How best to paint or prime under new hood strut ball bolt inserts?

[SpifNup]

22 Ranger XLT. Preparing to install Redline Tuning hood struts.

Have several small questions on best rust-prevention method, if paint or primer (examples) added under replaced painted fender bolt (& washer).

Know little about rust-prevention or painting to prevent or inhibit rust.

Yet wish to handle this tiny project as well as possible.

Received Redline Tuning hood struts & preparing for install.
Looks like extremely easy bolt-on. No drilling required.

Install requires removal of factory fender bolts (one under each side of hood) ... to allow replacement with ball bolt insert (& washer) to be used as hood strut bottom mount.

A. Original factory fender bolt (& washer) is well painted (seems like Oxford White, matching exterior paint).

B. In Redline Tuning install video, looks like removal of that factory fender bolt--to replace with ball bolt insert--may expose a shiny, unpainted surface under the removed bolt & washer. [ Didn't yet remove orig bolts & washers, but suspect I'll find shiny metal, more or less. ]

1. Guessing my fender/cowl metal is aluminum? (hood seems light) That right?

2. Good idea to use paint or primer on any exposed metal under removed factory bolt & washer, before inserting new ball head bolt (for lower strut mount)?

2. If so, what's recommended to best protect against 'rust' or corrosion: primer, paint, both, or something else?

3. Should it be brushed on, or sprayed on (after masking surrounds)?

4. How many coats? Is one enough? Each coat thin?

5. Should I use a primer, or a 'final' paint?
[ Realize will be hidden under new washer (if new washer dia. no less than factor washer). ]

6. Any special type of 'paint' material ... if exposed metal is aluminum ... or steel? Does it need to have built-in rust inhibitor?

7. Can I do the prime or paint while it's cold (35 to 40F) in my garage?

8. How long to wait to properly dry (due to cold) between application and ball head bolt install? Or between applied layers (if recommended)?

9. Should I install hood struts without concern now, but later in warmer temps (springtime) remove the installed ball bolt & washer to paint underneath at that warmer time?

10. Ball head bolt and washer--strut mount hardware sets--are (I believe) black powder coated.

Somewhere in the past (on job & later in readings) I recollect learning that dissimilar metals always create some sort of automatic electrolysis (or current flow) between them. Causing rust or corrosion to occur over time.

11. Perhaps powder coating on hardware prevents an issue? Maybe current only flows when magnetic or electric field exists in dissimilar metals area.

12. Does exposed aluminum require painting (does it merely corrode in self-limiting manner ... but not 'rust')?

Simple project I'm undertaking (install new hood struts in new vehicle).
Yet I have lots of technical questions and virtually no knowledge or experience.

Just the goal of reducing rust-type problems over the long haul (long as I can keep my vehicle in working order).

Thanks in advance for tips.

I don't mind reading & studying things for myself ... if this stuff is already discussed somewhere in a good article.

--Spiffy

 

[dvdswan]

Lots of concern in your post. Understandable. But IMO, the one bolt on the fender and one on the hood, I really don't think they would see much road salt to worry about. I don't live in a salted area, but with all the rust prevention done by auto manufacturers these days I wouldn't worry about it. I would just bolt it on. You could also look for hardware that is stainless steel/CRES.

 

[SpifNup]

Thanks dvdswan. Yep, I'm concerned, but not [yet!] a hypochondriac.
Big investment not to protect (where reasonably possible) for the long run.

Good point regardless: not likely much road water or salt would get under hood in that bolt loc.

My personal new DD's have been 1) Pinto; 2) Nissan pickup; 3) 04 Ranger 2WD SuperCab 4.0L.
Kept them 8, 14 & 18 years, respectively.
Plus used Chevy & mostly Fords, at times.

Didn't mess much with the Ranger until later years.
Started getting more involved and enjoying the effort.

Beautiful ride. Enjoyed hard-road trips & small dirt road action--say, getting to trailheads for hikes.
Of great utility when moving self or others.
Ran great even until trade-in. Some rust (not too bad) had been setting in.

Never really tried bodywork (or had time/space/tools to attempt).
Bed had single, quarter-size hole. Seams under doors, and rear bumper corners, showed rust streaks.
Had obtained Krown rust-proofing about 3 times over the years (likely helped a lot).
Local mechanic (last inspection or repair job) said generally looked good underneath.

Was adding Lucas Oil upper cyl lube to most tanks in recent year or so.
Still getting 20-21 mpg on highway, even at 70+mph speeds.
Not great, but definitely not bad for the 4.0L (plenty of power for merging, passing or hauling).

Reading these forums makes me regret not doing, not attempting more over the years.
Still having pangs from trading it in.
Inexpensive ride (paid for since purch) & inexpensive to maintain (particularly compared to new veh cost).

Possibly a poster here could have happily given it a nice forever home (applying more know-how and care than I ever did).

Ah well, dealer sells trade-ins to someone who then fixes up and sells them to appreciative buyers.
Prob worth much more than my received trade-in value (yet no regrets), but sure helped with the new acquisition.

