Any tips on painting suspention?

[2wdBlazer]

I would like my axles and springs to look black again. Any tips on prep-work or type of paint to use? Gloss or what?

[Mudder]

Make sure they are good and clean. I would use Rustoleum either if you use a spray gun or bomb it. That way you can always refresh it and touch up areas. Just remember that some paints don't mix well.

[4x4Poet]

I was recently impressed by Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator. Sticks well to well-prepped surface rust that your suspension no doubt has plenty of. I would use it rather than regular primer that doesn't stick so well to rust.

To prep the metal, spray on any degreaser (orange based, simple green, POR15's Marine Clean {da best}), then use a tough scotch pad, or tire scrubber, or even a pot scrubber and put some elbow grease to all the surfaces. After all the grease and oil is gone, wire brush the rust. Let dry and spray or brush on the Encapsulator. Paint afterwards. Eastwood makes Extreme Chassis Black, but I found my local NAPA sells Martin-Semour Chassis Black that has a spray nozzle which makes a fan spray pattern. Very accurate and it doesn't waste paint (fog) like round pattern nozzles.

[bodazpa]

First clean real good with castrol super clean, let dry, second, then use a sponge brush with rustoleum semi gloss black. The sponge brush really gives you a lot of control. Plus you can put it on a thick as you like. Did my whole frame and suspension for about 45 dollars. In fact I've even had people ask if it was powdercoated...John

[bowtier]

My old man just did his w/ por-15, looks real good. It sticks to prepped rust too, supposed to be really tuff stuff they say you can hit it with a hammer & it won't chip. He wouldn't let me try that though. Anyone ever used it?

[Dean]

I used POR15 on my green truck and it appears to be very tough. I sprayed it on. One tip would be wearing every possible safety piece you can....mask, goggles, all skin covered, etc if you spray it.

I used DP90 on my blue K20 and it has not held up that well. And it has never been in the winter salt. I wouldn't recommend DP90 for the frames.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Por 15 is the only way to go it sticks to anything and will not come off..

[CG]

i clean and wire brush the frame and pick up some hammerite semi gloss black at one of the home stores and brush paint with that. ive done a couple that way and so has a buddy. i like it alot, way cheaper than alot of others. and like the other guys that use paint, touch up is easy.

[Russell]

I am in the process of brushing mine with Zero Rust. I've found that it sticks better, and coats more evenly over surface rust than it does over clean, bare metal. Its a sort of a softer rubberized coating which is nearly impervious to damage, lol! I accidentally tapped my frame with the bobcat about a day after I finished coating my front suspension / frame rails, and I did no damage to the coating at all! I am quite impressed with the stuff, less it not seeming to level out very well. A second coat on top of the first seems to smooth out a whole lot better, but the first coat often has streaks in it.

I plan to buy another gallon of the stuff to do the bottom of my box, inner fenders etc

[2wdBlazer]

I went with a Gloss Hi Temp Engine paint for now. Thanks for the imput, I'll save the good stuff for a few more years and a frame off.