Chassis paint decision Por 15 or JDBB- help me out (1 Viewer)

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Hello murders,

I'm doing all my front axle work next week and I'd like to paint the front axle and shock mounts. Will eventually be painting the whole frame as I move from front to back. Just need to decide on what paint to use. I won't be sanding too much because in generally it's pretty rust free. Just have some bare metal spots to cover under the springdand surface rust on a few spots.

Searched the 80s tech section and online and they are 2 chassis paints that come up often, POR 15 and John Deere Blitz Black.

I like both. John Deere looks like a good match for the oem paint and has good reputation for durability and Por 15 Top Coat hardens well with humidity and we have plenty of that in Seattle WA. I know a lot builder's like it too.

What would be your choice?

 

[Broski]

John Deere Blitz Black

 

[gummycarbs]

Black epoxy primer with any alkyd black paint over the top, with Valspar (or whatever brand you can find) hardener added. Wear a fresh respirator or you'll die.

Or just black epoxy primer from Southern Polyurethanes. They add a UV inhibitor, so people regularly use it on bodies of "murdered out" cars.

AFAIK there's nothing special about Blitz Black. It's just a low-gloss black alkyd enamel. I just bought a gallon of Majic tractor enamel at TSC because I was tired of driving all the way to the John Deere dealer during their limited hours.

Another option I'd consider is a urethane modified alkyd industrial paint. The kind of stuff they use on all those pipes at refineries and whatnot. Sherwin-Williams has an industrial pro line, for example.

I've read several stories of POR15 failing and peeling, supposedly because it's designed to be applied over rust and it doesn't adhere well to clean steel.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Black epoxy primer with any alkyd black paint over the top, with Valspar (or whatever brand you can find) hardener added. Wear a fresh respirator or you'll die.

Or just black epoxy primer from Southern Polyurethanes. They add a UV inhibitor, so people regularly use it on bodies of "murdered out" cars.

AFAIK there's nothing special about Blitz Black. It's just a low-gloss black alkyd enamel. I just bought a gallon of Majic tractor enamel at TSC because I was tired of driving all the way to the John Deere dealer during their limited hours.

Another option I'd consider is a urethane modified alkyd industrial paint. The kind of stuff they use on all those pipes at refineries and whatnot. Sherwin-Williams has an industrial pro line, for example.

I've read several stories of POR15 failing and peeling, supposedly because it's designed to be applied over rust and it doesn't adhere well to clean steel.

Huh hadn't heard about Por 15 failing on bare metal. Apparently John Deere Blitz Black did fine on bare metal.

Majic tractor enamel at TSC is a good idea... they are only 15 minutes away from me.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

John Deere Blitz Black

Got any pics of a finnished project? Any durability issues? I understand you wheel harder than I do. This is for a mostly overland rig

 

[artech]

There was factory paint?

Mine has been rusted since I bought it...

 

[gummycarbs]

Huh hadn't heard about Por 15 failing on bare metal. Apparently John Deere Blitz Black did fine on bare metal.

I have no direct experience with any of their products except for a high-temperature exhaust paint that was fine but unexceptional.

For the best adhesion, you want to sand with whatever grit the tech sheet indicates, use a real epoxy primer, and then topcoat within the window specified on the tech sheet (usually 24 hours to a few days).

Oh, and I don't think I mentioned it before, but something that auto body guys dislike about any of the alkyd enamels is that they never really harden. It makes sanding for removal or to recoat a headache. Tends to kind of smear and clog your paper. It's probably not much of a concern for a frame, but I thought I'd mention it.

Don't be afraid to wander into your local auto body supply store. I live just up the street from one. Their prices are consistently competitive with online shops and pro products aren't really that much more expensive than off-the-shelf consumer stuff when you take into account adhesion, coverage, and durability.

 

[Malleus]

Primer: Corroless S Rust Inhibiting Primer
Topcoat: Corroless RF16 Glass Reinforced Gloss Black Top Coat
Inside the frame: any corrosion inhabiting cavity wax

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

There was factory paint?

Mine has been rusted since I bought it...

Truck was bought after living is whole life in LA and AL as a company vehicle

 

[Kernal]

The Corroless product looks good (never heard of it before,thanks for the tip).

I've seen too many horror stories about POR-15, seems like there're better products that aren't as finicky with the prep and application but have never used it myself.

I just resprayed my rear axle using Spraymax 2k Epoxy primer and their 2k Hot Rod Satin Black topcoat. Wasn't cheap, around $100 for two cans of black primer and two of topcoat, add another $100 for cleaners, degreasers, acetone, etc,etc. Not sure how long it will hold up, the job was more of a cosmetic thing as there's not much of a rust problem in my area.

