Needing some paint advice

[Micah Wells]

I have the ubiquitous white peeling paint. It's got to the point where I need to do something. I've got several surface rust spots on the roof, hood, and bed rails. As well as peeling paint down the side of the drivers door and a couple of other places. I can't see paying $5000-$6000 paint job on a $5000-6000 truck. I don't mind doing some work, but I don't have the tools or space to paint the truck myself.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I could work individual panels, but are there any spray can options that are decent?

TIA

 

[Hipster]

are there any spray can options that are decent?

TIA

not really, most spray can options are a non-catalyzed variety so for the effort there's little in the way of lasting protection. Anything you put over peeling paint can still peel and stripping the panels can be major project in and of itself.

 

[Reluctanse]

I have the ubiquitous white peeling paint. It's got to the point where I need to do something. I've got several surface rust spots on the roof, hood, and bed rails. As well as peeling paint down the side of the drivers door and a couple of other places. I can't see paying $5000-$6000 paint job on a $5000-6000 truck. I don't mind doing some work, but I don't have the tools or space to paint the truck myself.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I could work individual panels, but are there any spray can options that are decent?

TIA

I'm in exactly the same boat as you, down to the white color and rust spots.

You absolutely CAN get a half decent paint job out of cans for pretty cheap. Will it last forever? Probably not. But for the price, repaint it in a few years. Like any paint job, it's all in the prep. More prep = more better. There are some really good 2k clears available these days in cans as well if you want to take it to the next level.

I'm very likely going to do a rattle can black paint job on my truck coming soon. It's going to cost like $100 for the paint. If it sucks bad, I'm out $100. Plus it can't be much worse than what I have today. Worst case in a year or two you are right back where you are now.

Check out this guy's channel, impressive what he can do with some rustoleum cans and some prep: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesDguy

Good luck with whatever route you go.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

I can't see paying $5000-$6000 paint job on a $5000-6000 truck. I don't mind doing some work, but I don't have the tools or space to paint the truck myself.

I took mine to Maaco about a year and a half ago, along with some door ding repairs, for a base coat/clear coat they charged under $3K. Then I spent another $1000 for all new trim and installed it myself.

 

[Harry Dawg]

I painted my mud truck in my driveway for -$300 and it came out pretty dern good if I do say so myself.

Paint was pretty FUBAR'd, and was more rust than anything.

Knocked all of the heavy scale and loose stuff off with 80 grit and a DA.

Then I came back with 150 then 220 and finally 300 grit sanding disks on the DA.

Parts of it were bare metal, other parts I went down to factory primer, and yet others the paint was still good so I only scuffed it for adhesion purposes.

I then hit all the pitted areas with Loc-Tite rust neutrilizaer.

2 coats of epoxy primer to protect metal from oxidation, and give me something to do body work on top of.

I applied a variety of Bondo products to her, and then spot primed all of these areas.

Base coat was a single stage acrylic enamel from Starfire Paints.

Tools used were a Bauer DA, Amazon variety pack of 5" DA disks, a Harbor Freight spray gun for primer, and a LVLP spay gun for base coat.

If you had to buy all of the tools + product, your total would be just over $400 or so.

Here is a link to the paint thread if you care to venture off the GMT400 into FSJ territory.

Paint and Body - Full Size Jeep Network

 

[Micah Wells]

I painted my mud truck in my driveway for -$300 and it came out pretty dern good if I do say so myself.

Paint was pretty FUBAR'd, and was more rust than anything.

Knocked all of the heavy scale and loose stuff off with 80 grit and a DA.

Then I came back with 150 then 220 and finally 300 grit sanding disks on the DA.

Parts of it were bare metal, other parts I went down to factory primer, and yet others the paint was still good so I only scuffed it for adhesion purposes.

I then hit all the pitted areas with Loc-Tite rust neutrilizaer.

2 coats of epoxy primer to protect metal from oxidation, and give me something to do body work on top of.

I applied a variety of Bondo products to her, and then spot primed all of these areas.

Base coat was a single stage acrylic enamel from Starfire Paints.

Tools used were a Bauer DA, Amazon variety pack of 5" DA disks, a Harbor Freight spray gun for primer, and a LVLP spay gun for base coat.

If you had to buy all of the tools + product, your total would be just over $400 or so.

Here is a link to the paint thread if you care to venture off the GMT400 into FSJ territory.

Paint and Body - Full Size Jeep Network

That could be an option. I don't have an air compressor the size it would take. What size did you use?

 

[Harry Dawg]

A 20 Gallon Campbell Hausfeld. 5.5 CFM @ 90 PSI

That is where the LVLP gun comes into play.

"Low Volume / Low Pressure" allows you to use a smaller compressor, but will disperse less paint.

Edit - This makes it preferable to do one panel at a time as it will be harder to paint the whole truck in one go without it flashing on you too quick.

SS Acrylic Enamel (non-metallic) would be your best bet.

 

[RichLo]

What size tank and compressor do you currently have? When I back-yard painted my plow truck I daisy chained 3 compressors together and added a couple auxiliary air tanks in-line closest to the gun for added reserve capacity. The 3rd compressor never kicked on as its regulator was set for 20 psi below the first two. Not ideal but it did the whole truck without needing to stop and wait for the compressors to catch up.

 

[Micah Wells]

What size tank and compressor do you currently have? When I back-yard painted my plow truck I daisy chained 3 compressors together and added a couple auxiliary air tanks in-line closest to the gun for added reserve capacity. The 3rd compressor never kicked on as its regulator was set for 20 psi below the first two. Not ideal but it did the whole truck without needing to stop and wait for the compressors to catch up.

I just have a small pancake style compressor.

 

[thinger2]

I have the ubiquitous white peeling paint. It's got to the point where I need to do something. I've got several surface rust spots on the roof, hood, and bed rails. As well as peeling paint down the side of the drivers door and a couple of other places. I can't see paying $5000-$6000 paint job on a $5000-6000 truck. I don't mind doing some work, but I don't have the tools or space to paint the truck myself.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I could work individual panels, but are there any spray can options that are decent?

TIA

If you need some spray cans just to stop the rust while you figure out a plan, most autobody supply stores can make you cans of factory color.
Some NAPA stores can do it to.
Just take them your paint code.
I paid about 25 bucks a can for single stage because I was only doing some small rust repair but they can do base/clear as well.
Its not an ideal option for painting large panels becuase it gets pretty expensive.
But, especially on white. It will match good enough to stop the rust from getting worse while you make a plan.
And, call around if you have some options.
My local body supply place had a 4 can minimum for 158 bucks.
The same chain of store 20 minutes away had a 2 can minimum for 50 bucks.
I only needed 2 cans so I took the drive.