Painting Chrome bumper face?

Hey guys I'm planning on painting my chrome face bar on my front bumper to match my body paint. Just wondering how I should go about this.

so far my plan is:

1) wash and dry and sand
2) wipe down with cleaner
3) tape off areas
4) self etching primer then sand
5) sandable primer then sand
6) lunar mist metallic paint
7) clear coat

Am i missing anything? Don't know a lot about primers. Do I need to use a primer sealer as well?
I painted my flares recently and just used regular primer and no adhesion promoter and the paint is already peeling off the plastic flares..

Thanks!

 

Painting chrome bumpers is tough. More often then not the paint will flake off. But if you go to town with 80grit and then use a 2k (catalyzed) etch primer. Followed with epoxy primer, sealer, then some paint with a flex additive. Maybe ceramic clear, to provide a good layer of defense.

Front bumpers get rock chips which will speed up the flaking process.

I suggest getting a different bumper if you want to color match it. If you insist on using that bumper, sand blasting the chrome off will be the best long term solution.

 

Ya that was my initial worry. All things considered, the time & $$ to do it myself, I could just order a new one that's already primed and paint it.

As for the fender flares, do you think sanding and applying an adhesion promoter for plastics would stop the paint from flaking off?

 

Or get a close match plastidip. Usually not a fan but in your case it would work for a test run for fairly on the cheap

 

Yeah adhesion promoter will help the flares last longer. Maybe finish in 500 grit before paint, if you have access to 2k paints I suggest trying it out. Even the stuff in a can works well.

Plasti dip does work well and requires almost zero prep. I've had it last years out in the sun.

 

I would probably do Plasti dip if I wasn't trying to colour match. Don't think there's a colour close to Lunar Mist unfortunately. Sucks to have to re-sand everything back down and start over but what can you do. The peeling flares are only going to get worse haha

Thanks all!

 

If only you were around Texas, I’d trade you my color matched bumpers for the chrome ones.

 

I think I might just go to town with 80 grit sandpaper, self etch primer, primer, 600 grit wet sand, dupli color lunar mist then clear coat.

Hoping that'll hold up haha. Thinking of doing the grille as well

 

You could probably also buy line-x in a color matched/ sorta color matched can and do it that way...

 

Plan for using 3x the sandpaper you think you might need. Chrome is gonna eat up that paper! Also put some good primer on there I highly suggest some 2k products. Maybe stop by your local auto body supply store and get some advice.

 

Oo that's an idea. How's line-x for adhering to chrome?

 

Awesome. Ya that was my thought to go with a grey primer rather than white/black.

What would be the reason to start with 200 grit?

 

Ya it'll be 99% sanding eh haha. For 2k paint would I need a spray gun, ect?

 

You can get 2k stuff in an aerosol can. I used rattle can 2k raptor liner on my truck and it looks like a smooth texture bedliner. I ran it through bushes and branches and nothing came off.

2k aerosols are essentially the same paint used in a spray gun, except its packaged in a can. There is a button on the bottom of the can which activates the paint.

2k clear

https://repaintsupply.com/spraymax-3680061-2k-urethane-glamour-clear-coat-aerosol-p3685.html

2k raptor liner, its expensive but I was really impressed by it.
https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/pr...-aerosol-black-up4883/truck-bed-coating-paint

 

The end result. Ended up buying primed grille & face bar & painting them.

 

I have an 02 Lunar Mist Taco and considering the same. Where did you buy the grille and face bar and what kind of paint did you use?

 

that looks great! how's it holding up? did u end up using 2k clear?

 

Looks really good, interested in what brand you went with for the bumper too.

 

Nice. The grille I got from rockauto (they didn't have lunar mist in stock). Found the face bar on Amazon luckily. I used dupli color for everything.

 

Thanks! Holding up alright. Noo I didn't but kinda wish I did cuz I either didn't use enough clear or didn't wet sand enough. Bumpers great (got a bodyshop to polish it) but a bit of orange peel on the grille. Still looks better than chrome haha.