paint or powdercoat sliders?

My All-Pro sliders shipped today so now I need to decide if I should paint or powdercoat.

If I paint, I'd use an etching primer, automotive base coat and a clearcoat over the base coat. It would be less durable compared to powdercoating but would be easily repairable as the Minnesota road salt has a sweet tooth for bare steel. Painting would also be signicantly cheaper.

 

Paint.

They're going to (hopefully) get abused. Much easier to touch up paint.

Powder coating isn't as durable as many portray it to be. If you drag it across rocks it's going to get just as destroyed as paint.

Also, I'd forego using a clear coat on the sliders. If you want the shiny look, just use gloss black. Again, in the long run it'll be easier to touch up.

 

I almost completely agree. Only difference is that I would say use a flat black on them. Rattle can paint job is hard to screw up when doing touch up. If you want it a little customized, use the hammered finish type of spray paint. I did that on the hub caps on my 1990 Camry years ago.

Just make sure that you cover up anything you don't want painted if you use the rattle can method. A junk piece of cardboard between the truck and slider is a whole lot easier than trying to sand off, buff out, and redo any clearcoat on the doors.

 

I agree, I went flat with mine but I was just referencing his post which seemed like he was looking for a more glossy look.

 

I prefer the matte look and will eventually debadge/dechrome. The topcoat was more to make the paint "thicker" but probably not needed.

Figures that the "Rembrandt of Rattle cans" would prefer paint

 

You could put 10 properly applied coats of paint on your sliders... but you're going down to bare metal the second you drag it over a rock.

 

Use rustoleum rusty metal primer for the base coat. That stuff has some of the best adhesion to steel I've seen. I used to do salt spray tests for paint products for John Deere, and it scored very high for a big name store bought product. The better the adhesion, the less that will peel and flake off from abrasion.

 

Rattle can for sure.. I did a solid prep job, 2 coats primer and 3 coats textured black, looked tits!! Then not 5 min off road and they're chipped up from flung gravel and scratched to bare metal from the rocks.. I plan on repainting in a few weeks. I could not imagine having to un-install my sliders in order yo get them powder coated again

 

You can paint right over powder coat you dont have to powder coat again. I prefer powder coat myself as it will out last paint on the top of the sliders. My painted sliders were down to bare metal quick just from jumping in and out of the truck. My powder coated sliders have not been touched up on the tops and still are not down to bare metal after a year of daily driving. The only marks I have are from rocks and you can touch then up with rattle cans when needed. a power coat as a base is way better and just touch them up as you wheel with a rattle can.

 

In case anyone is interested, I have a separate going on the paint job

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/detailing/327661-painting-new-sliders.html

 

Why not use POR15? You can beat on it with a hammer and it won't chip. That or LINE-X

 

I think Line X would get seriously gouged if it was dragged across sharp rocks with the weight of the truck on it.

 

My painted sliders do the same thing. In retrospect, I might lean towards powdercoating first then touching up with paint...

 

Por15? Waiting for my sliders... Thinking of options myself

 

You should get them tomorrow, correct?

 

Idk still haven't gotten a tracking number or shipping confirmation

 

I hate last minute wrenching before a trip. Any word on Wheelers?

 

Last known location was departing Missoula mt at 9 pm

 

Yea I still haven't decided if I'm gonna do the work or pay someone else... I don't have a welder so the sliders won't be put on by me idk I'll see what I can find.... How many hours you guys think it should take a shop to swap leafs add extended brake lines prep frame weld sliders?

 

I'm thinking an hour on the leafs depending on complications... Diff drop should really only take 20 min-30 max.... 4-5 hrs?