Undercoating the body before paint ....

[lynnhowlyn]

I - like many others - am planning to undercoat the body before painting using (I think) one of the brush on / spray-on truckbed-type products ... e.g. Herculiner or the Dupli-color product (I forget what it's called) that cleans up with water ....

My sense is that task is best done with the body upside down on some sort of rack/body-holder ... similar perhaps to a body buck.

Comments on how others have done it, descriptions (or pictures) of the rack/body holder used - would be hugely helpful to me and probably to many others.

Thanks

Lynn

[JKleiner]

Hi Lynn,
I've just done 'em on the buck. Tarp underneath, put on latex gloves and wear clothes that you don't mind throwing away! Really, it's not all that bad but you'll end up wearing a good bit of it. That's why after using both I give the nod to the water soluble Duplicolor Bed Armor over Herculiner.

Good luck,
Jeff

[dallas_]

I just put a tarp down and did it on the driveway.

[Ray]

Upside down on a tarp on the front lawn. The most important thing was having proper supervision.

Ray

[rray]

special equipment???...naaahhh...its called "an old blanket" just flip the body over on it in the driveway and go at it....yup...wear old cloths you wont mind throwing out...oh...and wear a hat...i know...i know..your painting a surface on the ground (sort of)......but take it from the voice of experience...wear a hat...an old old hat!!!

r ray

[rray]

oh...and tape...you need to tape the outside of the body just like Ray did......hay Ray...is the dog really lickng the lid to the paint bucket????

R Ray
Nantucket...you know, on the other coast!!!

[timp2]

If I had it all to do over again I would certainly flip it over. It is so much more difficult to see when the body is right side up, messier too.

[edwardb]

Nothing special. Upside down resting on the regular body buck. You can see it clearly in this photo from my painter. Once done and cured, flipped back over and shot the stripes, base color, and clear coat.

[rich grsc]

Yep, like everyone else, flipped it over on an old tarp, stood in the engine and trunk opening.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by rray

oh...and tape...you need to tape the outside of the body just like Ray did......hay Ray...is the dog really lickng the lid to the paint bucket????

R Ray
Nantucket...you know, on the other coast!!!

Nope, that was her Frisbee.

I had to stop rolling the bedliner every few minutes to throw it for her. Wish she was still here bugging me to toss her ball, Frisbee etc.

Ray

[DamnYankee]

Spray or brush? And how much is needed? thanks

Originally Posted by JKleiner

...That's why after using both I give the nod to the water soluble Duplicolor Bed Armor over Herculiner.

Good luck,
Jeff

[JKleiner]

Originally Posted by DamnYankee

Spray or brush? And how much is needed? thanks

4" roller and brush. One gallon = 2 heavy coats + enough to lay two or more on the front & rear splash panels.

Jeff

[DamnYankee]

Duplicolor has a rebate going on till Sept 30:
Bed Armor

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by Ray

The most important thing was having proper supervision.
Ray

Was that before or after the frizz-bee play...

[FFRCobraPoison]

Originally Posted by JKleiner

4" roller and brush. One gallon = 2 heavy coats + enough to lay two or more on the front & rear splash panels.

Jeff

Herculiner, I have used 6 gallons so far, one gallon on all aluminum panels exposed to rocks, one gallon in underside of body, 4 gallons on Trailer decking.

You can buy it on ebay for about $70/gallon....believe me it is great stuff.

[lynnhowlyn]

As always - Forum expertise answered most of my questions and I'm gonna go the Duplicolor route (using the already printed $25 rebate coupon), and will lay the body on the ground, on a tarp and wear old clothes when painting ...

Only unanswered question is related to surface prep of underside of the body ....

Duplicolor (and most DIY bedliner mfgrs.) stress surface prep before applying their products ... scuff/sand to remove gloss and give "tooth" for product to properly adhere, followed by a wipe down to remove any and all oils, waxes, etc etc for the same reason.

Clearly the underside of the body has sufficient roughness (tooth) for good adhesion. But what about removal of any left over resins, bonding agents or other "stuff" from the body mfg process? Is there any of this required?

Or do I just tip the body over, mask as needed, blow out any dust, leaves, mouse droppings and etc etc (LOL) and start brushing/rolling?

Many thanks

Lynn

[MPTech]

Hit it with a power-washer and allow it to air dry (or chase it with air from a compressor).

[JKleiner]

I use a wax & grease remover such as Prepsol, PPG MX190 or similar (same as used to remove the mold release wax on the topside before beginning bodywork).

Jeff

[JCLipka]

First of all, I had minbe done by my painter, and used spray on bedliner material..AFTER pain and on a tall body buck that I had built. Why? I did modifications to the wheel well lips so they are clean and smooth and don't turn back in on themselves, and then ran the pain inside them. The inside 1" of my lips are painted and shiny and then the bedliner material starts 1" in..
I think it's a clean look..
John
IMG_1494.jpg

Originally Posted by lynnhowlyn

I - like many others - am planning to undercoat the body before painting using (I think) one of the brush on / spray-on truckbed-type products ... e.g. Herculiner or the Dupli-color product (I forget what it's called) that cleans up with water ....

My sense is that task is best done with the body upside down on some sort of rack/body-holder ... similar perhaps to a body buck.

Comments on how others have done it, descriptions (or pictures) of the rack/body holder used - would be hugely helpful to me and probably to many others.

Thanks

Lynn

[NicksPapaw]

I left about 8" around the wheel wells and trunk and hood openings for the painter to have room to finish those areas and paint them. We then went back over to finish those areas after paint. But, while unpainted, just flip over in your garage and roll away.

[Thumper135]

I’m doing the rolled look on all of my openings as well and will have about an inch and a half of paint into the openings. Like others, I’m using the bed liner material as well in bright silver. I’m hoping for a more “Aluminum” look under the fenders and hope it gets that faded look after some road miles. I hope to have the body at the bed liner shop in about three weeks. Just a note, I took the board used in the “Cockpit Area” that keeps the body ridged and added an extra board underneath sandwiching the body at both ends to keep it ridged as we rotate it to work on. Works great.

[Scott L]

On the advice of my painter I scuffed the underside of the body with 80 grit on a DA.
Blew the dust off. and wiped everything down with Preps-All (get the "all" version for fiberglass). I used the Dupli-color bed armor and it stuck great. Two coats with about 1 quart left over.

[mn12]

Originally Posted by JKleiner

but you'll end up wearing a good bit of it. That's why after using both I give the nod to the water soluble Duplicolor Bed Armor over Herculiner.

Good luck,
Jeff

Lest you end up like this guy How Do I Get Herculiner Off of My Hootus?! - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

[Cheapsnake]

If it makes you feel better go for it, but I've got over 18k on all kinds of crappy roads and road construction with no underbody protection and no evidence of damage whatsoever. I have to wonder what kind of hit it would take to damage the paint from the underside.