Good Armor Paint

[bray]

I know that there is really nothing out there that is going to stop the rocks and trees and such from knocking the paint off our body armor. I recently bought some low-gloss paint that I applied (after self-etching primer). I applied 4-5 coats. When I took them into my yard shed, I bumbed them on the wooden door frame. Well, it took the whole coat of paint off.
Anyway, I had used a bedliner paint(rattle can) on my existing light bar and nerf(step) bars that had taken quiet a bit of abuse. I hit a fallen pine tree at 50 mph courtesy of Hurricane Katrina and the bar only has 1 or two very small chips in the coating. Now this is not exactly like the b/liner material because it leaves a harder finish. It does have texture that is easy to lightly sand and re-coat which is not at all visible. My clumsy-ass banged them on the door frames again after about 10 minutes from the last coat and there was no sign. Oh, and there is only 5 minutes between drying time and I used only 2 cans for the whole application where I've used 3 cans of Hammerite! Oh, something else, this stuff is black! I got mine at Autozone but it may be elswhere. Now, I'm never gonna get my truck repainted so when I go for rattle-canning it, this is probably what I'll do. (It won't add weight like the other stuff either). Try it, you'll like it! http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/brayboy/IM000851.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/brayboy/IM000848.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/brayboy/IM000848.jpg

[0stepside3]

Looks good! I see you'll be whoring your own pictures out :D

[bray]

Looks good! I see you'll be whoring your own pictures out :D

Just every now and then. :flipoff1:
I like it slow. :D

Or maybe I'm just slow :confused:

[hammerdown]

Try it, you'll like it! http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/brayboy/IM000851.jpg


i used this crap on my truck box a year ago...put 4 or 5 coats on it after a good sanding and a priming, the shit chipped off all over the place. and not in big spots, but hundreds of little 1/8" size chips. i got it at walmart, can't remember the price though. im not gonna use it again, but good luck with your endeavor.

[TacoDell]

I use the cheapest shiat I can find... No Primers involved... Cause I bang and scratch the shiat out the stuff every time I go out on the trail... And they get sand blasted with the mud flaps removed here in the SoCal desert... No paint could stand up to that... But I do want something that blends easily... Mine are simply painted to prevent rusting... I'd powder coat 'em if I never used them for their intended use...

[bray]

i used this crap on my truck box a year ago...put 4 or 5 coats on it after a good sanding and a priming, the shit chipped off all over the place. and not in big spots, but hundreds of little 1/8" size chips. i got it at walmart, can't remember the price though. im not gonna use it again, but good luck with your endeavor.

Go back to Wally-World and buy a can and I'll pay you for the cost plus shipping plus $10 with the reciept. I also bought a similar can (only 1 they had left) and it blew up in my face. I'm glad that I had a cheap pair of sunglasses on because it would have toasted my eyes. I was busy trying to get the spray away from my truck and my house. But I was happy that I could still see. Maybe it's like most everything else they sell, cheap, stale and old. But nothing beats those W/Mart prices, do they? :cool:

[tacotoy]

ive tried that stuff in my truck bed..... same happened to me. it just chips off and sucks. and thats without really putting anything back there

[bray]

I use the cheapest shiat I can find... No Primers involved... Cause I bang and scratch the shiat out the stuff every time I go out on the trail... And they get sand blasted with the mud flaps removed here in the SoCal desert... No paint could stand up to that... But I do want something that blends easily... Mine are simply painted to prevent rusting... I'd powder coat 'em if I never used them for their intended use...

This is the first time I ever primed anything in my life and probably the last. For now on, I'll just sand, clean and paint. Do you feel it was a failure in the process or just a waste of time? I'm thinking a waste of time. I've used Hammerite and this stuff has been better for me. It's about $4 a can and like I said, has texture so it can be lightly sanded and covered and never noticed.
One difference from where we live is the climate. It's anywhere from 50-100% humidity down here in the southeast whether it's summer or winter and things get rusty fast! I perfectly understand what you're saying because whatever is on our armor, if it's used, it's gonna come off. But I need to fix mine in 15 minutes and you've got some time before the rust sets in.
I don't have my front flaps on either and there's some sand down here, but nothing like what your talking about. Do you need sliders where you wheel? I don't mean to contradict what you are saying. I realize there is a lot of sand amongst the rocks out there if that is what you mean.
Anyway, I don't want to harp too much on this silly paint.
Hey, don't you work for Allpro? :D













OOOOOOOH! Maybe the wrong thing to say!

















