As some of you know from past post, i had a SRT front bumper along with the SRT hood installed on my truck. I also opted to buy a horizontal bar grill from LMC. The frame of the grill was the chrome plastic. The body shop i took the truck to said they did the only thing they know to do and that was to spray it with a agent that helps promot paint to stick better as the guy was explaining to me. I'm not gonna lie, it was slick as glass when i first got it back but now the paint has come off in 2 spots about the size equal to a nickle. I called and spoke with him and he said there is nothing he can do to help it stick better as the plastic chrome is a b*tch to make paint stick too. I am almost to the point of cutting my lose and ordering the stock grill primered and have that shot red. I hear those hold paint really well. Any ideas as to what i can do to the current grill i have to make paint stick. I don't know alot about it but from what little experience i have, can't a guy scuff the chrome finish on the grill up with some sand paper to help out? Any ideas cause this chipping paint is horrible. Thanks

 

A good adhesion promoter is good but i think it should have been media blasted to rough the material up a bit first to help the paint grab and stick.

 

Yeah, I'm sure the "agent" was a $4 can of adhesion promoter, which works well in most cases but he's right in that plasticized chrome is a bi*ch to get paint to stick to.

Your best bet is to sand the whole thing down (or blast it as 'Weed suggests) and roughen it up significantly. Then apply the adhesion promoter and paint it.

It's just a good idea that if you are buying a component with the intention of painting it, that you buy an unfinished (primed) component whenever you can. Buying anything chromed and wanting to paint it is just not a good idea...

 

Your probably right AND thanks for telling me now!! lol On a serious note, it never really crossed my mind at first when i ordered the chrome to try and find a primed version instead of chrome but believe me this is a lesson well learned.


Weed.......what kind a of media blasting are you speaking of......glass bead blast or...? Would if be a safe assumption to think a "higher end" body shop might be able to do this blasting your a speaking of. I have access to a sand blaster but i would be afraid of possible pitting being since the frame of the grill is plastic. What do you think?

 

Most places i know of won't even mess with your grill(blasting)your best bet is to by a primed part use a good scuff paste and scotch pad.I prep all my plastics with an adhesion promoter called BullDog it's the best out there.Base coat and Clear...

 

hitting plastics with media effs them up bad, i know this from getting wheels with plastic caps done destroyed the caps...and they used wood chips....my grill was chrome, i sand the livin **** out of it, several diff grits and used a $7 can of adhesion promoter followed the directions, and it stuck fine very few rock chips at all, recently sanded the whole thing and sent it off for a professional paint job with my bumper and srt wing...hopefully i pick em up today....

 

Seems like to be after hearing the name Bulldogs, thats what he said he used.......I could be wrong though.


jusjay.......I'm thinking about power washing all the paint off come summer and sanding the hell outta the frame and have it painted again. I have also thought about just buying the stock grill again but i really like the looks of the "big mouth" grill i have now