My advice after I did the Rustoleum paint job 91 4x4 ranger

[Pauls 4x4]

I started with this



And ended up here:


Sigh, I really really want to keep this truck... but my wife is making me sell because we are moving and she won't ride without AC through Arizona, etc... it's also a pain to tow with anyways..(But if you like i'm on the I.E. craigslist *wink*)

I did the whole Roller paint job, and even did the roll-on bedliner:


(Which having worked with rhino-liner, Bullet-liner, etc. I now feel doesn't deserve the hate. I mean body shops have no interest whatsoever in saying it sucks... they all fade) I just wouldn't do the rails with it again.

The pros:
I've used the Spray guns, etc. the roller is way more forgiving on Bondo and sealer (though a tad pickier on putty)

There's a lot on the side I hit a boulder:


And after:


I wheel in the brush, and the biggest pro is how tough the paint is compared to the typical stuff (that's the big catch though)

It's cheaper than Maaco, but it ain't no 50 dollar job. It's about $75 for paint but another 60 for other things, more if you follow my advice.

The cons:
The paint orange peels no matter what, I realize now thinning to 40 thinner /50 paint really only helps the dry times.

It also doesn't hid any feathering compared to using filler primer, so I've got a few nasty patches on the hood that'd i'd of redone if I wasn't in a hurry to sell.

Which gets me to my advice:
1. The biggest: Buy a DA polisher/sander and really hammer the sucker out.

I'm unable to finish it the way I want because I lack that. Even a good job needs that "pro-level" cheater bar.

2. Go spray can on the primer for the "filler primer." Almost all the issues I don't like that woulda fixed
3. Go heavy on the paint, don't bother sanding between coats 12 hours or so apart. Use the whole gallon.
4. Sand in the paint from 1500-3000 after at least a week
5. Polish and it'll be pretty dope.


You have to mask almost nothing (just scrape paint off windows/ pull the window seals)

 

[Trepat]

Thanks for posting this, I've been exactly wondering about the roll-on paint job. Yours looks good, you even did the colour I'm thinking of doing my 1990 in.

So, are you recommending to ditch sanding in-between coats, and just sand a week after initial painting? Then when you sand, run from 1500 to 3000 grit then polish? Would you recommend any kind of clearcoat, or no?


Thanks again.

 

[adsm08]

Have you considered keeping the truck and selling the wife?

 

[Doofy]

Ditto on selling the wife! No woman should come between a man and his truck! (Pssst, don't tell my wife I said this)

Paint job looks pretty good!

 

[adsm08]

Ditto on selling the wife! No woman should come before a man and his truck! (Pssst, don't tell my wife I said this)

Paint job looks pretty good!

I'mma tell her!

My wife threatened to divorce me if I ever sell mine.

 

[Doofy]

She's a Keeper!