Rattle can over powdercoated skids?

**SoonerFJ** · 08-18-2008, 02:04 PM

I've stumbled across a set of black powdercoated Budbuilt skids in EXCELLENT to new condition, never off-roaded or used as intended.

I plan on painting the exposed underside surfaces red. I am wondering what, if any problems can I expect if I rattle-can them. They ARE skids and they will get used/scraped up....I just wanted to make sure that spray paint will work over the powdercoat. Or would red powdercoat be a better/viable option?

layonnn · 08-18-2008, 02:09 PM

Powder coating skids, to me, seems like a waste of time. They WILL get scraped through the paint. I don't see why you would have any issues painting on objects that were powder coated, just sand them, clean them, then paint away. Colors and finish might not match up perfectly though.

MrBigAxe · 08-18-2008, 02:15 PM

I used rattle can to touch up my Trail Gear sliders when they came damaged. It worked well.

BMThiker · 08-18-2008, 02:20 PM

I rattle can my skids whenever bare metal is showing. They weren't PC'd before, but I don't see anything technically wrong with rattle canning PC'd products.

SonicFJ · 08-18-2008, 02:21 PM

I have powdercoated skids, and they hold up well. It does rust where it has been scraped hard, but the rest of it is maintenance free. My rear diff skid was painted over P.C. and it looks like crap after only a few weeks. About 25% of the paint remains, and the rest is pitted and chipped off. I did sand it, and used three coats of good paint. I just think contact with earth and rock pits will have thier way with paint in short order.

**SoonerFJ** · 08-18-2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

layonnn previously said:

Powder coating skids, to me, seems like a waste of time. They WILL get scraped through the paint. I don't see why you would have any issues painting on objects that were powder coated, just sand them, clean them, then paint away. Colors and finish might not match up perfectly though.

My points exactly. I just didnt want to waste a bunch of time spraying if the paint would flake off BEFORE i damaged it offroad.

Briareos · 08-20-2008, 01:38 PM

I am not a paint expert, but powder coating is essentially a plastic-like powder which is sprayed on then baked to fuse it together and to the part.

Assuming powder coat is a plastic material, you may be better off using a Krylon "fusion" type spray paint for plastic - it might adhere better.

If you have bare metal, I would definitely hit that with Rustoleum.

Shawn

**Boss73** · 08-22-2008, 09:34 AM

I m getting a set of buds next week and I got them bare.. I plan on doing the rattle can job on it.. is there anything else out there that is better or more durable for this application that Rustoleum ??

**Woodsman** · 08-22-2008, 09:56 AM

My thoughts in the apowder coat vs paint debate is this: There is no doubt that the powder coat is tougher than the paint, especially if done by a quality shop with good prep steps taken. When mounted, only one side of the skids will be exposed to scrapes and such and unless scraped down to bare metal by a sharp rock the powder coat and even paint should be fine. Large companies that produce powdercoated goods normally sell touch-up cans of spray paint matched to the correct color which can be used to spray scratches and scrapes.

I bought my Budbuilts in raw steel thinking I would spray paint them to match my Sandstorm. After looking at spray cans of primer and paint and considering the value of my time I started thinking I should've had Bud coat them. When mentioning this to a neighbor, he volunteered to take them to work and run them down the line. Yes, they were run down the powdercoat line with hospital bed parts but this company(the largest hospital bed manufacturer in the US) has an exxxxxxcellent line with prep tanks and primers and this is the toughest powder coat job I've ever seen. I took one of them and pounded on the surface with a hammer and tried to scrape it with a claw hammer and it will not give.

**SoonerFJ** · 08-22-2008, 10:35 AM

I used Rustoleum Safety Red, which supposedly is more durable than regular rustoleum as it is labeled for "industrial" use. Not that it will matter all that much when rock hits metal, but for a buck a can more, I went with it.

After rattle-canning the front skid, I will DEFINITELY say that it would be worth the money to have Bud powdercoat them for you. I am going to leave the other pieces in their black powdercoat and just touch up the red as need arises. If worse comes to worse, I can always rattle can it black and be back where I started.