Bluemoon
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 09:30 AM |
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Chassis painting - long term experiences
Following on from the earlier thread, (and self-interest currently painting mild steel caravan space frame and wanting to choose the paint).
What are your long term on the road experiences of paint finishes on mild steel chassis and their effectiveness against rust?
It seems to me (after googleing) the following options are:
-Good primer (Zinc phosphate or similar), good quality oil base household gloss.
-Epoxy mastic, Rustbuster EM121 or other "surface tolerant" epoxy mastic such as Jotun 80
-Implement paint, Tractol or simular
-Rustoleum
-UPOL raptor
-Powder coating
Dan
[Edited on 4/9/20 by Bluemoon]
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Jaymaxi
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:05 AM |
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Everyone seems to have a different opinion on chassis covering as there are a lot of treatments available at various costs., I go for clean chassis
as much as possible, apply zinc 182, and cover with a chassis sp paint, I tested this on a piece of rusted steel about 2 years ago and left it out in
the rain since ( and we get plenty over here!) and it's still the same today, great build and shine, my 2 cents, John
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:21 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jaymaxi
Everyone seems to have a different opinion on chassis covering as there are a lot of treatments available at various costs., I go for clean chassis
as much as possible, apply zinc 182, and cover with a chassis sp paint, I tested this on a piece of rusted steel about 2 years ago and left it out in
the rain since ( and we get plenty over here!) and it's still the same today, great build and shine, my 2 cents, John
Hi John, yep agreed hence wanting real-world info.
What do you mean by "chassis sp"? Google is not helping to find the product.
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Jaymaxi
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:33 AM |
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Well it's just a black 'single pack' , quite cheap but I'd like to try a 2 pack colour ( paint and hardener either to match
what was there before but try a test the day before in case reaction and to make sure it sets. Messy job if your lying under, get her white suit and
long vet's gloves.
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nick205
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:40 AM |
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Brush painted my MK Indy chassis with red oxide primer then Halfords chassis black. Get the metal abraded and as clean as possible first and avoid
painting in wet conditions (I did mine in a garage). The Halfords chassis black looked a good finish, but could have done with being tougher. The
red oxide however covered really well and cured hard as nails. 3k road miles in good and bad weather and no sign of any issues or rust at all.
Red oxide primer
 
MK Indy harness fixing point 2
Halfords Chassis black
[Edited on 4/9/20 by nick205]
[Edited on 4/9/20 by nick205]
[Edited on 4/9/20 by nick205]
[Edited on 4/9/20 by nick205]
[Edited on 4/9/20 by nick205]
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pewe
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:55 AM |
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Frost Extreme Chassis paint here.
Sticks like sh*t to a blanket.
Cheers, Pewe 
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 11:49 AM |
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If my experience with powder coating is any thing to go by don’t bother . Stripped it all of and hand painted it with POR15 followed by Hardnose top
coat , it’s been done 12 years with no signs of chipping, rust etc.
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Irony
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 12:04 PM |
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I always post this in these threads but nobody listens. I know its expensive but if you want the best solution.....
2 pack epoxy. Try jotamastic 87 undercoat with hardtop Flexi top coat. 15 years submerged in salt water protection. Job done.
https://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/primers/jotamastic-range/jotamastic-87
I bought a big tin when I did mine. Only their dedicated thinners or acetone seems to touch it. I just threw the brushes away. Nothing short of a
chisel will scratch it once fully cured. It can be brushed rollered or sprayed.
They paint oil rigs with it.
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Irony
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 12:07 PM |
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I always read these threads and powder coating always seems to get bashed. I actually think that powder coating is a great option if you know what
your doing and you use the correct stuff. Our experiences must mean there are a lot of cowboys out there.
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 12:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Irony
I always post this in these threads but nobody listens. I know its expensive but if you want the best solution.....
2 pack epoxy. Try jotamastic 87 undercoat with hardtop Flexi top coat. 15 years submerged in salt water protection. Job done.
https://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/primers/jotamastic-range/jotamastic-87
I bought a big tin when I did mine. Only their dedicated thinners or acetone seems to touch it. I just threw the brushes away. Nothing short of a
chisel will scratch it once fully cured. It can be brushed rollered or sprayed.
They paint oil rigs with it.
Yep looks good stuff, in my application though I can't re-paint the top of the "tubes" as the floor is still attached, and I
can't remove with out dismanteling the whole caravan so that's not an option. My worry is what happens around the edge of epoxy coatings
in this case, will the water get behind and get traped behined the epoxy and as the epoxy is very tough and thick just rot out and delaminate the
epoxy from behined unnoticed (i.e in much the same way as some powercoating when not done well).
I think if you had access all around the chassis surface tolerant 2 pack epoxy could be the best option.
I will in my case fire some waxyol or similar along that line once painted to help a little and check anually.
What's your thoughts on this?
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jps
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 02:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jaymaxi
apply zinc 182, and cover with a chassis sp paint, I tested this on a piece of rusted steel about 2 years ago and left it out in the rain since ( and
we get plenty over here!) and it's still the same today, great build and shine
Not 'on the road' but in terms of POR-15 - which when I was painting my chassis in 2013 was regularly mentioned as a good option:
After scrupulous prep (using the prescribed POR products) and careful application - Metal Ready, POR-15 undercoat, and 'BlackCoat' top
coat (now called 'Top Coat' has given a good finish in some places, although the Metal Ready left a rough surface in places which you can
see/feel through the top coats. In other places paint that just peels off, including when a piece of masking tape is taped over and then removed. This
is after 7 years of garage storage since painting.
Moderately careful application of Metal Ready followed by POR-15 undercoat on engine mounts and diff brackets two or three years ago has worked really
well (also garage storage only) and given a really even finish.
The POR-15 that I brushed onto the metalwork of my Black and Decker workmate when doing the engnie mounts, without even dusting off the saw dust, has
also adherred fantastically despite zero preparation.
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Daf
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 08:02 PM |
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Powder coating always receives a bad review, trouble is like every other coating out there it's only as good as the prep work. It's very
easy to throw powder coat over an ill prepared surface and end up with bad flakey results.
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ReMan
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| posted on 4/9/20 at 10:07 PM |
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Agreed. The best thing about Powdercoat is you don't have to do it and it looks great when new.
Once tested though I agree and my MK was as bad as any, no prep at all. Peels of in sheets once compromised
www.plusnine.co.uk
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 5/9/20 at 08:07 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Agreed. The best thing about Powdercoat is you don't have to do it and it looks great when new.
Once tested though I agree and my MK was as bad as any, no prep at all. Peels of in sheets once compromised
Old MK had a habit of getting the apprentice to weld....without removing any oil or rust... then amazingly get powder coating to make it look
smart.
Was all fine and dandy till the whole wishbone assembly broke off and we had a loose wheel flapping around on a brake hose.
We found that almost all the front suspension bracketry was held on by aero bubble and rust. The powder coating hid a lot of evils.
Once it chipped it was off in large bits.
Close shave with that macspeedy car.....
My other chassis made by martin was welded properly we got it done in black truck under body paint .....never had rust issues with that
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IanmK
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| posted on 5/9/20 at 10:33 AM |
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Another vote for POR15 here. Not cheap but better than hammerite.
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