[b][/b]id like to hear from people who have prep their frame to paint themselves..what in your experience was the best products you have used to achieve a good bond...im soon approaching that moment and I know there's lots on the market..what worked well for you???
I wish I had found a magic potion that would melt the grease off and provide a surface ready for painting ... But what works best for me is Elbow Grease -- a lot of scraping with a paint scraper/old gasket scraper, followed by liberal applications of Dollar Store oven cleaner, more scraping, more oven cleaner, more scraping, more oven cleaner ... then pressure washer with Dawn detergent ... wire brush ... once more oven cleaner ... wipe down with acetone, or sand blast.
If there's an easy way to degrease, I'd like to know what it is, too
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
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Take it to a steam cleaner. Even at that you want to scrape off the heavy stuff first. If you don’t want to haul it then follow John’s directions.ðŸ›
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I use gas as a degreaser because it's cheap and fast. Outdoors of course. In a spray bottle. Away from anything. Cuts grease immediately no waiting. If the grease is hard/dried, use a harbor freight air needler. $30 minus 20%. Works really well. gets into tight areas. Still use wire wheel and gas afterwards and then simple green or dawn foam. I use dawn platinum pump foam in shop to wash hands and auto parts. You need eye, breathing and ear protection during this. Put frame up high and sit in a roll around chair.
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After first knocking off the big caked on blobs from around grease zerks, A-frame ends (or axle ends), cross member under rear of engine, and all the other usual places we soak the whole thing in diesel from a weed sprayer for several days. A high pressure washer will then get the majority clean but sometimes have to fire up the old Hotsy steam cleaner. Of course none of this removes rust so abrasive blasting is necessary for this step. You can then use regular frame paint but if going for a "show" frame then you need to jump back to John's method. Shot below shows S10 frame prepped enough for regular frame paint and last one is a 56 Ford prepped for exterior paint using John's method.
I rented a hot-water (190 degree) pressure sprayer (True Value Hardware) to clean up to 3" of caked grease/dirt from the frame of my 54/55 GMC 2-ton COE flatbed (about an 18" platform over the long frame).
That nicely took the frame down to tight-paint/metal. The frame had lived all its life on the "high desert" apple growing area of Washington state.
After it dried, the whole frame was quickly/roughly wire-brushed, and then painted with POR-15, and then painted with two coats of POR black semi-gloss finish coat (roller & brush painted).
It looks good (I am regularly asked if I took the frame down to bare metal).
Thanks for all the ideas. Coilover you do great work. And I never thought of oven cleaner. I don't need a show room look it will be a every day driver work truck. The frame is really great shape and I've got all the gunk off from scraping and power washing when took it down to frame to make it easier to wrench on. She has light rust but nothing flakey. What about after I clean it use a primer that's need that light rust to activate it and go with a semi satin or gloss black frame paint? I know it will chip easier then por 15 or powder coat...but it's an everyday driver. Thanks for all the tips..gives me plenty options luv this site....
I use paint thinner (mineral spirits) and a putty knife and parts washing brush. The thinner softens up that hard dried on grease, and it doesn't leave an oily film afterward like diesel fuel would. Cleaned up a number of my old tractors with it, plus some parts of the truck.
Looking back, that was a really dirty job on my 53. I diassembled the frame completely scraped as much dirt and caked grease off with putty knives and screw drivers. Then soaked it down with cleaning solvent let it set over night, then pressure washed it the next day. Then out came the wire wheel and wire brushes. It went on for about forever.
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Thanks again for all the info. 3 years ago I did the scraping..used some simple green and power washed it just to make wrenching and tear down easier. So basically..i have penetrating oil every where from dismantling..i like the mineral spirits for final prep idea bfor first coat. Tclederman you've swayed me to go that route. I'm bringing in my straight axel to a friend today to use his press as my new king pins just arrived..then I will clean axel again and make that my first try with paint befor I attack frame. Thanks to all once again
Wow sstock mine wasn't as bad. I cant even believe looking at mine that it sat for 40 years next to a barn. Frame is fantastic shape. Most people say there's is a barn find...mine has white barn paint all over it...gonna leave it on with the patina when I get to that point....justs adds to the story
