What paint for suspension arms?

[Blk88GT]

I'm in the process of stripping/painting my front A arms, spindles etc.

I just got a quote for powder coating the parts, and I could buy a whole new front end for that kind of cash.

I'll have the parts sandblasted/stripped before I primer/paint.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[pontiac464]

YA

Ya Use That Paint That Has The Hammered Finish. It Is Pretty Tough And Just Clean It A Lot After That. You Really Should Pcoat It Though, It Is Just Going To Chip. Or Have A Body Shop Paint Them And Clear.

 

[rockymking]

Powdercoat

I'm in the process of stripping/painting my front A arms, spindles etc.

I just got a quite for powder coating the parts, and I could buy a whole new front end for that kind of cash.

I'll have the parts sandblasted/stripped before I primer/paint.

Any suggestions would be great.

How much did the powder-coaters quote you? I just got all my REV arms done for less than $100...blasted and coated. They usually need to blast right before they coat since clean prep is key for powder-coating. Any speck of rust or oil will screw it up.

 

[Blk88GT]

I was quoted 380 dollars for the 4 A-arms, 2 spindles, 2 spindle arms and 2 rear suspension linkages. Not happening in this lifetime. I'll lineX them before I pay that kind of money.

If I could get them done for 100 dollars, I'd be on my way there right now.

 

[POLZIN]

I would agree that hammerite Would be as good as any paint and comes in seveal colors.If its blasted and clean it should be pretty tough as well

 

[F-Bomb]

If you ride your sled at all common paint will flake, chip, and generally look terrible in a very short time. Then you have either a horrible cobbed together POS or you have to spend time and money redoing it correctly. Even inferior powder coating can't take the constant abuse and friction of snow, ice, sand, and trees that a normal suspension part gets on a sled. Industrial grade powders applied and cured correctly are the only viable solution. Most of the money is in prep. Getting existing powder off is brutal. If you handed them a clean product that needed finish blasting and or basic cleanup it should be about $100 for all of that. It's mechanical for most hard metals and chemical after mechanical for soft metals. If it's a one coat application $300 plus is either alot of prep, someone needs to buy dope, or someone simply doesn't need the work. IE find another applicator or bend over and pay up but don't paint it or you'll be sorry.

 

[longhairfreak]

I did my entire sled except my engine cases and cylinders and my handle bars and bumper. It cost me 1000 bucks for 3 different colors. I think there was 110 pieces and that inluded the tunnel and bulkhead.

 

[mountainhorse]

Rob has some great points.... your guys are priced too high...

If you are going to paint....

Hands down the best paint that I've used is POR-15... comes in black (matte and gloss), grey, siver, and clear

I was a doubter untill I got a freebie sample half-pint at a car show and used it... It sounded too good to be true.

No need for primer, just degrease and paint your sandblasted parts...

NO BS, this stuff rocks.

This stuff is as tough as 95% of the powdercoat out there and has held up on my Holz suspension for 2 seasons.. My A-arms are painted with this stuff and no chipping or peeling from heavy use in the bush (oops) and riding in west coast conditions...I have a freind with a Rock Crawler that runs the Rubicon all summer long that we painted the frame with this stuff... no peeling after 5 yrs of use and it is holiding up as well as the industrial powdercoated rear axle right next to it to the abuse...

The only downside is the lack of colors available.

Better than imron or Kronar 2 part urethanes that I've used...

It holds up to brake cleaner and brake fluid without damage...

This is a 1 part paint, moisture catalized and can be brushed or sprayed... I did a brush job on the a-arms and they look sprayed... this stuff flows out excellent for a smooth finish...

Wear gloves when using this paint... the only thing that will remove it from your skin is time.

This stuff is NOT highly toxic and is relatively low in VOC's.

If you dont use the entire can, make sure to put some saran wrap, doubled over on the can before you hammer down the top.. Once opened and exposed to moisture, it will harden in the can...

If you are going to spray it, make sure to buy the spraying solvent that they sell...

POR products also makes one of the best paint strippers I've ever used, short of full industrial "aircraft stripper".
Order a couple of extra spray bottles if you get this stuff... they hold up well to the stripper and you cant use hardware store varieties of spray bottles. Rinse the spray bottle with water to help it last longer... The gallon kit is the way to go.


On my truck bumper, it is still glossy after 8 years of non garaged use.

In Canada
http://www.por15canada.com/can/preventrustpaint.asp

In the USA
http://www.thefinishedlook.com/PartsDetail.cfm?Product=3

These guys also have a great price on fuel stabilizer for summer storage..

