Painting axle/suspension/steering/brake components? Show me your undercarriage! (1 Viewer)

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Jun 7, 2005
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Location
Portland, OR
In the next two months I'll be taking my 80 down for the rebuild of both axles, all steering and suspension bushings, new shocks and springs, and a new PowerStop brake kit. Some of you guy have beautiful undercarriages, and I'd like to give mine some attention as well while I have everything apart. I'd like to find something that's tough and chemical resistant (still working on some leaks), but that I'd be able to touch up if/when it gets banged up. I'm fortunate that I have another vehicle to drive during this time.

I'd love to see some pics. What did you guys use for paint? Has it held up? What would you do differently next time?
 
IMOP, for a daily driver or used rig, I use Tremclad rust paint. It's available in brush-on and spray cans. It's tough, really slows down rust and it easily touched up if needed. And it's reasonably priced and it will flow out nicely as long as you use it in warm temps.
 
Rustoleum semi gloss oil based paint. Thinned and sprayed out of touch up gun. I stripped the paint off and used rustoleum red rust primer.

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I used to use rattle cans and found that spraying it or rolling the oil based paint was easier and came out better. Not as susceptible to places where to missed degreasing. It’s also way cheaper even with a spray gun. I used mineral spirits or use can use acetone in colder areas. The acetone makes it flash faster.
 
Be warned, if you don’t t use POR15 correctly it will come off in sheets, like pulling wall paper.

It needs some rust to adhere right, it hates any water and you use water in the process. It likes high humidity for applying and curing.

IN my opinion it is worth the $200 to get it all sand blasted first. It will flash rust during the POR15 process which is what you want.

I let it cure for one to two weeks and the scuff it all back with a red scotch bright. I then top coat with Five Star flat black in a rattle can.

I got one customer who has tracks on his 40 and drags the chassis through deep snow. Two years on it looks exactly like when I applied it.

Cheers
 
Unless u r removing the axle, severely degreasing and degreasing again then don’t bother with the POR! As stated unless meticulously cleaned and then treated it will fail!
 
John Deere Blitz Black epoxy Primer and Top Coat.
 
I used Rust-Oleum gloss black and a Harbor Freight air sprayer for my undercarriage refresh. As with any paint project, surface prep is critical. Mine is a no-rust Arizona rig, so that was a huge advantage. I spent quality time with a pressure washer (careful around electrical connectors) and then took it to a detailer with a steam cleaner and a lift rack. It has held up very well and I can touch up with a rattle can.
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I primed the frame, 2 coats of chasis saver, then lizzard skin topcoat. The topcoat kinda gave an abbrasive finish. Seems like its going to hold up well.

The axles I just used rattle can for the fact they are going to hit rocks and it will be easy to touch up.

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I have had amazing luck with Ace Hardware Rust Stop/implement paint. Buy the quart and either brush or spray on
 
I like the finish of kbs coating’s “rust seal”, I don’t think there is a tougher finish out there (I’d like to know) and use their prep system which is basically a degreaser and a converter prior. That being said, it’s totally noxious, has some gloss inconsistencies between quarts/pints, and there is no aerosol option.
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Sandblast the rust off and use heavy highway bridge paint like carbomastic 90 , its a heavy epoxy paint, sticks to everything. Then a simple urethane top coat. All the protection is in the primer or base coat, not so much on the top coat. FYI

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