POLL: To powdercoat or not to powdercoat

Boiler · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:20 pm

I'm debating powdercoating my front skids, as well as my bumpers and gas tank skid. With aluminum, you're going to want some kind of coating at least to make them look good. I personally think rattle-can coating is ok, as you can touch it up easy, but you could rattle can over powdercoat I guess.

What would you guys prefer, get it bare, or have them powdercoated gloss black for a few bucks more?

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:36 pm

Paint

Powdercoating will come off esp. on skids, rockrails etc. Not worth it.
Bumpers maybe a different thing but other wise forget it!

Boiler · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:39 pm

That's my personal feeling too, but I thought maybe there were folks who didn't want to have to paint them out of the box.

durangotang · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:58 pm

Powdercoat them yellow :lol:

...or just leave them bare :mrgreen:

yodejt02 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:00 pm

leave em naked!!

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:12 pm

I'm with Mudd..... Skids are meant to SKID across things... That is what they are called bash plates down under :twisted:

InCommando · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:49 pm

I chose the bare & let the owner customize it option.

kvenner · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:58 pm

Unpainted. I spent a couple hours sanding, priming and painting my engine skid. First time I went to Rausch Creek, couldn't even tell I'd painted it. Waste of time. Especially for aluminum.

STINGN · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:08 pm

15/1 so far...hmmm

oddball · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:47 pm

Bare metal (*on steel*). That's what I've been doing (only steel skid I have is the Steering Box). Primer first, then paint. Doing the same with my Riddler Diff Cover's.

I agree with Mudd, however more importantly, I've recently learned Powder coating is a scam (for lack of a better term) and a waste of money.

FWIW, I've chosen all aluminum skids (eng., trans., t-case & gas tank) and leaving the aluminum bare. Same if I decide to go with the aluminum front bumper I've been considering, otherwise if I chose the steel front bumper (I'm also considering), then I will primer & paint it.

Note; By "paint", in my case anyway, I am referring to Durabak UV (smooth) bedliner.

99_XC600 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:16 pm

Leave them bare. Scratches, Dents and Dings are a badge of honor and shouldn't be covered up.

HoosierJeeper · **Joined:** Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:23 am **Posts:** 1218

Power coated, my skids are only there to keep mud out of certain places. Only scratches are from moving them around in the garage.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:05 pm

Line X'd

I prefer owner options.

Boiler · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:09 pm

oddball wrote:

I've recently learned Powder coating is a scam (for lack of a better term) and a waste of money..

At the risk of derailing the thread....huh?

durangotang · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:26 pm

Boiler wrote:

oddball wrote:

I've recently learned Powder coating is a scam (for lack of a better term) and a waste of money..

At the risk of derailing the thread....huh?

I wasn't gonna say anything because I didn't want to derail your thread :lol:

But since you said it...

Huh?

wecwbe · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:32 am

I would pass on the powder coating. I hear it is tougher than paint but if it is on something like a skid plate, it doesn't matter how tough it is, it's coming off when you grind it on a rock. Then you have to either live with it or find paint that comes close to matching it. My ARB bumper on my TJ has found a few rocks over the years and the powder coating has come off (I know, the bumper isn't supposed to grind on rocks... what can I say, I like a challenge and things don't always go as planned :banghead:

). If you ship bare aluminum ready to paint, customers can choose to leave it bare or paint it. If they paint it, they can keep a can around for repainting over scratches and they know it will match. Just my :2cents:

Boiler · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:56 am

Thanks all for the responses, you've all helped me make up my mind. These days thats an accomplishment...

MojaveKJ · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:51 am

So...um... has anyone mentioned how COOL silver aluminum skids would look under a KJ? I'd maybe offer them both ways if you are doing the painting in house. May not make sense to out-source "short run" painting, I dunno. Any plans for a rear diff skid of some sort? I have the others.

Although...your right...mine are not the super cool aluminum ones that would look so great on a Liberty.

riptricket · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:41 am

got any pics?

Boiler · **Posted:** Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:36 am

riptricket wrote:

got any pics?

Here is a link to the radiator skid thread in the vendor section:
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=50746

Here is a link to my gas tank skid thread in the vendor section:
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=46391

A note about aluminum, these skids were manufactured with painting of some sort in mind, but you can polish them with a ton of work, or brush them with a scotchbrite pad if you want ot leave them bare.

POLL: To powdercoat or not to powdercoat

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