Paint or Powder Coat, What's Best for Suspension ? Options

[914Sixer]

With all the new types of paint along the lines of POR-15, Silverbullet, etc, will they hold up better than powder coated? There should be some opinions about the products by now. Get ready to start going through the suspension. Leaning toward the new types of paint.

[timothy_nd28]

I had my suspension consoles powder coated silver recently. Classic bait in switch deal. On the phone, guy quoted me 25 dollars for each rear control arm to be powder coated in silver. I thought it was an awesome deal, so I brought along the engine bar, and brake dust shields. A week later, total bill was 300 some dollars. They did turn out nice though! POR 15 doesn't work all that great, it's flaking off my floor pans as we speak.

[pdlightning]

With all the new types of paint along the lines of POR-15, Silverbullet, etc, will they hold up better than powder coated? There should be some opinions about the products by now. Get ready to start going through the suspension. Leaning toward the new types of paint.

I am doing mine in powder coat. I think they clean off better and seal porous surfaces of some castings better. Cheaper, because I do them myself.

[somd914]

I'd steer away from POR-15. If cost is a concern, I've had good luck with Rustoleum provided the prep is good. I've had great results with two-part poly paints if you want to spray. I've heard a lot of good about Eastwood paints.

If you have the cash though, I'd go with powder coating.

[Eric_Shea]

Thread on this a couple weeks back. I use paint now. Powder is too thick for brake line clips.

[zymurgist]

I powdercoated everything that moved on the Corvette over 10 years ago. Everything still looks great. The only pieces that were problematic are cast iron brackets, but since we're talking suspension parts, that's not an issue here.

[Mark Henry]

Black Nason (duPont) urethane, wears like iron and it can be brushed on even though it's a bit thin. It's a 2 part paint, but you don't have to use the expensive nason activator, the cheap stuff (urethane activator) works just as good. I don't thin it if using a brush. Flashes fast, but pot life is a few hours, so more than enough time to put several coats on.
Nason is/was originally a fleet truck paint.

I often use PPG epoxy primer first, but just the Nason will give good results.

[andys]

I like Duplicolor engine enamel. Solvent rich, which results in a thin hard coat. Dries fast. Powder coat is great except where you have mating surfaces, threads, or bearing bores where masking or post coating removal is required.

Andys

[ThePaintedMan]

Black Nason (duPont) urethane, wears like iron and it can be brushed on even though it's a bit thin. It's a 2 part paint, but you don't have to use the expensive nason activator, the cheap stuff (urethane activator) works just as good. I don't thin it if using a brush. Flashes fast, but pot life is a few hours, so more than enough time to put several coats on.
Nason is/was originally a fleet truck paint.

I often use PPG epoxy primer first, but just the Nason will give good results.

Hey Mark, how would this stuff do on things like aluminum trim? Is it a glossy black? I'm looking for something that has a hardener in it that won't chip easily like rattle can stuff, but also dries to more of a satin/semi-gloss instead of a full on gloss black.

[mittelmotor]

Hey George,

I've got the perfect paint for you...used it on my restoration. It's Eastwood's Extreme Chassis Black. It's satin finish, and it has a ton of resin in it for chip resistance. It goes on a little glossy, but gets more of a satin texture as it dries--instructions on can suggest waiting 4 hours before handling the painted part.

My suspension was a little rusty, so I media blasted the parts, primered them and finished off with the Eastwood rattle can.

Here's a pic of the rear dinosaur bones coated with the stuff:

[ThePaintedMan]

Hey George,

I've got the perfect paint for you...used it on my restoration. It's Eastwood's Extreme Chassis Black. It's satin finish, and it has a ton of resin in it for chip resistance. It goes on a little glossy, but gets more of a satin texture as it dries--instructions on can suggest waiting 4 hours before handling the painted part.

My suspension was a little rusty, so I media blasted the parts, primered them and finished off with the Eastwood rattle can.

Here's a pic of the rear dinosaur bones coated with the stuff:

Mittelmotor (sorry, I don't think I've ever caught your name),
Thanks for the heads up. I assume Eastwood's product is similar to POR in that it can be thinned and shot through a gun as well? For trim, I think if I were to brush it on, I would see the brush lines, which is okay for suspension stuff, but not so much for exterior parts. That does look really good though! Never heard them called dinosaur bones before, I'll have to add that to my lexicon!

[Mark Henry]

Black Nason (duPont) urethane, wears like iron and it can be brushed on even though it's a bit thin. It's a 2 part paint, but you don't have to use the expensive nason activator, the cheap stuff (urethane activator) works just as good. I don't thin it if using a brush. Flashes fast, but pot life is a few hours, so more than enough time to put several coats on.
Nason is/was originally a fleet truck paint.

I often use PPG epoxy primer first, but just the Nason will give good results.

Hey Mark, how would this stuff do on things like aluminum trim? Is it a glossy black? I'm looking for something that has a hardener in it that won't chip easily like rattle can stuff, but also dries to more of a satin/semi-gloss instead of a full on gloss black.

It's gloss, Dupont makes a flattening agent #4531s for it's other lines of paint, most likely it works for Nason. If you look on the DuPont web site you may be able to get some answers or maybe a tech phone number to call.

I don't worry about the gloss under the car, drive it a few times and it won't be glossy anymore. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[mittelmotor]

Hey George,

I've got the perfect paint for you...used it on my restoration. It's Eastwood's Extreme Chassis Black. It's satin finish, and it has a ton of resin in it for chip resistance. It goes on a little glossy, but gets more of a satin texture as it dries--instructions on can suggest waiting 4 hours before handling the painted part.

My suspension was a little rusty, so I media blasted the parts, primered them and finished off with the Eastwood rattle can.

Here's a pic of the rear dinosaur bones coated with the stuff:

Mittelmotor (sorry, I don't think I've ever caught your name),
Thanks for the heads up. I assume Eastwood's product is similar to POR in that it can be thinned and shot through a gun as well? For trim, I think if I were to brush it on, I would see the brush lines, which is okay for suspension stuff, but not so much for exterior parts. That does look really good though! Never heard them called dinosaur bones before, I'll have to add that to my lexicon!

Hey George,

I don't know if you can buy this stuff in anything other than a rattle can, but they're 14 oz. cans and two of them will easily do all the suspension parts, and that's applying nice heavy coats. I also used it on the front valance and the gas tank.

Doesn't have the bling of a glossy powdercoat, but after all, we're talking about a suspension arm here, not an objet d'art for display in the Gugenheim. (Concours types may take exception here!).

--Doug

P.S. Here are a couple of "before" pics!

[mittelmotor]

I came across a better pic of the newly painted arm: