Revitalizing ranger plastic fender flares? Heatgun it?

[Josh B]

I only remember seeing one truck with these done, it was a 93. He took them off and painted them, they were black and maybe his truck was red?
That came out looking fine

 

[Lefty]

None of that stuff works for me, and I've tried many and some higher end types. They just dont hold for long, or dont seem to work well with the light grey. My fenders are pretty beat though, and the texture on them is pretty rough. The next thing step up I believe is stuff with a dye or pigment that is professional trim restore but is pricey and supposedly messy and stains stuff, and is more for black.

I only remember seeing one truck with these done, it was a 93. He took them off and painted them, they were black and maybe his truck was red?
That came out looking fine

I would pull them off, yes.

 

[86_FX4]

I pulled my flares off a junkyard truck and painted them up with 5-6 coats. but I don't see why you couldn't just tape off around them. Just make sure to cover you entire truck to shield it from the overspray.

Krylon has several disadvantages. It is softer than 2K and not at durable. Most cars and trucks these days are made with plastic panels. They were all sprayed with 2K at the factory, not Krylon! Krylon is no longer the best medium for plastic. Also Krylon doesn't make paints to match your truck colors. NAPA 2K does. Maybe Eastwood 2K does too. 2K Lays down real easy, doesn't run drip, or sag as much, sets up, nice, flat, smooth.

Oh, hey thats a great idea. Grab a set from a junkyard so you can really take time to prep/sand/coats/etc while the stocks stay on the truck and keep you on the road! Maybe paint the stocks after pulling and store them away somewhere, freshly painted. I like that!

I'll have to look into the 2k, it sounds like a good deal, I think people just mention the Krylon alot because its easy, available, cheap and durable, and comes in a can. I've got a buddy who has a very nice HVLP paint setup so I could spray anything really!

 

[Lefty]

Yes, I got the flares and and all the hardware for $60.00. I did a lot of sanding to get them back in shape. I painted them laying down flat, but not on the floor. I put them up on blocks to keep the dust off. I sanded in between coats to maintain a nice smooth texture. 2K will hold up, no matter what color. It's what your truck was painted with. You can always touch it up too. You need not even use an HVLP. 2K comes in special cans now. Not cheap, but you won't have to do it again.

 

[86_FX4]

Yes, I got the flares and and all the hardware for $60.00. I did a lot of sanding to get them back in shape. I painted them laying down flat, but not on the floor. I put them up on blocks to keep the dust off. I sanded in between coats to maintain a nice smooth texture. 2K will hold up, no matter what color. It's what your truck was painted with. You can always touch it up too. You need not even use an HVLP. 2K comes in special cans now. Not cheap, but you won't have to do it again.

Nice!! I think next time I make my way to a salvage yard, I'll price out some fenders. I really like the idea of painting a second set, and taking my time, not my stocks. Then I could also toy with color for fun if I get the desire to paint the stock ones. Do you recall how high you went in the grit for between coats?

 

[Lefty]

Nice!! I think next time I make my way to a salvage yard, I'll price out some fenders. I really like the idea of painting a second set, and taking my time, not my stocks. Then I could also toy with color for fun if I get the desire to paint the stock ones. Do you recall how high you went in the grit for between coats?

Yes, I have a full set of grits. I cleaned up the deepest scratched with 120 then finished them with 220, then 400, I put down the primer and sanded with another 400, then another primer, sanding after with 400, then top color corrected with 400, then the last coat corrected with 800. I sprayed a clear coat and corrected again with 800 then a final spray corrected with 3,000, then 5,000 then a buff job, then a ceramic wax.

If this sounds altogether a little extreme, you are right. I've got a show room paint job. You could just use 400 between each coat. If you also just want black you might prefer a satin clear coat which looks like rubber.

 

[Lefty]

You might also notice that some (but not all) flare sets come with a mudflap on the front. I would look for these in order to protect your rocker panels. I found these to be a necessity. My own
tires are wide and my wheels are slightly off set. Chances are that if you go to the junkyard you will not be able to save the steel brackets that reinforce the flaps and hold them in place. You will probably break them, but that's okay. You won't need them anyway.

 

[Lefty]

You can also use boiled linseed oil. It does the very same thing with no chance of warp. I watched "Sarah-in-Tune" in a You Tube video try to save her plastic fender wells (not her flares) with a heat gun only to discover that they would not fit back in. I wiped mine with oil. It worked and took less than half the time. That was over two years ago. They still look good

 

[broncc]

Forever Black works really well of faded plastics.

 

[Lefty]

Here's another 2K paint job done on a home made steel fog light bar. I wanted the paint job to last. It has.

 

[Lefty]

Forever Black works really well of faded plastics.

Never tried it. BTW I'm also disappointed that so much of the Ranger trim and so many interiors are gray.

 

[Lefty]

You might notice the gray rubber trim on the bumper. I would love to paint it except I'm sure that no paint will stand up to the wear and tear. Will forever black work?

 

[86_FX4]

You might notice the gray rubber trim on the bumper. I would love to paint it except I'm sure that no paint will stand up to the wear and tear. Will forever black work?View attachment 104359

Bumper? What bumper I just see a guy in jeans talking a selfie in front a mirror!

Jokes aside, nice paint job. In my searching everyone seems to really like "solution finish", but it will stain/dye plastic black, which maybe what you're looking for.

 

[Lefty]

Bumper? What bumper I just see a guy in jeans talking a selfie in front a mirror!

Jokes aside, nice paint job. In my searching everyone seems to really like "solution finish", but it will stain/dye plastic black, which maybe what you're looking for.

Do you know if it is durable?

And thanks for the mirror mention. Little things like the finish colors become increasing more important when you can enjoy a show room finish, even take your Ranger (now an antique) to a car show. Don't get me wrong either. I have driven-rusty-but trusty for many years. I still mine hard. It's just less depressing to drive Old-but-New

 

[86_FX4]

Do you know if it is durable?

And thanks for the mirror mention. Little things like the finish colors become increasing more important when you can enjoy a show room finish, even take your Ranger (now an antique) to a car show. Don't get me wrong either. I have driven-rusty-but trusty for many years. I still mine hard. It's just less depressing to drive Old-but-New

I've never used it, but all signs point to it being the best, most permanent and "professional's choice". But it is messy, greasy, stains, and can be a real pain for any interior stuff... but I don't know anything other than what google tells me other people say!