Shopped for factory spray-in liner in new 22 Ranger 4WD.
Think & hope it'll help (eventually with some sort of tonneau) avoid bed rust-out for years.

Appreciate the feedback. I'm learning.
Will eventually be less concerned about my new 'baby'.

Wife getting anxious to drive it, once I get initial Krown protection--prior to releasing it for regular use on our cold, salted, at-times-wet roadways.

--Spiffy

 

[DaveT]

I'm in the same position, getting ready to install the Redline struts. Trying to sift through the words above and address the issue of preventing corrosion in and around the fender bolt. My plan is to put some silicone rubber caulk under the bolt prior to cinching down. As the bolt compresses it will hopefully squeeze some out forming a bead around the edges of the bolt to prevent ingress of water. I'll do nothing for the hood bolts since no paint should be removed there.

 

[Lefty]

Any kind of rattle can enamel spray paint will break down in maybe just one winter. A clear coat of urethane will help, but you probably won't be happy.

I have had good luck with a 2 part epoxy primer made by Eastwood. It's a true epoxy. There is a red button on the bottom of the can. When you push it in you release a catalyst that activates the set time. The contents inside the can will work for about 48 hours.

Forty degrees is probably too low for anything to work. you will need a heat source.

This stuff is expensive,about $30.00 a can.

Eastwood's 2K AeroSpray Epoxy Primer Gray & Black

Performance and Durability of a Two Component Coating without the Paint Gun

www.eastwood.com

 

[DaveT]

It really shouldn't be that big of a worry. Both the hood and the fender are made of aluminum, and neither will rust. Aluminum can oxidize in its own way, but not like steel rust.

 

[SpifNup]

Forty degrees is probably too low for anything to work. you will need a heat source.
This stuff is expensive,about $30.00 a can.

Thanks, Lefty! Appreciate epoxy primer tip and will check it out. Have already started to look at paints (& primers) in local auto stores.

Understand primer cost frugality mentality (matches my typical behavior). Yet my new ranger (and prevention/inhibition of future rust or corrosion) is worth every penny of useful protection that can be purchased & applied now ... near start of ownership.

DaveT: Haven't yet installed Redline struts. Also have RokBlokz mud flaps to install (higher priority).

Did get Krown anti-rust treatment. The process sprays underside, plus inside body panels (hollow panels) including hood, doors & tailgate. If no opening exists (from factory), they drill small opening and after spraying coating inside panel with wand, they plug each hole with small plastic insert or flush cap to keep out moisture and allow future Krown treatment sprays (perhaps annual, if owner desires).

Waiting on warmer weather (mainly) to clean & dry (& perhaps wax or treat) flaps areas--to somehow protect or seal underneath prior to install. Keep vehicle garaged mostly until then, particularly on wet/snow days with salted roads. Use wife's vehicle instead.

Struts attach at hood ends using blind nuts & ball head bolts mounted in rectangular holes (open from factory on my 22 Ranger XLT).

Road splash & road salt may not be likely to land there (not saying impossible), yet humidity sure can enter & condense in cold weather inside hood.

Not sure if inside of hood panel is 1) painted, or 2) otherwise coated (by factory), or 3) if Krown's oil-like chemical protectant spray has well coated the inside metal (or painted metal) surrounding those rectangular mounting holes.

Been pondering whether to carefully wipe inside around the edges of the rectangular holes in hood panel before installing blind nuts/bolts. Because the Krown oil may lubricate under nuts, allowing them to loosen or slip over time. And if I smear any protective paint or material there (before installing nut/bolt), I'd like that material to 'stick' for entire life of strut (& hood) if possible.

NOTE--my main concern isn't simply moisture under fasteners (that's one concern). Dissimilar metals (nut/bolt/hood metal) may generate (if touching) electrolysis that causes corrosion. Physics says this occurs automatically. Corrosion from electrolysis can be far worse (occur much faster) than water/oxygen rusting.

Not being a chemist, I need to read up as much as possible on materials designed to prevent such electrolysis & metal corrosion.

Had an assembly job many years ago where we painted some awfully sticky, grey goop between washers, bolt heads and metal pads (mounting 18-ton transformers into electric locomotives via large diameter bolts). Steel pads, steel bolts, metal washers, zinc coatings on some fastener items. More than one metal type involved. The grey goop (horrible to get on work clothes--could never wash it out) was expressly designed to prevent such electrolysis from naturally occurring.

--Spif

 

[Blmpkn]

I *believe* ford started putting steel fenders on the rangers as a cost Saving measure sometime during '21... Can't remember exactly though. Magnet test.

 

[DaveT]

Well, if the fender is indeed back to steel (and I have heard others claim this based on a magnet test), then we don't have to worry about dissimilar metals and electrolysis there. I'm just gonna use silicone caulk under the bolt so it squeezes out into a bead around the bolt and prevents water coming in. I have no worries about the dry-clamp setup for the hood. (Of course, living in Arizona has it's benefits!)

 

[DaveT]

Got the struts mounted. I used a rubber washer with clear silicone underneath, and a larger than supplied washer to mash the rubber down into any roughed up paint from bolt removal.