powdercoat or not???

[newfie09xtx]

I am thinking about painting my a-arms, spindles and front bumper black like the 2013 model. Just wondering if not getting them powdercoated would be a waste of time and money. If I do get them powdercoated they would probably have to be sent away, I dont know if anyone powdercoats in western NLFD. THoughts anyone?

 

[basic700]

I got mine powdercoated locally but im sure if you sandblasted everything and got some good paint it would be fine

 

[gregdec1]

Painting would be a waste of time. I tried painting my old apex a arms and they just chipped. I have my Nytro in for powdercoat right now. It may last a bit if you sand blast then paint but it will eventually chip. Powder coat is the way to go.

 

[sorenson1610]

I would go powdercoat on a arms/spindles and just paint the bumpers. That's the route I went as painting was free for me and I wanted the powdercoat on the arms/spindles as those are the items that take a beating. Everything held up fine this season, other then the toe holds got beat up some, those were just painted too. If properly prepped, all parts should be sand blasted clean. So if you have a buddy that can do it free, do it! Will cut the prep time down and total price in half.

 

[Redbeard]

Powder coat is relatively cheap and definitely the most durable. Epoxy powder is one of the most durable, but color options might be limited. Ask questions to whomever you choose to do your work. Many powders, especially metallic, require a clear coat powder over the top for durability.

Nice thing about powder coating, is you pull the part out of the oven and bolt it on! No drying time like conventional paint.

 

[raginyamaha]

the answer is yes you should powdercoat them..... way better than paint.

 

[xf800spro]

I would look at half baked coatings their prices are reasonable,going to send some stuff out myself

 

[Apex2006]

Make sure it is somebody who understands the material. I had my A-Arms, Spindles, bumber, foot guards powder coated. The job was excellent but the guy who did mine was very industrial and cooked mine at a very high temperature that changed the integrity of the aluminum in the spindles. First time out both bent without hitting anything, simply turning and riding normal terrain was all it took. Cost me $500.00 to replace them as a pair. Make sure they are not cooking over 400 degrees or you will have the same problem I did. Half Baked is the answer as they do these all the time with no complaints...

 

[snomaniac]

Now that's something to take into account, use a reputable place. That must have sucked bad apex 2006.(bent spindles) Good post.

 

[newfie09xtx]

Thanks everyone. Looks like the wife is gonna have something else to complain about 'what a waste of money!' lol

 

[towerrigger]

Really can't go wrong with Half Baked coatings. I had a set of a-arms sent down to them and they sandblasted them and powder coated. All done for way cheaper than I could have gotten done locally.

 

[nate007]

Make sure it is somebody who understands the material. I had my A-Arms, Spindles, bumber, foot guards powder coated. The job was excellent but the guy who did mine was very industrial and cooked mine at a very high temperature that changed the integrity of the aluminum in the spindles. First time out both bent without hitting anything, simply turning and riding normal terrain was all it took. Cost me $500.00 to replace them as a pair. Make sure they are not cooking over 400 degrees or you will have the same problem I did. Half Baked is the answer as they do these all the time with no complaints...

Apex2006,
If someone powdercoated your parts and baked them that hot they didn't use a powder then, cause powders cure at an average of 375, and baking time is only 15-20 minutes. If you had something that was done that hot did you request a ceramic coat? Ceramics require a much hotter (500 for an hour min.) baking process and a 450 bake cycle before coating to "burn" any impurities out of the metal. I'm guessing there was another issue, because I've never had a problem with anything I've done?

If you can't find a local powdercoater, or don't want to ship your parts somewhere to be done, there are a couple different things I'd recommend if you feel that paint is better for your situation.

1. Find a way to strip the parts as perfectly clean as you can. Glass bead blast or similar media is the best for powder (silica sand is a health hazard, don't use it) so find a place that can do that. A body shop, or even an engine machine shop may be able to do that for you if you have difficulty getting that done. I don't recommend chemical stripping unless you have all the proper materials and know the methods for neutralizing the stripper and removing all traces of it before painting, or it will cause pre-mature paint failure.

2. There are 2 paint products that I'd recommend using as my first choice. The easiest to find and use is actually a Rustoleum product that's usually available at any WalMart, Lowe's, Menards, Home Depot, etc.. It is a spray bomb of "appliance epoxy" and will have a picture of a refrigerator on the can. Years ago I used it in a pinch and was actually shocked how durable it really is, and have always kept it around the shop since. I've used it on several chassis parts, especially where powdercoating isn't an easy option (u-joints, cv shafts, some late model suspension components where bushings are difficult to remove) and is very hard to chip or scratch. It may not give you a rich shine if you're looking for that, but it will do a great job for a satin black.
The other is a product called POR-15. It may be avalable at a body shop supply store, or search online at all the usual places and it should be readilly available. You can find it in several colors, and it can be either brushed on or sprayed with a small touch-up gun. Brush marks will all but disappear, but for your sled I'd say spray is the only way to go. It doesn't need to be mixed to spray, and is probably the strongest thing next to powder.

Brian at Half Baked is a great guy to deal with, and have had him coat stuff for me years ago before we got into coating, and would recommend him to anyone, he does a great job and is a great supporter of this site. He also knows sleds very well, and I'm sure he could help you with R&R of your busings as well if you need it.

 

[newfie09xtx]

Thanks for the info. I might give that a try.

 

[gregdec1]

Powder coated front end

Here is mine with the recent powder coating.

 

[drunkenrich]

save your $ for gas and the necessary stuff