Painting frame.... good idea?

[CHEVYZ]

Well, the 05 450r is undergoing a complete make-over. That being said... the frame is looking just a little too plain for me. Is there ANY type of paint... auomotive paint or anything of that type that will work on my frame. I mean... the frame comes painted from the factory, right? I would get it powdercoated.. but the pockets are getting empty and I am STILL not done with the engine. Come on guys... help me out here.

[TM426]

Powdercoat is the only wayto do it. Paint will scratch to easy and is a waste of time IMO. You might as well so it right or it was a huge waste of time.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

There some kind of paint thats pretty good and doesn't chip as easily but I forgot what it's called, I'm sure someone will post in here with the name of it. But your gonna need a few coats of paint.

[TM426]

Learn from my mistake. ^^^^^ I used that paint. Its called POR15. It is said not to run it does and it scratches easy. I took mine to get it burned off and powdercoated before putting it together. The paint cost more then the powdercoating did.

[CHEVYZ]

Well, the bike is gonna be run particularly in sand. All the same?

[CHEVYZ]

Anyone else?

[suck my pipe]

Yes you can paint it, dont listen to them. I had mine painted blue and it looked great. As far as runs i guess thats the person painting it, and as far as scrates you can touch up paint.. Just use spray paint not autmotive paint, that way if you get a big goudge or sumthin you can fix it easy. I would just get an old towle and use it to block over spray and touch up whatever needed it when i would clean my quad.

[300excrazy98]

you can paint it and it will hold up good only if you prep the frame right! you have to sand the frame down. Clean it really good, get all oils off... They paint it, put multiple coats down, as well as a couple clear coats!

[FoxRacing81]

While I would not reccomend painting, if you had to, this is what I would do. I would get the frame as clean as you possibly can. Sandblast if you have easy access to one. Primer, put MULTIPLE coats of paint on, with multiple coats of clear...Buy an paint spray gun...don't go cheap and use spray paint.

As far as touch up, you can just use some of the same paint and a brush. Works fine.

[suck my pipe]

you guys make it to difficult, I striped the quad cleaned the frame real good, scuffed it a little with sand paper and put like 4 coats of spray paint on. You just have to do like a coat a day so the paint drys good and it will look and last great. Clears not really needed, because when you touch it up with spray paint it will look funny. It's as simple as spraying it on lololololl. Every one talks bad about painting your frame but I have done it twice to my quad and i also did a friends and it always worked just fine!

[wilkin250r]

I would skip the clear coat. Yes, it will chip a little easier, but there is a reason.

Painting your frame definitely has it's advantages. If you have a spray paint, a light bit of sanding and masking, and touch-ups are a breeze. If you have a clear-coat, you have to sand through the clear, mask it all off, spray it, then re-apply the clear coat. Touch-ups become literally three times the work.

Obviously the spraypaint won't hold up as well as powdercoating, but touch-ups are really simple.

[stalefish_132]

if done correctly paint can be allmost as tough as PC.and it is a good idea to have clear on it, makes it alot more durable.rattle cans aren't worth your time at all, industrail paint that they use on heavy equipment is your best bet. i did mine last winter and i have had a few tiny little chips where the paitn didn't stick well and a few little chips from being hit by a brute force:mad: but it can all be touched up in about 5 minutes. i'd find a good local shop in your area and ask them about what kind of paint would work well for you. i would reconment gettign it sandblasted and then primed and painted. here's a picture of my frame...

[CHEVYZ]

Yeah, I am still looking both ways. There are a few local powdercaoting and painting shops around here... I am gonna compare those prices and Pappy's and see how much it would cost. If it is too much I will just paint it. Later if I am not happy will send it off to get powdercoated, but you never know.

[Toadz400]

I would definately check out local powdercoating businesses if you're extremely tight on money. A friend of mine had his 400EX frame, oil tank, engine mounts, swingarm, hubs, multiple little other things all sand blasted and powdercoated for extremely cheap. Won't say the price, but it was cheap. The quality seems to be there, it's just that we're out in the middle of nowhere so I'm guessing they don't expect people to pay very much for these services.

[NorCalRacer]

Originally posted by TM426
Learn from my mistake. ^^^^^ I used that paint. Its called POR15. It is said not to run it does and it scratches easy. I took mine to get it burned off and powdercoated before putting it together. The paint cost more then the powdercoating did.