If you need colors, Quality Marine urethanes are better than any paints out there...

Check out "Briteside" urethane paints at www.westmarine.com.

When you get into isocyanate based paints (urethane, catalized paints) you are dealing with some nasty chemicals that can put you into respiratory distress if you are not carefull...

 

[winter brew]

Check some other powdercoaters, that is pretty expensive. Choose a color they may be shooting on a bigger job and see if they will throw your parts in. I would think $150 would be fair. Regular paint will chip and look like poop real quick.

 

[Blk88GT]

Mountainhorse, I totally forgot about that stuff! I'm going to see if I can source some locally if I can't find a decent price on powdercoating.

 

[Blk88GT]

I called another local place this morning, and they'll do all the parts for 100 dollars.

Thanks for the info guys! I'm going to pick up some of that POR15 anyways.

 

[fraufarm]

i had my entire quad frame p.coated candy apple red, with all the suspension parts and miscellaneous pieces (i had like 25-30 pieces, excluding the entire four wheeler frame) done for $300. which they double did the frame (clear candy over the red) and double did the a-arms and some stuff that takes the abuse.
i just sent off a set of a-arms, spindles, trailing arms, rear suspension arms, and a set of rails that the guy is gonna sandblast and p.coat for about $150-175. he also does alot of the stuff for my buddy's race car.

 

[devilrmk]

Por 15 does not have any UV protectants in it. I Used it on something about 5 years ago that was left outside. Took about a year before it was pretty dull. Seems to be pretty tough but not so sure about it being any tougher than epoxy.

 

[mountainhorse]

devilrmk,

I know what you are saying about the UV... I think it's printed in the instructions.... I says that It may go matte, but it will not lose it physical properties

I have POR-15 on my truck bumper, keep it waxed with the rest of the truck 2 x/year.... 8 yrs, still glossy... Plus, who leaves their sled out in the sun 24-7....

Plus, the wax also helps to shed snow and ice...

No wax on my A-Arms painted with POR-15... still glossy after 2 years, but I keep it covered and mostly indoors when I'm not riding it.

 

[NoSecondChances]

I painted an old set I had and they were fine for 2 seasons of hard riding, no chipping, flaking, scratches or otherwise until it sold. Good prep and a good acid primer with good paint and a good clearcoat did the job for me.

That being said, I do agree with the replies above. I had my whole current mod sled parts, tunnel and bulkhead powdercoated for cheap (<$200). Glad you found someone else that is reasonable, like WB said, most companies will throw them in with a batch of something and do them pretty cheap for you.
Otherwise I would recommend a two part epoxy type, we had some stuff one time, forget what it was called, as far as I can remember they cost a little more and are a little less user friendly because you don't want to breathe them in but are pretty tough.

The only one drawback with powdercoat, you better like the colour cuz if you get a good powdercoat job, you can't change it! LOL

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

being cheap and having a pile of chrome moly, I've built my own a arms and suspension parts for the last 20years or so. How to paint them is always a dilema.

my experience is:

powder coat for show sleds and trailer queens looks great lots of colors these days.

sand blast, primer, auto paint, clear coat if you're a shop guy, got a small spot gun and take the time to touch things up a couple of times a year

low maintanance guys need to stick to real dark colors and powder coat and get over it


race sleds .........go with rattle can factory paint, touch up with 400 grit scuffing, looks new from 10ft, sponsors happy, quick effective maintanace, somebody else's sled next year anyway

for myself, just finished front arm/rear suspension for my m8, looked at the gun and paint mixing on the shelf, rattle can primer and cat orange paint getting to old to care.

 

[omernikski]

I just did my a-arms painted with a ceramic black chassis paint from www.eastwood.com, I never tried it yet but upon reassembly putting the joints back into the a-arms I slipped once in awhile pressing them in and I never even chipped the paint, eastwood claims its just as hard as powdercoat but by the time you buy the paint and the activator, powdercoat is cheaper, I just had it done for free cause my dad is restoring his 75 nova and wanted to use it on his frame so I guess I was kind of a guine pig.

 

[catmanm7]

ttt

How well will por-15 stick to powdercoating. What kind of prep would be needed. I am thinking of powdercoating my sled all one color and come back to do the black accents.

 

[HardKor]

I started using Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy years ago. It's cheap, easy, and holds up unbelievably well. I have a Nightfire and am into the black... Only available in the standard "appliance" colors, though.

 

[Keithcat]

Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy


Amazing stuff for parts. I use it all the time. It just needs a good week to cure.

Keith