Using POR paint - tips?

[IdahoDoug]

I'm sick of the paint I have put on the trailer hitches looking like crap again after only a year. So am going to try POR. Any tips on using it? I was going to wire brush the hitches, fire some brake fluid (edit - brake cleaner) on them to degrease, and brush on the POR with brushes I can throw away afterwards.

Any other thoughts? Primer?

Doug

 

[Hondo]

There was a recent discussion in the hundred series section on repainting sliders... the story there was that POR tends not to maintain its finish well - perhaps a lack of uv protection. There was a mention of using appliance paint/epoxy for a long-term finish.

 

[Cuerno Largo]

Don't get it on your hootus.....

 

[snobdds]

Use a good epoxy primer and a single stage top coat. Never worry about rust again...

 

[PabloCruise]

Brake fluid to de-grease?

Do you mean brake clean?

 

[nspctr1]

Prep, Prep, Prep, I painted the floor, fuel tank and fuel tank storage area with POR. I wire brushed the area, used the chemical prep and wire brushed some more, I bought a new fuel tank and wiped over it with the chemical prep but didn't take alot of time doing anything else. The paint on the floor area etc has held up pretty well but the tank is flaking off like a 50 yr old man with dandruff.

GL

 

[IdahoDoug]

%$$^& Really! This stuff needs anti UV topcoat? Dammit - that's why I'm repainting the hitches yet again because they fade to a crappy look. I thought this stuff was the shiznit.

I'll be looking for that slider thread then - looks like POR is not the "brush it on and it will take abuse for years" solution I thought it was. Not interested in the $$ for powdercoat X two for both trucks, plus the other outdoor stuff I was going to use the POR for. Sonofa....would somebody PLEASE sell a durable outdoor paint? Jeez - we repaint the mailbox every two years also.

DougM

 

[scottryana]

POR15 makes a top coat that is UV stable

 

[Splangy]

Use a good epoxy primer and a single stage top coat. Never worry about rust again...

X2. POR is for painting over rust and is inferior to a good 2k epoxy in a clean steel surface.

Also, why not just use wax and grease remover to degrease?

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Cover por quickly, it doesnt like the sun. Mike

 

[snobdds]

I don't know why people insist on using Por-15 when there are better products out there. I have never seen rust come back on anything that had epoxy primer applied to bare metal. Plus, with a topcoat the stuff never fades and holds up for years.

I am always skeptical of products that only work with their prep agents and top coats. If a product is really good, it will stand up on its own merits and results.

 

[sggoat]

I have used POR 15 on a lot of my resto areas, and followed the regimen. No problems yet after 3 years. But---I have not used the epoxy primer and such you talk about--always open to new and better stuff--What is the brand of the primer you reference? I'm assuming it has all the coating instructions on the label, but if there are better ways you have found????
Thanks,
Gary

 

[snobdds]

I use the PPG epoxy primer and hardner.

If I am just painting a trailer frame like the OP, I would just sand down the metal to a raw state with a DA and wipe it down real well. Then just follow the directions of epoxy mix (4:1) and spray it down two times. On the last and final primer coat, reduce the primer by 10% and spray a sealer coat. Then let the primer flash for an hour and put down an industrial coating like John Deere Black. The entire painting process only takes about 3 hours. Easy.

If your going for a more high end paint job...the same principles apply

Sand down to bare metal
Put 3 non reduced coats of epoxy primer on
Put on K36 (high Build primer) and block sand until smooth
Put 2 thinned (sealer) coats of epoxy primer on the blocked high build primer
Spray a base coat
Spray a clear coat.

Epoxy primer is the way to go these days. I just repainted my 88, once my new fiberglass bed came in. The only thing that will stick to fiberglass long term is epoxy primer.

 

[PabloCruise]

Just checking in, if it is not practical/feasible/possible to get down to bare, clean metal, epoxy primer is not an option and then you go with something like POR-15 or similar, correct?

 

[snobdds]

Not necessarily. Going down to bare metal is optimal to remove all the rust only. However; if your rust free, than just scuff it up real good and spray the primer. Your old finish acts as a sealer at that point. So either way it will work.

Besides, it's much easier to spray on the product than brushing on POR-15...spraying gives better coverage.

 

[PabloCruise]

I think I get where you are coming from.
I am thinking about the frame on my 40. Plenty of surface rust, and I have no intention of tearing it all down for a trip to the blaster... So if I read you correctly, that would not be appropriate for the EP.

 

[snobdds]

If it's already pretty rusty and you don't want to spend the time sanding it down, then yes...POR-15 is a better product, if you follow and use all their preps and top coats.

 

[Splangy]

I use the PPG epoxy primer and hardner.

If I am just painting a trailer frame like the OP, I would just sand down the metal to a raw state with a DA and wipe it down real well. Then just follow the directions of epoxy mix (4:1) and spray it down two times. On the last and final primer coat, reduce the primer by 10% and spray a sealer coat. Then let the primer flash for an hour and put down an industrial coating like John Deere Black. The entire painting process only takes about 3 hours. Easy.

If your going for a more high end paint job...the same principles apply

Sand down to bare metal
Put 3 non reduced coats of epoxy primer on
Put on K36 (high Build primer) and block sand until smooth
Put 2 thinned (sealer) coats of epoxy primer on the blocked high build primer
Spray a base coat
Spray a clear coat.

Epoxy primer is the way to go these days. I just repainted my 88, once my new fiberglass bed came in. The only thing that will stick to fiberglass long term is epoxy primer.

I also use PPG products. But why waste any by applying a sealer on a chassis? What's the point of applying the sealer if nothing has been done to the two coats of epoxy already layed down?

 

[snobdds]

I like to reduce the last coat of primer just so it flashes faster for topcoating. Plus it goes on thinner, which makes it less likley to orange peel or fish eye. Just one of those things I've picked up along the way that makes topcoating that much eaiser.

 

[Splangy]

I like to reduce the last coat of primer just so it flashes faster for topcoating. Plus it goes on thinner, which makes it less likley to orange peel or fish eye. Just one of those things I've picked up along the way that makes topcoating that much eaiser.

I do the same on body panels, but no way on chassis/frame parts. A little orange peel won't bother me on a frame.