I hope you're good natured. :D

[me_tu05]

I used the rustoleum professional paint on my sliders and it holds up pretty well. It hasnt chiped on me yet but of course there are scrapes from dragging them over rocks.

[bray]

ive tried that stuff in my truck bed..... same happened to me. it just chips off and sucks. and thats without really putting anything back there

May I ask where you purchased yours? I've read similar feed-back (not on this forum& not by me) and am just trying to understand the descreponcies.

[bray]

I used the rustoleum professional paint on my sliders and it holds up pretty well. It hasnt chiped on me yet but of course there are scrapes from dragging them over rocks.

Can't forget about DuPont paint. Always a good choice. Thanks.

[purity]

i am getting ready to paint my bumper. what paint (black) do you guys recommend? yes it will be used but not often (a few times a year). do yall recommend priming? cbrrman's bumper job looks great.

[hammerdown]

i am getting ready to paint my bumper. what paint (black) do you guys recommend? yes it will be used but not often (a few times a year). do yall recommend priming? cbrrman's bumper job looks great.
aervoe camo black paint (either semigloss or flat)
its thick, strong, and lasts.
http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/imgs/ACF321F.jpg

[Paul]

i used this crap on my truck box a year ago...put 4 or 5 coats on it after a good sanding and a priming, the shit chipped off all over the place. and not in big spots, but hundreds of little 1/8" size chips. i got it at walmart, can't remember the price though. im not gonna use it again, but good luck with your endeavor.
Thanks for testing that shit out. I was going to buy some soon to do my bed. Did you find something better?

[hammerdown]

Thanks for testing that shit out. I was going to buy some soon to do my bed. Did you find something better?
i got a line-x bed liner...i used the paint shit to cover my tool box. if you want cheap bed liner, i hear herculiner is ok(and i say that with hesitation) if applied properly, but its not even close to a good spray-on.

[tacotoy]

May I ask where you purchased yours? I've read similar feed-back (not on this forum& not by me) and am just trying to understand the descreponcies.


duplicolor is duplicolor. purchased both in arizona and colorado from walmarts and checkers. it all sucks no matter what. its spraypaint... i wouldn't expect much from it as its adhesion isn't as good since it is textured. even with primer i wouldn't use it

[TacoDell]

The primer issue for me is simply when I try to do re spray/touch up and getting it to blend again... Primer will make it harder to deal with... If yer doing some special color you may need the primer to get the color to work... Black doesn't need a base coat... A wire brush (Brass) is yer friend at getting the scale/rust off before you paint... Keep it well sprayed and you'll minimize the rust issues... But hey I bang and scratch mine up and before the weekend is over they have already started to show rust... Dents and gouges as well... LOL... A little sanding, wire brushing and wipe er down with some rubbing alcohol... Let er dry... Throw on some more rattle can... she's ready for the next run... Or at least don't rust in between runs...

[TacoDell]

Not unless yer doing some offbeat color... Black don't need no primer... And it will be a hassle for touch up later... And thanks... But it only looks good between trail runs... On the trail they go to shit quick... I swear they start rusting an hour after the paint is scratch off... Just the bottom of the sliders though... Those deeper gouges I guess... Blacks the best though for hiding all the battle scars... LOL

[purity]

thanks everyone i appreciate the help. i think i will go with the black camo paint semi gloss, no primer. i didnt think about a wire brush, mine hasnt been painted yet and some spots have quite a bit of rust already so that should help out. thanks again!

[swank501]

thanks everyone i appreciate the help. i think i will go with the black camo paint semi gloss, no primer. i didnt think about a wire brush, mine hasnt been painted yet and some spots have quite a bit of rust already so that should help out. thanks again!
Dude, I would strongly recommend that you use a primer especially if longevity is an issue, but hey what do I know,just my :2cents: .on that note I would recommend a self etch primer or epoxy primer to go down first.Saying to not use a primer before painting is like saying not to use motor oil before you start your engine. Sure it will work but it will soon fail.

