Question about prep'n your frame to powder coat....

[funkytechmonkey]

I am finally down to the frame and I want to start prepping it for powder coat. After hitting it with a wire wheele and grinder do I need to prime it so it will not rust? Is that something that needs to be done before powder coating?

[Sicklajoie]

No primer is necessary (at least where I take my stuff). If there's any exposed threads on the frame put a bolt on them so the threads don't get covered.

[trkfrk]

I highly recommend sandblasting it first. It removes all of your grinding and wire wheel marks. I just got mine back from PC Friday. Came out great.



This is after sandblasting. Heading to PC. I went with "hammered Black".

[funkytechmonkey]

The wire wheel and grinding will take a few days since I work full time, won't it start getting surface rust?
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[cdowns]

drop frame off at powdercoater they prep thier way so powdercoat job comes out good

only thing you should really b doing as far as prep is getting all traces of grease off frame

[vintagesteel]

Originally Posted by cdowns

drop frame off at powdercoater they prep thier way so powdercoat job comes out good

only thing you should really b doing as far as prep is getting all traces of grease off frame

X2. Every professional powdercoat i have seen all sandblast there parts first. You drop off the degreased parts and pick them up finished. They have the silicone plugs to put where needed.

[funkytechmonkey]

Thanks guys I guess what I am getting at is... if it takes me several days to do this is the light surface rust going to hurt it?
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[vintagesteel]

I don't think you understand. THEY will sandblast the frame before they powdercoat. You are waisting your time doing any thing to it. They will have to blast surface rust off. You never paint or powdercoat over rust.
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[funkytechmonkey]

Are you trying to say that no matter if I clean it or not they are going to blast it anyways? I went to the world of wheels car show this past weekend and visited a booth that does powder coating. They said they would blast the whole thing and PD coat it for $600 but if I cleaned up the frame first they would PD coat it for $350. So that is what I am doing... Cleaning it up. I guess I will just need to get all the big stuff off and hit it again before I take it to them.
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[LandonL]

If you want to grind it and keep it from rusting put a little oil over the freshly grinded areas, this will keep it from flash rusting over the course of however long you need.

[Tx Firefighter]

When I do a powdercoating job, I handle all prep beyond degreasing. It's pretty standard in the industry for the coater to do all prep work. That's the only way I can do a job and have the ability to stand behind my work. From the base metal up, it's my deal.

[cableguy0]

Most good powder coating places wont let anyone else prep parts that they will coat. If you dont have the frame sandblasted dont expect the job to be that great. It needs to be completely clean and smooth. IM amazed they are willing to put there name on something someone else is prepping. We send everything as it is to the powder coater we use at work. It comes back looking perfect. There cannot be any rust at all. Any pitting or rough spots will show.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by cableguy0

Most good powder coating places wont let anyone else prep parts that they will coat. If you dont have the frame sandblasted dont expect the job to be that great. It needs to be completely clean and smooth. IM amazed they are willing to put there name on something someone else is prepping. We send everything as it is to the powder coater we use at work. It comes back looking perfect. There cannot be any rust at all. Any pitting or rough spots will show.

There are alternatives for filling rust pits. I use a powder called KL primer. I coat it, sand, and repeat as needed until the pits are filled. Then coat with the color and clear if needed. You can really slick up pitted parts this way but it is very labor intensive and priced accordingly. At that rate, I'd recommend someone having it painted since the filler primers can slick the defects so much quicker and less labor intensive.

[vintagesteel]

Originally Posted by funkytechmonkey

Are you trying to say that no matter if I clean it or not they are going to blast it anyways? I went to the world of wheels car show this past weekend and visited a booth that does powder coating. They said they would blast the whole thing and PD coat it for $600 but if I cleaned up the frame first they would PD coat it for $350. So that is what I am doing... Cleaning it up. I guess I will just need to get all the big stuff off and hit it again before I take it to them.
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What I am saying is that there is NO way you are going to be able to clean the frame in all the nooks and crannys with a wire brush and grinder. AND every place I ever seen, preps there own parts. They sandblast them. That is the only way you are going to have good results. Did you ask this place if just hitting it with a wire brush was good enough? What will happen is you will spend all of this time doing this and then take the parts to them and they will tell you they have to be blasted. I will bet you almost anything that they meant if you had them blasted they would only charge $350 for powdercoat but if they did both it was $600.

[vintagesteel]

Originally Posted by LandonL

If you want to grind it and keep it from rusting put a little oil over the freshly grinded areas, this will keep it from flash rusting over the course of however long you need.

Somebody put oil on any metal that I was going to refinish, I would refuse the job!

[funkytechmonkey]

I called my local powder coat guy and he said even tho I have hit it with a wire brush they need to blast it. He told me since I did all that work he'd give me $50 off LOL! So we agreed on $500 for the job.

Thanks guys for you help. I really like to save money where I can and it looks like I jumped the gun on cleaning up this frame.

So for further reference... Anyone that plans on getting tour frame powder coated. Let the shop do all the work. Don't waist your time trying to clean it, they have to reclean it anyway.
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[vintagesteel]

Originally Posted by funkytechmonkey

Thanks guys for you help. I really like to save money where I can and it looks like I jumped the gun on cleaning up this frame.

So for further reference... Anyone that plans on getting tour frame powder coated. Let the shop do all the work. Don't waist your time trying to clean it, they have to reclean it anyway.Posted via Mobile Device

Yes. Of course this WAS mentioned several times.

[funkytechmonkey]

Now on to doing a little more prep on the frame. I want to get this thing cleaned up like taking all the unnecessary things off the frame, straighten up any bends and get it completely ready for powder coat. It was a 71 GMC with leaf spring setup. I have decided to go with the cpp trailing arm. I ordered the c-notch and the cross member to get those on the frame before powder coat. Since I am getting rid of the leaf springs I know I can remove the spring hangers on the outside of the frame. What else do I need to remove? or can I remove? here are a few pics..


Frame from the rear. I marked the things I want to remove in red. Any feedback on these would be great.


There are some plates welded to the frame. I don’t know what they are, maybe they had a tow hitch? This is my first frame... but I am pretty sure these are not factory.


I am removing the exhaust hangers but what about the other things I am pointing at?


These 2 little mounting brackets are being a nightmare to get off. Anything else need to come off the front?


Another angle


The rear frame looks like it is bent.... I take it, this is not a normal bend id it? How can I straighten it out? I’ve tried a hammer and hhaha that doesn’t work. Do I need a bigger hammer?


better angle of the bends


The frame look like it bends upward a little bit. The angle doesn’t match the other side. Also here is a close up of the rear welds i wanna take off.

[vintagesteel]

take a floor jack and several blocks of wood to the cross member that is bent. Take a torch and heat it up and hit with a big hammer using the blocks of wood as a dolly. And yes, you probably should put a piece of metal between the wood and crossmember to keep the wood from catching on fire. And also, it looks like you have a cross member circled as something you want to remove, DON'T. They are there for a reason (if you notice it is where the spring hangers are. It was to keep the springs from twisting the frame into a pretzel)It is STILL needed to stiffen the frame.

[funkytechmonkey]

thanks vintage...

How about the brackets above that cross member. I think that is where the break lines were attached. Can that be removed too? Also... the small cross member in the back where the after market tank goes. does that need to stay?

[SeventyOne]

I would say anything welded to the frame is not stock and ok to remove. other crossmembers that are riveted or bolted to the frame are absolutely needed.

Those little brackets with the ? mark look like e-brake brackets but I could be mistaken. I would keep them.