How would you paint something on a car subject to damage?

[NUTTSGT]

Somethin very prone to damage, I think I would just shoot it with some Rustoleum black. . . gloss/semi/flat.


Maybe top coat the (top side) bumpers/sliders with some spray-on bedliner to give some it some texture when stepping on it.

 

[tarbellb]

Satin black rattle can is the go-to for many of my rock crawler friends

Finding a decent brand of rattle can is the goal, Rustoleum is not my favorite
MRO Seymour, Lawson, or even Loop

 

[Hohn]

When no coating hold up, you pivot to the other extreme of cheap and easy to regularly apply. Like a Marine with a gallon of brown paint.

 

[kwb]

Nothing is going to work if you are really using rock sliders to slide on rocks. I don't care what prep material it will be wiped off and bare metal exposed.

Prep all away and do your best but for the final surface I would do a satin black and touch up with a rattle can as needed.

Even hot dipping the parts will scratch the galvanizing off during a hard rub. Nice part is that rust that forms is limited to exposed area as the remaining surrounding zinc does still provide some protection. Cold Galv touch up looks like **** but it is pretty effective for a product out of a rattle can.

 

[LopezBart]

Nothing is going to work if you are really using rock sliders to slide on rocks. I don't care what prep material it will be wiped off and bare metal exposed.

If there are limited areas that are typically damaged, fastening some UHMW blocks w/ recessed fasteners to those areas can reduce maintenance significantly. This material is often use on docks and pilings subject to rubbing & contact from large ferries here in the PNW. It's also popular as "sliders" for UTVs and motorcycles:

 

[danielbuck]

If you're wheeling it, sliding over rocks will scrape off any thing you spray onto it. Put whatever you want on there, and if you care enough about the finish later, just spray over it. Don't over think it, it's going to get beat up. I usually spray stuff like this once, and never touch it again. it gets rust where the rocks hit, but i don't care enough to do anything to make it look better. the scrapes don't bother me. Granted... I live in a climate where steel doesn't disolve in the air like some parts of the country do.

 

[Hohn]

If there are limited areas that are typically damaged, fastening some UHMW blocks w/ recessed fasteners to those areas can reduce maintenance significantly. This material is often use on docks and pilings subject to rubbing & contact from large ferries here in the PNW. It's also popular as "sliders" for UTVs and motorcycles:

Sacrificial surfaces make a ton of sense. Especially if made from abrasion resistant steel like AR 500.

 

[Bert_]

The missing paint shows that you actually use the thing for more than climbing curbs at the mall.

 

[LopezBart]

Sacrificial surfaces make a ton of sense. Especially if made from abrasion resistant steel like AR 500.

For bumpers, some beads made w/ hard-facing rod might be just the ticket, if a bit rough looking....

 

[MileHighRover]

I've been using Rustoleum Professional High Performance Enamel spray paint for nearly 20 years. I've never had a single issue with it. Easy to find at the big box stores. I painted the frame on my '86 F150 probably 11 years ago and it still looks good. I've always used the gloss black but they make a semi gloss as well. I've always wiped down my parts with rubbing alcohol before spraying. Never had an issue.

 

[Hohn]

For bumpers, some beads made w/ hard-facing rod might be just the ticket, if a bit rough looking....

Function has a beauty all its own.

I love the hardface idea.

Heck, perhaps you could hardface directly onto the tube or rub rail?

 

[LopezBart]

Heck, perhaps you could hardface directly onto the tube or rub rail?

There are some 3/32 HF rods, which would let one hard face the thinner base materials w/o too much pain. Use adequate ventilation/respirator; these rods have a lot of chrome.

 

[Beerhippie]

Most of the cars I've owned were prone to damage. I didn't paint them.

 

[tarbellb]

Ive bought so much of this, yes it works. But I have definitely had issues with the propellent running out and tips clogging.

In perfect conditions its fine, but if the temps are low they love to clog up and lose pressure.

 

[American Locomotive]

The missing paint shows that you actually use the thing for more than climbing curbs at the mall.

Yeah, I'm not too worried about scraping the paint off and needing to touch parts now and then. What I don't want is the non-abused surfaces rusting. In my experience, paint like Rustoleum black is almost porous - like the metal will rust underneath it. So within a couple of years, the whole thing is lightly dusted with rust-acne poking through the paint.

I fully understand that paint is not going to stand up to rocks. I just don't want rust showing up all over the place in short order.

Anyways, after talking with SPI, I elected to go with their black epoxy. It will properly seal the metal, so it won't rust and is easy to touch up.