FABBED BUMPER FINISH

[larryk]

Simple and quick question.... I'm picking up a Bumper kit from Mike this weekend. After I build it....I am NOT spraying with a rattle can. So, other than powder coating, I was thinking of getting it sprayed with bedliner. Anyone have thoughts on this...pros or cons vs powdercoat? Durability, repairability, and rust prevention are my top concerns...also cost to a degree

Thanks!

[mason10198]

I chose not to do bedliner because of the texture. One, it's not very visually appealing on the front bumper of a truck, and two, it's a pain in the ass to try and clean. Textured finishes like that can't really be cleaned very well because of how the porous surface holds onto dirt and grime. Before I had my fabbed bumber, I remover the bumper cover and bedlined the stock bumper reinforcement. Realllllly bad idea. Also wasn't near as durable as I thought it would be. Sure, it doesn't scratch, but it had chunks taken out of it from tree limbs on the trail.

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[bartonmd]

Sprayed-on professionally done bedliner like Line-X holds up really well. Any of the brush-on or rattle can bedliners aren't much if any more durable than rattle can. Problem is that powdercoat costs about $100 to do a bumper. Line-X, I don't know about. I know a truck bed is like $500, so if you bring in the bumper off the vehicle, maybe $200?

The other thing in that price range is automotive paint, but whether that looks good or not depends on how well you finish/grind. You wouldn't BELIEVE the stuff that shows up with gloss black paint! Now, with paint, you can always skim-coat with Bondo and block sand it, which will leave you with a smooth finish, but there's the question of time and/or price.

Mike

[larryk]

All good points. Appreciate the advice. I think I'll pass on the bedliner option...As while I like the texture, if it's not that durable and holds dirt.....pass

The automotive paint option....I get, and while the prep time is needed, I can do that and have the equipment to spray it. But....blah. Boring. I'm leaning towards textured semi gloss black. Simple, durable, and hides surface irregularities pretty well. Sigh....

[KingBird]

Me?

I'd rattle can bedline it, just like I did with my sliders and roof rack. Then I keep a rattle can with me. When it gets chipped off, I clean it up at the local pay and spray car wash, let it dry, then touch it up with the rattle can.

It's a 4wd, it's supposed to have some character. I may be in the mall crawler section here because I don't feel like doing book reports, but those who actually off-road can tell who the mall crawlers are...

[TBYODA]

Larry you could use monstaliner. It is rolled on by hand so goes on thick and has very nice look. Check them out.

http://www.monstaliner.com/

[aldon31]

Might be less durable than bedliner, but using paint is easier to do and touch up.

[Trail X]

No finish is perfect, and no finish will last forever. Don't spend too much on it unless you just want to park it and look at it.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Use rattle can hammered finish in a bunch of coats and it will hold up well

[HawkeyeC25]

A good quality powder coat should last you many years! I've had rocks thrown at mine, ran it into trees, dropped wrenches on it, ran my engine hoist into it... and not a mark on it! My buddy did the same to a stock set of wheels on his Silverado like 5 years ago and still has no chipping or cracking. But a good powder coat, is not cheap. I think I paid just over $200 to do my entire bumper with brush bars. If I hadn't done this, I am with these guys to get several good coats of your coating of choice (paint or spray liner) and just keep up with it as you beat it up. This is what I do with my skid plates.

[larryk]

Thanks for all your feedback on this...... I looked into all of this, and went with powdercoat, with a base of zinc powder primer. This stiff isn't going to chip from normal use.... and if it does, it won't bullseye rust. Have to think of that up here in salted road country.....

Check my next post for final results. Turned out awesome