[Mike]

thanks everyone i appreciate the help. i think i will go with the black camo paint semi gloss, no primer. i didnt think about a wire brush, mine hasnt been painted yet and some spots have quite a bit of rust already so that should help out. thanks again!

Another vote for Aervoe. It's burly, thick paint. Just make sure to scuff the heck out of whatever you are painting so that it has something to stick to. Here is my toolbox done in flat Aervoe camo black.

Later,
....Mike

http://www.norcalttora.com/%7Emike/paint/paint_05.jpg

[bray]

Another vote for Aervoe. It's burly, thick paint. Just make sure to scuff the heck out of whatever you are painting so that it has something to stick to. Here is my toolbox done in flat Aervoe camo black.

Later,
....Mike

http://www.norcalttora.com/%7Emike/paint/paint_05.jpg


Mike, I think you answered part of the painting equation. Prepping is the key to avoid paint failure. I've never used primer but I've always sanded before any application and have never had a problem. I didn't sand my sliders until after priming and painting. I sanded them only before applying my old trusting stuff because it worked before (but everything else was sanded). Oh, I used self-etching primer thinking it would take the place of sanding or blasting, but I guess not.
Your box looks good by-the-way! Where did you guys get this stuff. Though it reminds me of Hammerite. Not black. :D

[Mike]

Your box looks good by-the-way! Where did you guys get this stuff. Though it reminds me of Hammerite. Not black. :D

You can get it here:

http://www.aervoe.com/aervoe/shopping/aervoe_PaintsCoatings_detail.asp?ID=6

But they only sell cases (six cans).

It's a really thick paint, so you can hit stuff with a wire wheel brush, and the paint will fill everything in. I dunno what paint was on my toolbox when I bought it, but it flaked off like crazy. I sprayed a bunch of chemical stripper stuff on it, then hit it with a drill and a wire wheel brush. Once down to bare metal, it was one coat of primer, then the Aervoe.

Later,
....Mike

[TacoDell]

thanks everyone i appreciate the help. i think i will go with the black camo paint semi gloss, no primer. i didnt think about a wire brush, mine hasnt been painted yet and some spots have quite a bit of rust already so that should help out. thanks again!


I used a brass wire brush... uh actually two did the job... the med size ones worked best... the little ones fall apart too easy... (Cheap at Harbor Freight)... All by hand... I hate that shit flying all over hell and in my face with a power wheel... I suppose it would be faster though... I steel wool'd the other areas that had no scale... The coarse/heavy wool helps give the paint some bite... I also used brake cleaner to prep it after all the rust scale was off...(You could use acetone as well... But spraying BC sure made it easier)... I hung the parts from the rafter in my garage and made a home made spray booth... Did one final BC spray down and dry... careful not to get greasy fingers on it afterwards... Then painted away... er... use a respirator unless you have extra brain cells you'd like to get rid of... LOL... The paint stuck great and never comes off except when blasted by sand and rocks or sliding on them... F the primer unless yer gonna be a mall runner... You won't need it... But get a few extra rattle cans for future touch ups... Oh and I run my mud flaps except when on the trail... That helps shit last better between trail runs... JMO's...

[cvajs]

start with a etching primer, then finish with some sort of epoxy enamel. when i modified my "Back Rack" rack i primed using rustoleum galvazining compound and finished with some spray epoxy enamel (galvanizing compound is not the best primer for your application). got both from home depot. i dont have can here so i dont know the brand, but this paint stuck like mad. got some on my fingers while painting and after it dried it was a bitch to get off. for aluminum, use something on the order of Tempo Zinc Chromate primer, its a typical primer for aluminum aircraft parts. when using etching primers your paint may chip but the primer stays. however, rock sliders are gonna take quite a beatin', so i think in your case just have some extra paint to redo it.

[bray]

start with a etching primer, then finish with some sort of epoxy enamel. when i modified my "Back Rack" rack i primed using rustoleum galvazining compound and finished with some spray epoxy enamel (galvanizing compound is not the best primer for your application). got both from home depot. i dont have can here so i dont know the brand, but this paint stuck like mad. got some on my fingers while painting and after it dried it was a bitch to get off. for aluminum, use something on the order of Tempo Zinc Chromate primer, its a typical primer for aluminum aircraft parts. when using etching primers your paint may chip but the primer stays. however, rock sliders are gonna take quite a beatin', so i think in your case just have some extra paint to redo it.

