Bull Bar Rust / Painting

[NYRangerfan2]

Hey all,

I found a pretty cheap bull bar with a brand new Westin mounting kit for my 2015 by me on craigslist. When I got their I realized the guy only took pictures of the good angles and that some spots had bubbling paint (likely rust underneath). I got the price down a bit more and figures it would still be worth it to try and fix it up.

I sanded down the spots where the paint was bubbling to the point shown in the pictures below. If I just paint over this there will be obvious textured parts of the paint from the rust "divots". Does anybody have any thoughts on something I can do do even the surface before I paint?

Thanks!

James

 

[SitKneelBend]

I used Rust-Oleum bed liner on my rusty step bars but it only lasted a year. I received new ones under warranty and painted them immediately with the bed liner. They have been good for two years now...

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[gixxer]

You will most likely have to sand the entire thing so that it paints evenly.

At this point I would use a wire wheel to get rid of the rust. Hand sanding is will only buy you a year or so. I've done this year after year with my old car doors.

After paint with por15 and add top coat for UV protection.

Or if you don't really care if there are differences in texture then just skip to painting with por15 as it prefers rust. Then add top coat.

Good luck

 

[Wizard]

Hey all,

I found a pretty cheap bull bar with a brand new Westin mounting kit for my 2015 by me on craigslist. When I got their I realized the guy only took pictures of the good angles and that some spots had bubbling paint (likely rust underneath). I got the price down a bit more and figures it would still be worth it to try and fix it up.

I sanded down the spots where the paint was bubbling to the point shown in the pictures below. If I just paint over this there will be obvious textured parts of the paint from the rust "divots". Does anybody have any thoughts on something I can do do even the surface before I paint?

Thanks!

James

View attachment 228234

View attachment 228235

Sand lightly the entire object, spray is with 2 coats of self etching primer and use either bedliner spray or e-coat spray to finish it. the primer will smooth your rough spots and ensure proper adhesion of the final paint. all in all you should need one self etching primer spray and one e-coat or bedliner spray. If you decide not to go with the bedliner go with the e-coat since that will be the closest to a manufacturer paint. ...I'd go bedliner route since it is way more scratch proof and the bull-bar purpose is to take the impact so that your main body doesn't have to

 

[NYRangerfan2]

Thanks everyone! I applied the some sandable filling primer and ordered some bed liner spray. I liked the bedliner spray since the my truck is that sparkly black that won't perfectly match the gloss black. I can also use the liner spray on fender flares when I eventually get them.

I am okay with this only lasting 1-2 years since I got it for pretty cheap. I'll post some pictures when it is on the truck!

 

[SitKneelBend]

Thanks everyone! I applied the some sandable filling primer and ordered some bed liner spray. I liked the bedliner spray since the my truck is that sparkly black that won't perfectly match the gloss black. I can also use the liner spray on fender flares when I eventually get them.

I am okay with this only lasting 1-2 years since I got it for pretty cheap. I'll post some pictures when it is on the truck!

Here is bed liner freshly applied on wheels...



And after two years on my old set...



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