The front axle however seems to take more of a beating from small stones etc so I've considered after sanding and priming adding some type of chip/rock guard coating to the "face" of that axle before painting/coating.

FWIW

 

[artech]

How about trying Raptorliner or some other urethane coating on the axles then? I'm thinking it would be better over paint than under it, but that textured finish wouldn't show rock chips and such and touch ups would be pretty painless. Just a thought, as I've never heard of it used that way. I just got finished spraying my bumpers and roof rack with Raptorliner and I'm pretty impressed with how easy it is to apply. We'll see about the durability but from what I read it should be pretty good. I really use my truck year-round and I have some apprehension about scraping a coated bumper along a hard icy snowbank at 20 below, but we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Malleus]

The Corroless product looks good (never heard of it before,thanks for the tip).

I've seen too many horror stories about POR-15, seems like there're better products that aren't as finicky with the prep and application but have never used it myself.

I just resprayed my rear axle using Spraymax 2k Epoxy primer and their 2k Hot Rod Satin Black topcoat. Wasn't cheap, around $100 for two cans of black primer and two of topcoat, add another $100 for cleaners, degreasers, acetone, etc,etc. Not sure how long it will hold up, the job was more of a cosmetic thing as there's not much of a rust problem in my area.

The front axle however seems to take more of a beating from small stones etc so I've considered after sanding and priming adding some type of chip/rock guard coating to the "face" of that axle before painting/coating.

FWIW

The orginal Corroless product was developed for the oil platforms in the North Sea. It's sold all over the UK for automotive finishes today.

 

[Malleus]

How about trying Raptorliner or some other urethane coating on the axles then? I'm thinking it would be better over paint than under it, but that textured finish wouldn't show rock chips and such and touch ups would be pretty painless. Just a thought, as I've never heard of it used that way. I just got finished spraying my bumpers and roof rack with Raptorliner and I'm pretty impressed with how easy it is to apply. We'll see about the durability but from what I read it should be pretty good. I really use my truck year-round and I have some apprehension about scraping a coated bumper along a hard icy snowbank at 20 below, but we'll just have to wait and see.

I have that all over the inside and underbody of my 40. Water got under it and made a huge mess. The center cross support is completely gone. And that was reasonably thick steel. And painted beforehand.

And it's nearly impossible to remove.

IMHO, bedliner should be restricted to pickup beds.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I am not necessarily advocating POR15 but I can attest that if you prep it properly it sticks forever to bare metal. I wire wheeled my '85 4Runner axles down to bare metal, steam cleaned them, used the POR15 metal prep, and then coated with POR15. That was many years ago and it's still fine today. You do need to topcoat POR15 though unless you don't mind it dulling up over time. The sheen on it isn't UV stable. I didn't bother and these axles still look fine to me.

In the future I will likely go with an epoxy primer and some flavor of semi-gloss topcoat. I do like the industrial coating ideas that others have mentioned and will be looking into that as I get into a frame off or two in the next year or so.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

How about trying Raptorliner or some other urethane coating on the axles then? I'm thinking it would be better over paint than under it, but that textured finish wouldn't show rock chips and such and touch ups would be pretty painless. Just a thought, as I've never heard of it used that way. I just got finished spraying my bumpers and roof rack with Raptorliner and I'm pretty impressed with how easy it is to apply. We'll see about the durability but from what I read it should be pretty good. I really use my truck year-round and I have some apprehension about scraping a coated bumper along a hard icy snowbank at 20 below, but we'll just have to wait and see.

I like the out of the box thinking but this truck will have a Toyota diesel swap weekend is all said and done and I want to keep tons original as possible

 

[Broski]

You Know you asked about to specific products and that why I gave the answer that I did

But over the years I have used Appliance epoxy in a rattle can from your favorite hardware store on everything from bumpers, armor, axles and frames. It's super durable easy to use and touch up. All most like powder coating

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

You Know you asked about to specific products and that why I gave the answer that I did

But over the years I have used Appliance epoxy in a rattle can from your favorite hardware store on everything for bumpers, armor, axles and frames. It's super durable easy to use and touch up. All most like powder coating

Sure but who's to say I've mentioned the right specific products After all I don't know what I don't know. But it seems por 15 and JDBB are some of the most common here on mud.

Now I'll definitely use the appliance paint idea on my sliders. Great idea

 

[Broski]

IMHO it’s a good choice for your axle to.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I use rustoleum satin black tractor paint. I've used por15 but it also needs a top coat.. I don't like gloss black on chassis or axles.
Just my opinion.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

I use rustoleum satin black tractor paint. I've used por15 but it also needs a top coat.. I don't like gloss black on chassis or axles.
Just my opinion.

Yeah that's one thing I didn't mention...I like the satin paint better in part because I can see oil leaks easier