Amother great point about the difference in steel and aluminum coating. They are 2 totally different things. Aren't self-etching primer & zinc-chromate the same thing?

[cvajs]

Another great point about the difference in steel and aluminum coating. They are 2 totally different things. Aren't self-etching primer & zinc-chromate the same thing?

i was waiting for some of the "pros" here to call me nuts.... :)

the paint i used was American Tradition Appliance Epoxy from Home Depot. its some very tough paint. but again, the primer step has to be very good in order to have a tough topcoat.

their are a variety of "self-etching" primers, some for steels and some for aluminum, etc.

[SADGOAT]

Have had good results so far with R-oleum high-temp "BBQ Black." I like that it is flat; easy touch up/ matching.

[Enzogfx]

Mike- Thanks for the link- been wondering where i could get ahold of some of that paint- when i bought my truck my bumber was a lil dinged up- gonna work out the dents and repaint it black- Is that black = to about as black as the flares and front valance? or is it a duller black- cant tell from that picture- Thanks

-Mik3

[bray]

i was waiting for some of the "pros" here to call me nuts.... :)

the paint i used was American Tradition Appliance Epoxy from Home Depot. its some very tough paint. but again, the primer step has to be very good in order to have a tough topcoat.

their are a variety of "self-etching" primers, some for steels and some for aluminum, etc.

Thanks, I may just have to try this. Appliance paint huh? Makes since.

[jh3]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/brayboy/IM000848.jpg
It looks nice but thats about it..............not good for sliders, they contact rocks alot:)

[banThis]

just for reference, the herculiner in the bed seems to work great-- though a gallon doesn't really quite do it, just damn near almost. mines not as thick as Id like it eventually, but whats there isn't coming off anytime soon.

[bray]

You can get it here:

http://www.aervoe.com/aervoe/shopping/aervoe_PaintsCoatings_detail.asp?ID=6

But they only sell cases (six cans).

It's a really thick paint, so you can hit stuff with a wire wheel brush, and the paint will fill everything in. I dunno what paint was on my toolbox when I bought it, but it flaked off like crazy. I sprayed a bunch of chemical stripper stuff on it, then hit it with a drill and a wire wheel brush. Once down to bare metal, it was one coat of primer, then the Aervoe.

Later,
....Mike

Thanks Mike, I think I'll be trying this stuff soon.

[cvajs]

you could also try this etching primer in spray can. i used it today and it works very very well for a aerosol. the only bad thing was the spray nozzle starting acting "cloggy" about 3/4 the way through the can.

http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/products/show_product.cfm?product=7565

order online and the fulfillment happens from the SW store closest to you. i recommend the use of a respirator with this stuff.

[Brender:)]

does it come in a glow in the dark color?

[sploosh]

Okay, my CBI bumper and sliders (bolt-on) should be here next week, and I have to paint them before I put them on. I talked to Steve and he recommended spraying them with carb cleaner then once it dries spray them with Rustoleum. After reading this thread I'm starting to wonder if that will be enough. Should I sand them first or just go straight to the cleaning and painting? I'm planning on Rustoleum Hammer finish. I'm going to Korea in two weeks so I'd really like the bumper and sliders to still be painted when I return in a year.

[TacoDell]

I'd wire brush any rust scale off first... especially at the welds/joints... Brake cleaner works good and might be cheaper then carb cleaner...

[Intrepid]

Part of the key is a lot of drying time before they are touched. I have a bad habit of painting something, waiting a couple hours, then geting excited and touching it and ruining the paint job. :D With my sliders, I wiped them down with brake cleaner and a rag to remove the oil, then I sprayed them with a couple coats of rustoleum primer and then a couple coats of rustoleum paint. They are sliders, they get gouged, dinged, and scraped, so I just bust out the spray on a nice day and hit them again.

