powdercoat or paint?
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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powdercoat or paint?
Which one is preferred? I am starting to tear the truck down to frame and want to have somewhat of a plan once I get started. I would like to paint/powdercoat the frame, crossmembers, rear axle, and anything else that is down there.
Thanks
Thanks
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2003
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I guess it depends on your budget and where you live. I live in a desert with only mild winters and like rustoleums $10-a-quart price. It has been painted for 4 years now with no rust at all. I washed and wirewheeled the whole thing and brushed on the primer and paint.
That being said, I scored a deal on powdercoating some old rims I had laying around, and they sure look sweet. If I had money, I would powder coat everything.
That being said, I scored a deal on powdercoating some old rims I had laying around, and they sure look sweet. If I had money, I would powder coat everything.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,527
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From: Grande Prairie, Alberta
You can't go wrong using powder on the chassis. I asked this very same question some time ago on another forum and these were some of issues that were brought to my attention.
Scratches and Rock chips are more difficult to repair as it would require recoating the entire pannel.
Color matching is more difficult when doing repairs.
The color options are somewhat limited depending on you local powder coaters ability to get other colors.
On the plus side, it makes for a nice durable finish.
Scratches and Rock chips are more difficult to repair as it would require recoating the entire pannel.
Color matching is more difficult when doing repairs.
The color options are somewhat limited depending on you local powder coaters ability to get other colors.
On the plus side, it makes for a nice durable finish.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: in country near Boone, IA
I have a '96 F150 with factory powder coated front suspension parts (coil springs, radius arms and brackets, coil spring towers, etc). The powder coating stuff is just peeling off in sheets. The bad thing about that is there is considerable amount of rust beneath the powder coat. Powder coat makes for a durable finish but is junk when it comes to rust protection. Once water gets under this stuff, rust starts and it will start popping the powder coating off (in sheets). DO NOT POWDER COAT ANYTHING!!!!!!! Use a good primer and a good enamel paint and it will stand up to rust better then powder coat. I have repainted 2 reciever hitches that were powder coated when new and my paint is holding up better than the powder coat. On my 78 f250 Crewcab, I sandblasted the frame, axles and suspension parts and then shot everything with Rust bullet and then top coated with Napa's chassis black.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 530
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From: in country near Boone, IA
teds74ford...uuummmm i know it is powdercoat. I have owned this truck since it had 5 miles on it. bought it new. This is definitely powdercoat and it sure sucks for rust prevention. It just peels off in sheets. I would never powder coat anything if I wanted something to have a good paint job for a long time and resist rust. One funny thing about my truck. I had to install radius arm bushings so had both the radius arm brackets off the truck. One bracket which i know was powder coated had all the coating peeling off along with big chunks of rust. The other bracket was painted with some type of paint (enamel, etc.) and the paint looked like it was new yet. Stuck tight to the bracket.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Like,,,,,The very nature of a good powder coat job will never result in the powder coating comming off in sheets. The application, bonding and structure of powder coat is a result to powder applied under high pressure bonded with high heat relulting in a molecular bond between each particle of powder and the base metal. If indeed it is powder coat, it was never applied correctly.
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Elder User
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From: in country near Boone, IA
kusto, are you familiar with how things are powdercoated? Just curious. I have seen it done. A few years ago I installed receiver hitches on my vehicles and the box they came in said "powdercoated" finish. That stuff peeled off after 2-3 years of Iowa winters of road salt, etc. Powder coat makes for bad rust prevention. I sandblasted both hitches, primered and sprayed them with autobody undercoating and that has lasted (and looks better than the powdercoat) after 6 years of the same climate.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Originally Posted by johaner78
kusto, are you familiar with how things are powdercoated? Just curious. I have seen it done. A few years ago I installed receiver hitches on my vehicles and the box they came in said "powdercoated" finish. That stuff peeled off after 2-3 years of Iowa winters of road salt, etc. Powder coat makes for bad rust prevention. I sandblasted both hitches, primered and sprayed them with autobody undercoating and that has lasted (and looks better than the powdercoat) after 6 years of the same climate.
The process is amazingly simple in concept and operation. Dry powder is pneumatically fed from a supply reservoir to a spray gun where a low amperage, high voltage charge is imparted to the powder particles. The powder used in the powder coating process is comprised of resins and pigments and in its dry, formulated state is then sprayed onto a part to be finished. The parts to be coated are electrically grounded so that the charged particles projected at them are firmly attracted to the part’s surface and held there until melted and fused into a smooth coating in the baking oven.
So don't confuse a cheepo powder coat on a regular consumer item from the local discount parts store with a quality powder coat finish....
New User
Joined: Jul 2005
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Running boards (powder over painting)
I am thinking of powder coating the running boards for my '52 F1 (for the durability), and because they're still a little rough after all this massaging. So. in yall's opinion, this is still a good idea?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Originally Posted by Dan McGrew
I am thinking of powder coating the running boards for my '52 F1 (for the durability), and because they're still a little rough after all this massaging. So. in yall's opinion, this is still a good idea?
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2006
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I too have seem many powder coat jobs seperate and hold water underneath like a plastic bag. The rear spring shackels on me '90 F-150 were rusted thru because of this. It would have been better if they had no coating at all. We are talking about production line powder coat jobs here, not some guy trying to save a buck by doing it on a barbque grill. What makes a good powder coat job and a poor job? How can you tell if your getting a good job or not? I would rather let my frame rust with nothing on it than to have a bad powder coat job destroy in a few years.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: in country near Boone, IA
Very well said Danny D and I couldn't agree more. Seems like once a small crack, chip or whatever starts on the powdercoated finish, the water gets held between the powdercoat finish and the metal and the metal just keeps rusting away. The spring shackles on my 96 F150 are pitted badly because of the powdercoated finish. Powder coat may be the way to go if you live in the desert where it is dry and you do not plan to drive your vehicles so it your powdercoated parts don't get pitted by road rocks, etc. Otherwise, in harsh climates or where it is wet, you just can't beat the primer / paint method (only if this is done correctly too).
Don't know if there is a difference between a good quality powder coat and a cheap one. The process is so simple that I don't think you can mess it up. I agree that the powder particles melt together when heated to create the finish, but the problem is that those melted particles (which ultimately forms a "sheet" of powdercoating) does not adhere to the base metal.
I will never be sold on powder coat.
Don't know if there is a difference between a good quality powder coat and a cheap one. The process is so simple that I don't think you can mess it up. I agree that the powder particles melt together when heated to create the finish, but the problem is that those melted particles (which ultimately forms a "sheet" of powdercoating) does not adhere to the base metal.
I will never be sold on powder coat.