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Thread: Front strut painting... What do you use?

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    Bodger Richb77's Avatar

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    Front strut painting... What do you use?

    I'm at rock bottom with this at the moment. I have zero budget for this at the moment so likely the whole cars going on hold.

    I have my front Struts from a mk2. I couldn't find anyone near me to blast them so by hand I took them to bare metal and sprayed them in smoothrite.

    Only for it to flake off in sheets. I'm not a noob to spraying and followed all the rules and cleanliness was paramount.

    So I stripped them back again by hand, sunk them in alcohol for 48 hours and used a primer and more smoothrite. It was DREADFULLY Soft so 8 decided 2K lacquer would be OK. Cleaned it and made sure the 2k lacquer was OK for smoothrite.... I've just walked in knowing I need to strip them again as it's crazed like f**k. I'll have words with the toad that assured me the lacquer was compatible.

    What do you paint them with? Hammerite/smoothrite is sh*t now. I thought powder coat but I don't have a oven big enough.... Unless that's what I need to save for.

    I'm just getting towards walking away for a while.

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    Spanner Monkey Turbosport Subscriber

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    Re: Front strut painting... What do you use?

    Did mine with hammerite and came out much better than expected

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    Racer Decade Plus User Forest_rallying's Avatar

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    Re: Front strut painting... What do you use?

    I would just use a good single pack enamel paint that's available from most good car spray paint suppliers and factors. Ford Tractor Blue's not a million miles away for Bilsteins and that's available from most agriculural dealers.

    From my experience Smoothrite is best brushed on, for some reason it doesnt like been thinned down for spraying, although I have never tried their own thinners or brush cleaner. It also seems to take for ever to dry when sprayed on.

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    Racer Decade Plus User Forest_rallying's Avatar

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    Re: Front strut painting... What do you use?

    I forgot to say you're best to etch prime the bare metal otherwise your paint could peel straight off.

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Re: Front strut painting... What do you use?

    smoothrite generally goes on well but i have found that it can flake or chip badly on bare metal. i would prime and use general aerosol paint ( with a clear coat if you feel the need )

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