POR-15 is an extremely specialized product designed for rust. To apply it, you must use metal that has already been attacked by rust, use two preparation chemicals then apply
POR-15, afterwards using a self etching primer and a good paint. If this is not done exactly it will not work, if it is done right it is almost the best stuff on the planet. As for a quad frame, I would try and find an epoxy based paint as they hold up much better than normal types. If you can't find epoxy paint hammer finish seem to be tougher than most. Also, when paint shopping, realize that engine and automotive style paints will have resistance to petroleum while it might have damaging effects to normal paint (oil, gas). I hope that helps;)

[DieselBoy]

will powdercoat rub down say in the boot rub spots?

i painted frames before and they stayed nice and if they ever needed attention I just touched them up...

im new to powdercoating, i dont know anythiing about 'bout it...

[metalmellinium]

This is what you should do. Get the frame and sub fram sand blasted. Then take it to a Autobody shop, i bet they wouldnt charge you more then 150 bucks. They could just put it in with some bumpers. All thats needs to be done is, sand blasted, right after that needs a etch primer, dont need to sand it, if painting it right away. Then spray your base coat and clear it, very easy. You dont even need to bake it.

[firefighterjosh]

Ether get it PC or do not paint it. You wont be happy after a few rides unless you never get behind anyone or ride through woods type terrain.

[CHEVYZ]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. It is really helping me to make an informed decision. Waiting to hear back from a few local places. Depending on their prices I will make my final decision on what I will do.

[Warnerade]

I highly suggest NOT painting your frame. Unless you want your power washer to do this.

No matter how much prep you do...spray paint will NOT hold up the way powdercoat will...it just simply wont.

[trick250r]

nacs is right... plus can you imagine how much paint will come off when you spill brake fluid on it? if you get the powdercoat, its done... it looks good and holds up in the roughest enviroments. with paint, you'll have to keep touching it up and in the end, spend more money on that than you would on powdercoat.

[TM426]

I did my frame, subframe, and clutch cover for under 200.

[metalmellinium]

Why would you even spray paint a frame? I mean come on, its a 5 dollar can of paint, no wonder why it doesnt stick and come off.

[bayou boy]

when i had the 300 i blasted the frame and used a good epoxy primer. then i used imron paint with clear. it looked good and wore well i sold the quad 1 1/2 yrs later still looked good. the imron is a hard paint and will hold up...it isnt cheap though but it will work. if u use a 1.99 can of spray paint from wal mart and dont prep the surface properly it will suck. take your time and do it right u will be ok....remember the quad at sand hill the 400ex on alky...his frame is painted also has been that way for a few years and still looks good.

[Warnerade]

Originally posted by bayou boy
when i had the 300 i blasted the frame and used a good epoxy primer. then i used imron paint with clear. it looked good and wore well i sold the quad 1 1/2 yrs later still looked good. the imron is a hard paint and will hold up...it isnt cheap though but it will work. if u use a 1.99 can of spray paint from wal mart and dont prep the surface properly it will suck. take your time and do it right u will be ok....remember the quad at sand hill the 400ex on alky...his frame is painted also has been that way for a few years and still looks good. of course it will look good...if you only ride it at dunes 4 times a year, its going to stay nice. Powder coat...there is a reason a majority of people swear by it.

[CHEVYZ]

Originally posted by bayou boy
when i had the 300 i blasted the frame and used a good epoxy primer. then i used imron paint with clear. it looked good and wore well i sold the quad 1 1/2 yrs later still looked good. the imron is a hard paint and will hold up...it isnt cheap though but it will work. if u use a 1.99 can of spray paint from wal mart and dont prep the surface properly it will suck. take your time and do it right u will be ok....remember the quad at sand hill the 400ex on alky...his frame is painted also has been that way for a few years and still looks good. Really? I thought he had his powdercoated. Hrmm..

[bayou boy]

my quads are ridden way more than 4 times a year...and not just dunes. i ride the crap out of it in all different environments not just dunes. i even power wash mine....maybe you didnt prep it properly...maybe you used cheap paint...i dunno just looks like it didnt bond right if it came off with a pressure washer. like i said i used an epoxy primer and imron paint...held up and still looked good 1 1/2 yrs later. under the a arms etc. did have wear but pc will too. all i am saying is if you want a cheaper option as in paint the imron will work.

