blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

I just received my front lip directly from RK Sport. I opened it up and saw that it was like a rubber looking material. I thought it was weird, but sent it to my body shop. I called him today and he said he cannot paint it because it is rubber. I called RK sport and they said no its made of polyurethane and that it is not rubber. Can anyone tell me if their lip they have is like a rubber material, not plastic like the rest of the car(side skirts, bumpers, etc). also if they are a rubbery material, how the frig does it get painted???

thanks

J-Jeezy

Light scuff with a grey Scotch-brite, you don't wanna gash the material. Clean real good, then use a adhesion promoter, I tend to use bulldog. Then a light primer. After that spray about 3 coats of your color. Then finally, spray 1 light coat of clear, followed by 3-5 good coats of clear. Keep in mind that since this will be close to the ground, it will be more proned to chips, scratches, and dents....Hense the many coats of clear. good luck, ask more questions if needed.

kxrida2000

iTrader: (12)

first thing id do is change body shops haha

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

ya i guess I need to use a flex additve because if not the paint will just chip because of the flexibility of the lip.but i think its going to the body shop somewhere. BUT also, i want to make sure that i am not wasting my time, has anyone had problesm with these lips and their paint peeling/chipping because of the flexibilit?

J-Jeezy

Not that i know of. A buddy of mine has the full lip kit painted black. All his has is orange Peel texture because the shop he took it too didn't feel like buffing it

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

hmm.. rk sport sent some cheesy paint directions and it said to use flex additive. i probably wont be painting this it will probably go to a body shop, but i was tryin to figure out what needed to be done to see if i could do it myself. anyone have a procedure?

J-Jeezy

Like this? Or what other questions do you have?

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

where the flex additive comes into play

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

i talked to a guy this afternoon nfrom another local body shop who quoted me about 300 for the paint job, now he didn't exactly understand what i had but said he had a good idea and if it wasn't what he thought it was the price would vary a little but by the sounds of things thats pretty ******* expensive to get teh front lip painted I was thinking more like 100-150 which is still more than i would like to spend but....I am supposed to bring him the part monday and get a legit quote....depending on what he quotes me I might call another shop but if I get another outrageous quote I would like to do the job myself. Does anyone have any good painting procedures I can follow on how to paint polyurethane parts, and how to use the flex agent?

Thanks guys

J-Jeezy

The flex adgent you put on before your primer. Usually spray to coats, first one light, second on wet. Then let it flash for about 20 minutes. Then primer over that with a plastic specific primer. About 2 coats same process as the flex adgent. Then just follow the process from the second post for the base and clear coats

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

so the flex agent is a type of paint i guess you could call it. you don't mix it into your paint? so paint spray two coats of flex agent, then primer over the flex agent, then follow your steps of scuffing it up, using adhesion promoter, then primer again then paint then clear coat. any sanding in between any steps? what type of primer?

J-Jeezy

Nope. The flex adgent is the adhesion promoter. At least the one I use always has been. It was a flex adgent/adhesion promoter combo. But before everything the lip itself would have to be scuffed lightly. So scuff, flex adgent/adhesion promoter, then primer, paint, clear.

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

ok now what brands/types of paint, primer, clear do i get any suggestions?

J-Jeezy

Duplicolor has a pretty good GM color match system. Might wanna try them. Or just ask around some of your local paint shops

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

is this a good process??
dry sand all the surfaces to be painted. I used wet/dry sand paper.
WHEN SANDING, hold the sandpaper with your bare hands, do not use a sanding block. You can "feel" much better with your hand and will be less likely to sand too much. Also, be very light handed when you sand near edges or corners. These areas sand off quite easily.


Use compressed air to blow off the lip whenever needed:


Wash the lip with dish soap to get most of the oils and loose plastic compounds off the surface. (I used Windex 'cause it was handy.) Then with some cotton *****, rub the lip with alcohol to make sure it's really dry:


Here are all the sprays you'll need to do the job properly. Always shake each can well before using. Rattle the little ball (inside the can) around liberally and have the paint at room temp and use them at room temp, NOT if it's near freezing. Hold the nozzle about 6" to 12" away from the surface to be painted. Start with a sweeping motion away from the part and press the spray nozzle when you are over the part. Release the button once you've passed the part. Remember, light coats are always better than heavy coats, so don't linger with too slow a pass. If you are too slow, the spray will run. If this happens, wipe it off gently and adjust your distance and speed of the pass next time. Don't try to cover the surface with a solid coat each time. After 3 coats, it will be covered.
Start with 3 coats of "Adhesion Promoter". Paint does not stick to plastic very well and this helps. Let dry to touch between coats and wait at least 1/2 hour after last coat. Sand very lightly to get the large globs flattened if necessary. This stuff is like some sort of solvent that chemically "roughs up" the plastic.
Then you do 3 coats of "Flex Fill". This is a primer that is needed for parts that are soft and will move under daily use. Wait to dry to touch before doing another coat (1/2 hour). After the last coat, wait a day and then lightly WET sand if necessary. (Soak the sandpaper in luke warm water for an hour and use a water spray on the paint as you sand. Sand in straight lines, in two directions (90 degrees from each other), NOT in circles. Blow off dust.
Then do 3 coats of color. If you need to wet sand between coats, leave it to dry well for several hours. If no sanding required, wait about an hour. Feel the surface with your bare hand to determine if you need to wet sand. After the last coat, again wait a day.
Then do 3 coats of clear. Generally, these do not need wet sanding, but again, feel first. Don't sand the final coat. Wait a few days after you're done before installing on car.

mkulrey13

iTrader: (39)

I hope your not rattle canning it?

Cobalt08LS

iTrader: (15)

oh but he is i believe!
i would never rattle can a bumper lip or spoiler or anything like that with the exception of the front bowtie my tails and sidemarkers... dont care how much money id save. professional paint only for pieces like that!

Foximus

iTrader: (13)

As long as you prep it right andyou use flex additive in the primer and paint, you will be fine.

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

I dont know what I'm doing lol. I am getting a couple price quotes hopefully tomorrow. I am also trying to figure out waht is necessary for me to do this with a spray gun (big air compressor).

"As long as you prep it right andyou use flex additive in the primer and paint, you will be fine. "

What is the right prep then? The flex gets mixed with the paint and primer? or do you paint a coat or two of the flex stuff on the bumper as mentioned in the process above that I found off a S2000 site?

blackmer826

iTrader: (1)

well lip is at shop 140 for it to be painted i figured it would b worth that