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How to paint leaf springs and coils? What paint?

Jeep450r

Jeep450r

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Nor*cal
What spray-paint should I use to paint my coils and leaf springs? I am afraid of the paint chipping when the springs flex. Would some paint from wally world work? I would like to use the same paint for all of the parts I am painting so the color is consistent. I will be painting the axles black and the diff covers, control arms, leafs, coils, and maybe some other crap will be red.

I will not use POR-15

Thanks in advance,
Jeep450r
 
I saw that coming.
I think it would kinda tie into my color scheme.
Im not positive that im gunna do the coils and leafs.... but i want to know how so if I do it, Ill be doing it right.
 
Powder coat. That's how you do it right. Under that comes automotive urethane, under that comes spray bomb. Honestly dude, it's a spring, I vote spray bomb if you actually drive the car. I love fine finishes and have always had a knack for doing things right/classy. But springs? Seems pretty impractical.
 
Dude, I know where you're coming from. Yeah, i wheel the Hell out of my Jeep, but when I clean it all up I want it to still look presentable (at least for my sake anyway) I recently did a Late Model front clip conversion on my 94', when I did I had my Coils, brake backing plates, track bar and sway bar all sand blasted, I used automotive paint and put some flex agent in the color and clear, which made for a nice finish and I haven't had any problems with i yet. I love the look of a clean Jeep underneath. I'm not sure about the leafs and other crap, but all the other stuff you mentioned I don't see a problem painting. To each his own!
 
I would forget about the flex agent. The real reason for that stuff is on urethane bumpers/trim/plastic pieces. It's so after the pieces are sprayed, they stay extra flexible within a given amount of time for easier installation. Usually within 4 days the stuff has hardened. If you really wanna go out and do it right, blast them like you said, then get some epoxy primer to put over the bare metal, followed by your choice of single stage paint. Should last quite a while.
 
... Single stage is essentially basecoat and clearcoat mixed it one. Half the work. That link you posted is for adhesion promoter. Nothing to do with flex agents. Adhesion promoter is also for better grip on plastics, glass, fiberglass, anything besides metal that epoxy wouldn't cover alone. It does nothing for the flexibility of the paint. Single stage may crack off like you said, but it wouldn't be from the flexing of the springs. The molecules can bend MUCH farther than a spring travels.
 
If you read the entire paragraph on the Adhesion promoter it states that it is clearly a Adhesion promoter and Flex Agent in one. Each time I've used single stage it seems like twice the work, cutting and buffing, or fixing a run in single stage is a real pain compared to working with clear coat. Anywho, I wouldn't call this guy a ricer for trying to clean up the under side of his ride, and I don't agree that powder powder coat is the only way to do it right. I do agree if he doesn't have access to anything more than spray paint to take your advice on the blasting, epoxy primer, and some decent spray paint, if he's going through that much work may as well have it last.
 
DanMan2k06 said:
Powder coat. That's how you do it right. Under that comes automotive urethane, under that comes spray bomb. Honestly dude, it's a spring, I vote spray bomb if you actually drive the car. I love fine finishes and have always had a knack for doing things right/classy. But springs? Seems pretty impractical.
Click to expand...

I agree that powdercoat is a great oveall finish but when it comes to springs, flexing, abrasion and stone chips....it can be a pain in the ass. It is very difficult to "patch" chips in powdercoating. Better to just use a product like POR-15, Eastwood, Bullet or others and topcoat with cheapo rustoleum. That way, if you are concerned about asthetics, easy to fix with minimal work.

Don't know why you are against POR-15 but it is a solid product, IF YOU PREP IT CORRECTLY. Than again, any product is only as good as prep work. You might look into eastwood rust encapsulator if you are set against POR
 
Leafs spring shops only paint the outside of the packs after assembly. they use end pads,dry moly lube or double lipped liner between leafs. believe it or not expoy paint works excellent.no primer needed, just be sure their really clean.once dry you can't hardly sand it off.
 
I have used Rustoleum epoxy appliance paint on several set of leafs and it works well if the spring is clean. It take several hours to completely cure, so don't rush it.
 http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/49-266-epoxy-spray-paint/rust-oleum-appliance-epoxy-614468.aspx

When assembling, I spray CRC Dry Moly Lube on the top and bottom of the leaf, where it rubs against the next leaf.
 http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2F138?cm_mmc=Google Base-_-Lubrication-_-Lubricants-_-2F138

For the smoothest ride, use full-length strips of plastic leak liner between each leaf.
I get the 2 1/2" wide, double-lipped liner from Eaton Spring.
 http://www.eatonsprings.com/

Here's a good link on spring building, including paint.
See Goatman's first response.
 http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23381&highlight=spring+liner
 
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