[firefighterjosh]

Boy is right in a way,

My truck I go offroading with and pressure wash it off and no paint comes off.

If prepped right you can get paint to stay on.....but in the long run PC will hold up better, and prally cost about the same price

[NorCalRacer]

A proper paint job will hold up almost as well as powdercoat. Also, if the paint does chip you can touch it up. I don't know of any way to touch up chipped powdercoat.

[firefighterjosh]

Originally posted by NorCalRacer
A proper paint job will hold up almost as well as powdercoat. Also, if the paint does chip you can touch it up. I don't know of any way to touch up chipped powdercoat.

I have a blue powder coated frame and I just went to a automotive store and bought some touch up paint. Looks good. The only parts I have had to touch up was were my seat rubbs my frames. I also sprayed a little clear coat over the touch up spot to give it a little bling:)

[Snow]

Originally posted by NacsRacer027
Unless you want your power washer to do this.


Your powerwasher blew the case off of your motor!!??!:eek2:

[NorCalRacer]

Thanks, Ill try that on a few things. Did it stop the PC from chipping up further?

Originally posted by TM426
Powdercoat is the only wayto do it. Paint will scratch to easy and is a waste of time IMO. You might as well so it right or it was a huge waste of time.

no way. motor paint on my frame dont scratch or chip

[CHEVYZ]

I called BR powdercoating and they wanted $250 to do a frame... not including the sand blasting. That is too much for me just to have the frame done. I Have a friend at work who's brother does it, though. I am gonna see if he can do it for a reasonable price. Would be nice, but if not, then I will paint it. If I prep it well and take my time I should not have a problem.

[Warnerade]

Originally posted by CHEVYZ
If I prep it well and take my time I should not have a problem. sure ya will

[theTman]

um...i painted my old 400ex frame 2 times...and the only way it scratched was if i hit a rock or tried to scratch it

this was taken after about a year of it being spray painted...it went through everything from mud to a pressure washer

[Warnerade]

and i dont know about you...but I sure as hell get hit with a lot of rocks on the MX track. gotta love holeshots.

[DieselBoy]

yeah i had pretty good luck with my YZ's with painted frames, they were easy to fix, and the coating was very durable even when i'd drop it :blah:

[firefighterjosh]

Stock frames are painted...correct??????? They seem to hold up

[MOFO]

Originally posted by firefighterjosh
Stock frames are painted...correct??????? They seem to hold up


Not with a can of cheap spray paint!

To the starter of this thread....

If you are spending the time and $$$ to redo and tear your quad down... why not save some extra $$$ and do it the right way - the first time...unless you know your selling the quad after the rebuild. Do it right and powder coat it!

You probably paid what, around 5-6k for your quad and you can't come up with $250? Kids and their priorities....

[CHEVYZ]

Well that is the thing, the bike is being tore down and rebuild from the ground up regardless. I was asking about painting the frame as a cheaper way around powdercoating... like I said, I WOULD rather powdercoat it and have it done right the first time... that is not it. I am trying to have it done for the next Clash of the Titans, a pretty big event down here. I am not gonna have the time to come up with all of the money necessary to finish the bike and PC it if it is gonna be running me $325 just to do a frame.

[DieselBoy]

well, i dont exactly got $250 kickin around, but if moneys an issue just paint it. talk to some paint shops, they should be able ti give you the right kind. i mean, the paint they use on skidloaders holds up very well considering the conditions they endure. a paint like that would be ideal. just one of my suggestions..

[figair]

Originally posted by DieselBoy
well, i dont exactly got $250 kickin around, but if moneys an issue just paint it. talk to some paint shops, they should be able ti give you the right kind. i mean, the paint they use on skidloaders holds up very well considering the conditions they endure. a paint like that would be ideal. just one of my suggestions..
I second that...........

[ilpadrino113]

wouldn't it be cheaper the powder coat the frame than use good paint and it really well?? As long as there was shipping involved of course

Originally posted by MOFO


You probably paid what, around 5-6k for your quad and you can't come up with $250? Kids and their priorities....

That $250 could get a nice pair of used shocks.

[moneypit]

honestly i would powder coat, i just painted my frame but only because i can do it for free since i own a body shop, the paint should be pretty durable if it is prepped correctly but a powder coated job will be able to be as or more durable