I'll be painting the frame of my truck next year. It has surface rust on it so i'll be sandblasting it, and then soda blasting the underside of the bed as well. The cab and front half of the frame will have to wait until later.

I've been told that I shouldn't use POR-15 on any of it if i'm going to be sandblasting it, because POR is meant to encapsulate rusty surfaces and prevent them from getting any worse....not fresh metal.

My father said he has some oil-based farm equipment enamel that "wears like iron" and that would be best to use on the frame and bed. I was thinking more Rhino Liner/ LineX sort of undercoating, should do the job just fine.

Does anyone have any first-hand experiences with any of these products? What kind of paint would last forever, stand up to rocks, sand, and salt without ever rusting ever again? Would undercoating be a bad idea? I want something that will be glossy, and can remain shiny for a very long time (I know undercoating wouldn't have this quality). Eventually I will restore the truck to show quality, but that's a ways down the road, so I want the paint to be very good quality.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

I've used POR-15 on blasted metal with good results. I haven't done a frame, but see no reason it won't work. Their FAQ's here say:

 

Zinc Chromate primer(If you can still find it...shows my age on how long since I picked up a spraygun), a good etching primer, then any number of the equipment epoxy paints would do as you describe.

 

I have used POR-!% on my sandblasted frame with excellent results. You can also paint over the POR-15 if you want to, but not needed. No more rust and this stuff does not chip off. Be sure to wear latex gloves or you will spend a week waiting for it to come off of your hands.

 

The paint didn't come off my hands for far longer than 7 days. It is really, really tenacious.

 

I guess that just means it'll stay on the frame that much longer

 

Oh, and don't put it in a styrofoam or plastic cup. It melts some of them and creates a BIG mess.

 

I have used POR15 with good results. On 2 trucks

I do NOT Paint Over Rust, I dont care who's product it is.

I sandblast, then POR15 asa Primer then Topcoat it with a tractor paint or chassis paint.

POR15 is UV sensitive and while you may think your frame doesn't see daylight it DOES and will get all white and chalky without being topcoated.

I have 2 trucks to do this winter. They are not getting sandblasted though. or POR15. But I have a heated high pressure washer that will be used. Then Ospho will be applied. Once dry I am going with 2 coats Master Series Rust sealer then 2 coats of PPG Gray hills chassis black.

I am trying Master Series on these two trucks because I had some issues with POR15. It sticks very well, especially to rusty or sandblasted metal(lots of bite). The problem is getting the topcoat to stick to the POR. I usually topcoat while the POR15 is still tacky and that seems to work well. But I used the Silver POR15 as a base prime for my rockers and cab coheres on my one truck then topcoat while tacky with the base/clear automotive paint.It curdled, like putting paint stipper on paint. It did NOT mesh with the POR15. SO, I followed POR15s recommendations of using their Tie coat primer. NOPE, the topcoat did the same thing. I ended up using a water born primer in Very light coats, after dry I went over it with Very light coats of the color and then clear. I still had the meshing issue but not as bad and it was in a hidden spot so I let it go

 

We have talked about it before and you sort of dismissed it, but automotive paint is pretty bad stuff chemically. Eating the POR off sort of confirms that.

 

i used it before here in louisiana real humid something, on a frame, small parts, and new metal. I personally not that big of a fan for por15. its really overprice and cost can ad up quick buying it by quarts and having to get the prep/cleaner they have also.
my friend has a 64 impala we used it on, had some new flooring and idk if he did prep the metal good enough but the paint peeled off on a patch panel for the floor before i even installed it. And he redid the frame in less that a year at a body shop and they said when they were stripping it there was rust underneath the paint which i was surprised. i used a spray gun and prep it out right but might of been defective or paint issues idk.
look into pitt-guard by ppg it goes on direct to rust not much prep work wire wheel it or 80 grit it and it ready to apply... also comes in 2 parts a and b, 2 gallons for a hundred bucks, i use it on all my restorations now.

 

A friend here on FTE uses Eastwood with good results. As with any paint, proper prep work is KEY.

 

Hmmm. That didn't have something to do with the POR-15 getting on your hands did it?

 

Yep. I've learned lots of ways not to use POR-15. And, it has held up for me quite well.

 

I painted the front half on my frame and front suspension last summer with por-15. Does not stick to smooth surfaces very well, had problems with it peeling off on the shock/spring mount, and on the engine crossmember, I ended up spray painting the areas that peeled off. As said it sticks to your skin on contact, I had it on my arms, legs, face, etc. took well over a week for it to come off.

Overall I'm happy with por-15, even though it's messy and very expensive .