More than I expected

amaintaylor · 10-25-2007, 08:04 PM

Thanks Bud for the fast shipping. I was very happy to see how good everything looks. I will be installing them this weekend and I am sure it will go well. Thank you for modifying the front plate for my warn bumper, it looks good. I am also very happy I decided to go for the black powdercoated set up, it was well worth the extra to prevent rusting and the overall look of the set up. I am looking forward to getting the "beefy" gas tank skid as soon as you have it completed. I will recommend this set up to any FJ owner weather they are mall cruisers that might run over a large speed bump to the heavy duty off road person. My stock plates looked worse than I thought when I was under my rig tonight checking the fit of your plates and I have only been heavy offroading three times since I have had it. These skids are QUALITY..... and they will be tested

......

Deep S.TX FJ · 10-25-2007, 08:28 PM

Yeah Bud is great to deal with.

I found the factory skids just this side of worthless.
My "four piece" BudBuilt system is in route scheduled to arrive next Tues....

alpinist · 10-25-2007, 09:37 PM

They are super solid and easy to install. Have fun.

felonious · 10-25-2007, 09:42 PM

Just one note the shim that you install under the cross member on the third plate for the transfer case. You may want to trim about 3/4 of an inch off of the length of it so that you have a lot of clearance for your catalytic converter cross over pipe from driver to the passenger side.

**spincycle** · 10-26-2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

amaintaylor previously said:

I am also very happy I decided to go for the black powdercoated set up, it was well worth the extra to prevent rusting and the overall look of the set up.

So, I've mentioned in a previous thread, a question for bud and y'all: I was a bit eager, and installed my set before geting them painted/line-x'd/powdercoated/rustoleumed, and of course there's already rust.

How big a deal is this?

I could remove them, have them sandblasted/ground back down to metal, add one of the above protectants, then reinstall...but how much is doing so really worth? These things are BEEFY. I mean, yeah, eventually rust will have its way, but am I looking at two years? Five? Twenty? Cost to correct my hasty mistake vs. return-on-investment comes into play here, I guess.

Still, I'm already glad they're installed - underside marks = avoided disaster.

**Delray** · 10-27-2007, 08:59 AM

That is a good question. I know there are some bridges that they let rust, that is by design, rust being its own protectant. I know there are products that claim to turn the first layer of rust into magentite or some other non-corrosive inert material. I have sprayed rust converter I got at Walmart on areas of an old backhoe to stop rust, and it worked. Turned the area black-ish.

I guess I am wondering if you get that nice even coat of rust starting in, you can just spray it with this stuff, and treat it again when you scrape it offroading. That is much the same thing those of us with powdercoating have to do anyway. I just touch up the underside marks with flat black rust-inhibitor paint.

amaintaylor · 10-27-2007, 08:14 PM

I installed them today and it was very quick and easy as everything fit well. Thanks Bud fir trimming the front plate for my bumper. They look good and I can't wait to get the gas tank skid. I do love the powder coated but don't worry if you left them plain and they rusted, if you don't mind the look I am sure they will outlast the rest of the steel.

mustangrj · 10-27-2007, 09:53 PM

Light rust is not a big problem. It should be taken off before painting. Rust helps breed more rust. The conversion coatings may slow it down, but it never goes away. It would be best to blast them and spray them with a couple coats of a good primer and paint. I would at least sand off the current rust and get a coat of protection on there before winter. If the roads are salted in your area, rust pits will form and they are harder to deal with.

**FJoel** · 10-29-2007, 02:25 AM

Quote:

mustangrj previously said:

Light rust is not a big problem. It should be taken off before painting. Rust helps breed more rust. The conversion coatings may slow it down, but it never goes away. It would be best to blast them and spray them with a couple coats of a good primer and paint. I would at least sand off the current rust and get a coat of protection on there before winter. If the roads are salted in your area, rust pits will form and they are harder to deal with.

I agree... rep to you.

It isn't even November yet and I saw a Salt truck on the road the other night. Not painting my BudBuilt's was out of the question.