Frame Paint
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Frame Paint
I'm stripping down a 1979 3/4 ton frame and going to paint it. I'm just going to wire wheel it instead of sandblasting it ( for money and mess reasons) and I'm trying to figure what type of paint to use. I'm looking for a functional paint job to prevent rust and affordable (doesn't need to be showroom quality). Ideas and recommendations? Thanks.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 515
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When I was doing my frame, I wire wheeled it too. Then I used rustoleum rusty metal primer in my cheapo HVLP gun and hit the frame with a few coats, and then did a few coats of rustoleum flat black on top of that. I live in Illinois and it has not been a good winter, lots of snow and tons of salt on the roads and I daily drive my Ford. The frame still looks good, I just washed it today and it's holding up great.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 10
When I was doing my frame, I wire wheeled it too. Then I used rustoleum rusty metal primer in my cheapo HVLP gun and hit the frame with a few coats, and then did a few coats of rustoleum flat black on top of that. I live in Illinois and it has not been a good winter, lots of snow and tons of salt on the roads and I daily drive my Ford. The frame still looks good, I just washed it today and it's holding up great.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 575
Likes: 6
From: Knoxville, TN
I used Tractor Supply "Majic" Truck, Tractor and Implement paint. Everything came down to the bare metal, rustoleum primmer, 3 coats and then 2 coats of the black paint. No clear is needed unless desired. I'll see how it holds up over the next few years. Did the bottom of the cab and I plan to do the bottom of the bed as well. Looks great right now but I know dirt, rocks and salt over the next few years will chew it up a bit....it won't look good forever....
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Washington
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: Langley, BC
Many people will tell you to go with Rust Bullet, POR-15, Chassis Saver, and other rust encapsulators like such. Their design is to be painted over surface rust to cover it and seal out moisture and oxygen to stop the rust from getting any worse, much like a self-etching primer. If you're leaving surface rust, this is the way to go.
If you're going down to bare metal, don't use the rust paints. Sometimes they don't adhere properly due to the lack of rust and quite frankly you'd be wasting your money because of how expensive they are.
Bare metal? Epoxy primer and Rustoleum (or Tremclad if you're Canadian like me). Do it properly and it will last years and it will not break the bank very much at all.
I would suggest you use a proper paint gun hooked up to a compressor to do this, but whatever you do, don't forget to completely degrease the surface before applying any form of paint.
A paint job is only as good as the prep work behind it.
If you're going down to bare metal, don't use the rust paints. Sometimes they don't adhere properly due to the lack of rust and quite frankly you'd be wasting your money because of how expensive they are.
Bare metal? Epoxy primer and Rustoleum (or Tremclad if you're Canadian like me). Do it properly and it will last years and it will not break the bank very much at all.
I would suggest you use a proper paint gun hooked up to a compressor to do this, but whatever you do, don't forget to completely degrease the surface before applying any form of paint.
A paint job is only as good as the prep work behind it.
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Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,806
Likes: 8
From: Langley, BC
Are you planning to use a rust encapsulator or just a normal paint? Either will work but if you use paint I suggest a self-etching primer.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 575
Likes: 6
From: Knoxville, TN
Yes sir...prep is very important as well as the products and tools. I figured with everything welded and seam sealed on the bottom of the cab, I'd better protect all that hard work the right way the first time.
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 408
Likes: 2
From: South Carolina
I wire wheeled my frame, too. Then I sprayed a rust converter on any light rust left behind or on any areas I couldn't reach with the wire wheel. After that I used epoxy primer and paint on top. Nothing will seal and bond like epoxy primer but at the same time it won't have the hardness properties of some of the chassis paints mentioned above.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,806
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From: Langley, BC
Psst... you're supposed to paint over the primer.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
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From: Kasson, Minnesota
Chassis Saver is a good paint, but really only holds up to sandblasted or rusty metal. I have used the crap out of it and believe it or not, it does hold up well on rusted metal. As long as the flake and scale rust is brushed off and have a solid rust to adhere to, it works great. I have painted over rust and then had to sandblast it off and the paint was kind of a pain to blast off. I have used it on bare metal ground down without blasting and it does not hold up well.