Painting alloy

[ZOOK92]

I have searched, and got a vague idea, but I just want to confirm. I have
a Alloy Bull bar that I want to paint black to match everything else on the
car. DoI just clean, sand, etch prime then paint, or is there some secret
that i am missing?

Or can I not paint it at all?

[thehanko]

head down to an auto paint supplier and ask them as every alloy ive seen painted has ended up flaking off or scratcing to easily amd silver behind black show up alot. maybe powder coat it?

[ISUZUROVER]

To paint alloy you need etch primer, to allow the paint to bond properly with the alloy.

So clean, sand, ETCH PRIME, NORMAL PRIMER, PAINT.

For something like a bullbar, you won't need much, so a spraycan of etch primer would be fine.

you only need a LIGHT coat of etch primer - should look like the first pass of a spray gun if applying normal paint.

[ZOOK92]

Excellent thanks for that. Is there any special paint that I should use, or
will standard auto paint work? I have heard some people say the heat
resistant paint is better, but I am unsure.

[Mick.]

Excellent thanks for that. Is there any special paint that I should use, or
will standard auto paint work? I have heard some people say the heat
resistant paint is better, but I am unsure.

Any paint will do they will all stick provided the bar is cleaned, etched properly etc.

Just make sure you get an etch that is designed for alloy as they aren't all designed for alloy and metal. It will say so on the can wheather it does or not though.

Cheers Mick.

[David_S]

I have been getting excellent results on both steel and alloy with Wattyl Killrust super-etch primer. Comes in a 400ml spray can which would be sufficient for a bull-bar. David

[Adam GQ]

i used to work at alley craft and they just washed them down with acid dried then painted never really saw one come back with flaked off paint get a respirator if you are going to try

[kemal]

i powdered mine at work come up a treat id suggest go this way as its a toughter finish other wise do like the other fellas said.
wipe down thouroghly with either wax and grease remover or paint thiner to remove any cintaminents , then sand very thouroghly or even get it sand blasted (the sanding procdure is where some ppl go wrong and then the paint will flake as sanding is the key for adhesion), then use preferably an acid based etch primer one light coat the 2 to 3 coats of primer surfacer or primer filller depending on how bad the bar is , then put colour straight over that after leaving the primer dry for about half an hour leting all the solvent evaporate or you can let the primer dry for 24 hours or so then sand flat and then put colour on -only really if you want a you bute flat finish, hope this helps