[sploosh]

Thanks for the info fellas. Okay, so I hit the seams with a brass brush, anywhere else with scale on it, then either carb cleaner or brake cleaner. Wait till it's completely dry (what, about an hour?) then put a coat on. Wait 5 or 6 hours then put on another coat. Is that about right? Sorry, but I'm a total cherry at painting. :D

As far as the primer goes, it it crucial that i use it, or do ya'll think it'll be ok with just a couple coats of just the Rustoleum paint?

I am also considering putting some skateboard tape on the tops for my wife to step on when she gets in and out. Maybe down the road have just the tops line-xed. I know it'll come off the bottom if I hit something, but it would probably make a good durable non-skid surface for the tops of them.

[SalsaStep01]

Thanks, I may just have to try this. Appliance paint huh? Makes since.
I have heard some good things about appliance paint and even airplane paint!

[not2XS]

All this talk of a brass brush? I'm no paint expert, but I would think a steel brush would work better, roughening up the surface of the metal to help the paint stick better. I have used rattlecan Rustoleum semi-gloss black on my sliders, both with and without primer, and the primer made no noticeable difference in durability. For something that doesn't see as much wear & tear it may be worth it, but not sliders that see real use. When I fix them up nowadays, I just wire (steel) brush them, wipe them down with white spirit, and paint them straight away (no need for "drying time"). As for second coat, read the instructions on the can. The regular Rustoleum says something like recoat in less than 2 hours or wait at least 12, if I remember right. Hammerite instructions may be similar.

As for the skateboard tape, I have never used it myself, but seen quite a few posts complaining about it catching legs and clothes.

[PhlipPhlop]

When I had my job as a painter over the summer, we used a special paint for steel that was awesome. It had stainless steel flaking in the topcoat and the primer was almost indestructable (w/ 1 primercoat and topcoat). My boss even took the corner of a 5 way scraper and had to dig into really hard several times to get to the bare steel, only a few days after it was painted ( it dried fast, but supposedly reach full hardness in a week). I would trust it because we were using it for all these steel platforms in a food factory. It's called Steel-It, but I have no idea what type of primer and top coat it is. It's expensive though, $80 gallon primer and $100+ gallon topcoat, but a gallon covered ALOT. Also, if you have a sprayer you could spray it.

[DentedTacoma]

Would these paints be a good choice for painting the rocker panels? I was thinking to use some kind of bedliner but a spray can would be so much easier. I am just doing it to protect from tree branch pinstriping and cover up some rust that is starting in the fenders.

[PhlipPhlop]

I don't know. I know it great for rust. It's an alkyd primer and polyurethane finish. Check out http://www.steel-it.com/poly.htm

[NorcalPR]

I lucked out and I have a buddy that owns a powdercoating shop. Mine were only done for 80 bucks...

A lot of my buddies (that don't wheel) said to get it with line-x. First of all, this would cost a ton, and second of all, nothing is going to hold up to the wieght of a truck scraping against a rock.

I got mine done flat black. The rustolemum pro flat black matches perfect and it makes for easy touch ups.

[yota06taco]

You can get it here:

http://www.aervoe.com/aervoe/shopping/aervoe_PaintsCoatings_detail.asp?ID=6

But they only sell cases (six cans).

It's a really thick paint, so you can hit stuff with a wire wheel brush, and the paint will fill everything in. I dunno what paint was on my toolbox when I bought it, but it flaked off like crazy. I sprayed a bunch of chemical stripper stuff on it, then hit it with a drill and a wire wheel brush. Once down to bare metal, it was one coat of primer, then the Aervoe.

Later,
....Mike
Hi Guys,

this aervoe camo paint sounds like the good deal. I'm actually looking to coat under my cab and the frame this summer (06 access cab). Truck is still like new underneath so I thought I would undercoat/protect now before it gets bad under there and I have to spend half a lifetime prepping. I know a full spray gun and industrial type paint would be the way to go but I only have so much time and don't have the equipment to really go nuts.

Any thoughts on the aervoe camo rattlecan paint being a good compromise? any other suggestions for a fast, easy way to undercoat?

Oh and I have used the Duplicolor stuff that started off the thread in my front wheel wells...no problems so far but kinda scared about what I've heard on here about chipping and stuff......damn duplicolor.