots of aluminum.

You need to have it bare and clean. Then get from your paint shop some conversion coating chemicals.

Dupont makes the stuff. first you clean the surface with "alumiprep 33" to acid etch the aluminum. You scrub it with maroon scotchbrite while you do this and rinse it off. The water should sheet off not bead.

Once the aluminum is spotless clean you then use a product called "alodine" dupont 226s I think. It causes a thing called conversion coating. Which make the aluminum think it is surface oxidized. So it will not continue to want to corrode(strange I know)...

This alodine is also makes the paint stick. But you want to ensure you do not use too much, you basically wet the surface with it for up to 3 mins and then rinse it off. So you get a golden appearance to the aluminum.

The first paint you use is an epoxy primer. NO etching primer allowed. Top coat with what ever you want after.

The aluminum should not be sanded. It should just be scotchbrite cleaned with the alumiprep.

Do not not use POR 15. It will peel off, and there is no reason to use that product on aluminum.
 
Gus said:
I had crummy results with POR15 on aluminum. I painted the bottom of the Aqualu tub on my Cruiser. I prepped with a scuffy pad(scotch brite pad) Marine Clean followed with an alchohol based cleaner(don't remember the namebrand), then Metal Ready followed by POR15, the POR15 is now peeling off in sheets. I can not figure what I missed that would cause the POR15 not to bond the the aluminum; I've successfully used POR15 on media blasted steel parts but the stuff sucked on aluminum. I would go with a self etching primer followed by an epoxy primer then top coat and clear coat.
Click to expand...


maybe all you needed was a good ol rusted steel panel... hmm i'd stick with the alumanum ;)
 
vinal wash primer sticks to anything. You can also look into XIM bonding primer. Both stick to anything. In fact XIM sticks to smooth glass.
 
MJM said:
I went with a roll on bedliner on the bottom, if you don't every little stone from the tires will sound like a canoe in shallow water.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

This is why and what I eventually will do to the bottom of the tub of my 40. I had the interrior of my 40 lined, it's held up very well
 
Not sure why you'd apply POR-15 to aluminum... But, POR-15 is VERY finicky and if you don't follow their directions exactly, then you can expect the paint to peel. The POR likes a rough surface, so just scotch-brite pads probably wasn't enough...

Just finished sanding every square inch of my new Aqualu tub+cowl. Here is the plan:
- epoxy (self-etch) prime the entire tub & cowl
- undercoat the bottom with SEM Pro-Tex bedliner (noise reduction & rock protection)
- prime exterior panels (using a heavier "fill" primer)
- topcoat exterior panels with single-stage paint
- Rhinoliner applied to entire interior (noise / heat reduction & surface grip)

We basically used the DA sander set on an elliptical pattern. For the interior of the tub 120 grit was used...and 80 grit on the bottom.
 
Just like Brownbear said...alumiprep and alodine and the paint will stick...that is how they get paint to stick on aircraft and we all know that cruisers are not that fast!!!
I have painted quite a few aircraft and tried products that claimed etching was not required with their product...BS...if you dont clean.prep,convert aluminum paint ain't gonna stick!

HTH'S, Daryl
 
brownbear said:
I've painted lots of aluminum.

You need to have it bare and clean. Then get from your paint shop some conversion coating chemicals.

Dupont makes the stuff. first you clean the surface with "alumiprep 33" to acid etch the aluminum. You scrub it with maroon scotchbrite while you do this and rinse it off. The water should sheet off not bead.

Once the aluminum is spotless clean you then use a product called "alodine" dupont 226s I think. It causes a thing called conversion coating. Which make the aluminum think it is surface oxidized. So it will not continue to want to corrode(strange I know)...

This alodine is also makes the paint stick. But you want to ensure you do not use too much, you basically wet the surface with it for up to 3 mins and then rinse it off. So you get a golden appearance to the aluminum.

The first paint you use is an epoxy primer. NO etching primer allowed. Top coat with what ever you want after.

The aluminum should not be sanded. It should just be scotchbrite cleaned with the alumiprep.

Do not not use POR 15. It will peel off, and there is no reason to use that product on aluminum.
Click to expand...

This is absolutely the approach to use. it's super easy. you can get Alumiprep 33 and Alodine 1201 mail-order at Aircraft Spruce. It's cheap too. Just follow the directions that come with the products. Aircraft Spruce sends you directions with the order. Then just use regular epoxy primer then topcoat with anything you want.
 
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