I bought an aftermarket core support for my 94 F150 and I am looking for opinions on the best way to prep it before install. I am leaning toward having a local shop blast it and powder coat it gloss white, but I am also looking at painting it with POR15 or something similar, What say you all?

 

Powder coat would be nice, but if it were me I would scuff the e-coat with 400 grit and paint to match your truck.

 

My truck is plain white. I am going to see how close the powder coat color is and how much they are going to charge. There seems to be a lot of places where it will be hard to get paint or rust preventative in to.

 

 

I would NOT powder coat. I would thoroughly sand with a red scotch bite pad, pay extra attention to where the panels overlap. Then I would paint it with Master Series primer (again pay extra attention to the overlaps) then paint with automotive paint.

 

Any particular reason? Will it rust easier being powder coated, or is it a fitment issue?

 

Painting or coating it first then installing. It will be going on with new fenders in the spring.

 

I'm with Brad. Use a red/maroon Scotch brite pad (which is around 400 grit), especially in all the tight spots. Get the paint code found on the door pillar. Yours is probably Oxford White, paint code YZ. Your local autobody paint store can mix it up for you and will be a perfect match.

 

Will prepping and painting it make it more rust resistant than powder coat or por-15? I live in the northeast and rust prevention is my number one priority as I really don't want to have to replace it again soon. Diesel_Brad, is this the stuff? https://shop.masterseriesct.com/

 

1. it is overpriced
2. it will not get in the nooks and crannies paint will

 

Plus 1 on the nooks and crannies. Powdercoat is an electrostatic process, which just doesn't like to get into the seams.

And holy gilt shrubbery, the core support is a TERRIBLE design for trapping water and rusting.
I just did mine- scuffed the e-coat, brush painted with metallic Hammerite (it's almost a perfect color match for metallic red)
and then loaded the seams with 3m body cavity wax. I'd use RusFre, but I'm out, and the local body supply shop only had 3m.
Which used to be more like RusFre.

I then hit all the fasteners and joints with wax after it was assembled.

Talking of which, test assemble it before paint, and make sure it'll fit. It's a total bummer
to get it all pretty, then have to cut the panel to get the gaps right. Aftermarket panels are
sometimes good, sometimes terrible. You can make pinpunch alignment marks
when it's together, then reassembly after paint is a lot quicker.

hth

t

 

Thanks everyone. I was under the impression the powder would get in to all those places. I will pick up the supplies to sand and paint it. And I agree TobyB, whoever designed this thing must get a cut of the royalties from every replacement that is sold. Its a garbage design.

 

I've not done one yet, but what about adding drain holes before painting? I understand about the overlapping panels.

 

It's not water that's rusting them out guys,it's road salt packed slush and snow that sprays on it while driving.No design can combat that.Probably the absolute best thing we could coat replacements with,would be a marine paint designed to withstand heavy amounts of sea salt.
I painted my replacement with valspar tractor enamel.It's pretty much parked during the winter months now.

That said,they last 15-20 years without a coat of paint in the north and forever down south so how many of us are really going to replace one twice? Small number lol and if your truck goes another 15 yrs in that salt,she's probably going to be a lot more thin where she counts long before the second core support needs changing.

It's getting to the point now where these rigs are coming in near 30 yrs young.It's time those with good solid ones still,think about parking them in the winter months anyway if your looking to keep one good.No one with a classic ride claims they kept it in such pristine condition by keeping the underbody well painted for winter roads.They are put away for winter,that's how they last and stay good.That calcium chloride will eat everything and anything you put on metal and when it's done with that, it will eat the metal too.

Little 4 cyl front wheel drive bombers are disposable and go like wicked in the snow.Classic trucks,not so cheap.I took one across the northern states a couple winters ago.When the engine blew in route,I replaced it with another and kept going.Didn't get another complete beater this time but something that will ware out long before it rusts out still.

 

No need. The only boxed portion is the top bar and it has holes in the bottom and it doesn't rust out