4x4 labs rear bumper rust (1 Viewer)

[anel]

Does anybody else have rust issue with labs 4x4 powder coating products?I bought powder coated bumper last year thru group buy and my bumper looks bad . I emailed them couple times but didn’t get respond.

 

[fjbj40]

That looks pretty bad for 1 year old powder coat!

 

[PDoyle]

Looks like paint to me.

 

[bencallaway]

Where do you live?

 

[richardlillard1]

I just didn’t paint mine.

It makes for a nice self-healing finish.

 

[anel]

Where do you live?

Michigan

 

[PDoyle]

And we can see why.

 

[richardlillard1]

And we can see why.

Because I’m handicapped? Rude.

 

[PDoyle]

I meant the rocks would take the paint off.

 

[BILT4ME]

I just didn’t paint mine.

It makes for a nice self-healing finish.
View attachment 1936676

Bumpers don't prevent door damage..........

 

[richardlillard1]

Bumpers don't prevent door damage..........

Neither do sliders, in some instances.

 

[thegadgetguy]

I’m not exactly a powder coating expert, but that looks pretty bad for one year, even in the north

 

[MoJ]

Incorrect prep before powder coating?

 

[cruisermatt]

@dogfishlake has a nice powder coating shop in Michigan and can probably offer advice.

 

[anel]

@dogfishlake has a nice powder coating shop in Michigan and can probably offer advice.

Where in Michigan? I leave in Detroit area.
Thanks

 

[dogfishlake]

I'm 45 minutes NE of Grand Rapids.

I see a couple of problems there. In milder climates and non salt states, the powder coat job would probably hold up ok but not here. The biggest thing is the bumper was not blasted to remove the scale. I am assuming the bumpers are made from hot rolled steel and it will have a wicked scale layer on it. Unless it is blasted off it will fail and take the powder with it. You can see it sheeting off in the first picture.

The second problem, also solved by blasting is failure on the edges from carbon slag left from the laser cutting.

It also looks like (this is more of a guess) there was not an iron phosphate pretreatment wash used. That will slow the rusting process way down.

We redo bumpers and such that are made outside Michigan all the time. I just loaded up my burn off oven today with Jeep armor. Burn, blast, phosphate wash, zinc epoxy powder primer, satin black topcoat=ready for Michigan

 

[dogfishlake]

@anel, if you are looking to get it refinished, you can make the road trip but otherwise I am happy to make sure you find a place close to you that will fix it properly.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I'm 45 minutes NE of Grand Rapids.

I see a couple of problems there. In milder climates and non salt states, the powder coat job would probably hold up ok but not here. The biggest thing is the bumper was not blasted to remove the scale. I am assuming the bumpers are made from hot rolled steel and it will have a wicked scale layer on it. Unless it is blasted off it will fail and take the powder with it. You can see it sheeting off in the first picture.

The second problem, also solved by blasting is failure on the edges from carbon slag left from the laser cutting.

It also looks like (this is more of a guess) there was not an iron phosphate pretreatment wash used. That will slow the rusting process way down.

We redo bumpers and such that are made outside Michigan all the time. I just loaded up my burn off oven today with Jeep armor. Burn, blast, phosphate wash, zinc epoxy powder primer, satin black topcoat=ready for Michigan
View attachment 1936867

Biggest problem I have here in CA is making sure the coaters blast and primer. I use P&O material and the shops here think they can just apply and go. But, I've seen them do the same on HR/ mill scale materials. They think since it's CA it never leaves and it works ok for here.

 

[dogfishlake]

Biggest problem I have here in CA is making sure the coaters blast and primer. I use P&O material and the shops here think they can just apply and go. But, I've seen them do the same on HR/ mill scale materials. They think since it's CA it never leaves and it works ok for here.

P&O is a huge step in the right direction. Another reason your stuff is so nice. Does that help a lot with clean welds too? Seems like it.

 

[anel]

I'm 45 minutes NE of Grand Rapids.

I see a couple of problems there. In milder climates and non salt states, the powder coat job would probably hold up ok but not here. The biggest thing is the bumper was not blasted to remove the scale. I am assuming the bumpers are made from hot rolled steel and it will have a wicked scale layer on it. Unless it is blasted off it will fail and take the powder with it. You can see it sheeting off in the first picture.

The second problem, also solved by blasting is failure on the edges from carbon slag left from the laser cutting.

It also looks like (this is more of a guess) there was not an iron phosphate pretreatment wash used. That will slow the rusting process way down.

We redo bumpers and such that are made outside Michigan all the time. I just loaded up my burn off oven today with Jeep armor. Burn, blast, phosphate wash, zinc epoxy powder primer, satin black topcoat=ready for Michigan
View attachment 1936867

Thanks for your quick and informative replay. I will try to get some quotes around here before decide my next step. My front arb bumper is still holding up nicely after six years.