Painting subframe

[USAFs13]

Recently purchased a spare subframe that I can throw some solid bushings in and paint without having the car down too long. Showed the subframe to a powercoater and the guy was like $300....sooo Im thinking about doing this myself. First off I would like to find out what I can use to clean the subframe before paint (chemicals etc).

[Om1kron]

I'm assuming you're in the miltary due to your user name, and you haven't learned what to de grease something with yet?

[Treefish]

You have an oven big enough for a subframe? :O

[KiLLeR2001]

Buy a kiddie pool, fill it up with purple power, toss the subframe inside and let it soak for days. Get in a full body hazmat suit and a scrub brush and go to town on the subframe while singing "Mary had a little lamb".

[buentellomma]

Originally Posted by Om1kron

I'm assuming you're in the miltary due to your user name, and you haven't learned what to de grease something with yet?

75% of the Air Force sits behind a desk and surfs the web all day. If you happen to live near an airbase just watch on Monday and you will see just how many people do not get their hands dirty by seeing who's in their dress uniform and who's in their camos. OP you might want to start with a degreaser.... Heck even take it to a car wash and hit it with high pressure and degreaser.

[Edwin562]

Originally Posted by KiLLeR2001

Buy a kiddie pool, fill it up with purple power, toss the subframe inside and let it soak for days. Get in a full body hazmat suit and a scrub brush and go to town on the subframe while singing "Mary had a little lamb".

no lie im going to do this......

OP, alot of degreaser, a few wire brushes, and a few hours you got yourself a clean subframe. I did it to 2 subframes, krispy clean within 2-3 hours.

[XiaoAZN]

For my subframe, I washed it with a pressure washer, sanded it down with 100 grit, painted it with por15 and then painted it with my color of choice on top.

[JDM_Tuner]

Honestly heavy duty degreasing isnt needed if it isnt too dirty, just wipe it down with some grease & tar remover and then shoot the spray paint. It comes out really well as long as theres no rust or dried up dirt on the subframe.

[Renelovesnike]

Originally Posted by USAFs13

Recently purchased a spare subframe that I can throw some solid bushings in and paint without having the car down too long. Showed the subframe to a powercoater and the guy was like $300....sooo Im thinking about doing this myself. First off I would like to find out what I can use to clean the subframe before paint (chemicals etc).

Actually painted my subframe with pbm solid bushings in the paint booth lastnight! i just power washed it, and scotch brighted it with the orange pumice degreasser they give away with oil change packeges at autozone! did this several times then wet sanded for prime and then wet sanded for base coat and just cleaned it with Compliant solvent and tacked ragged it before paint/clear.

[az_240]

If you don't want to spend a lot but still want a factory looking durable finish try Rustoleum appliance (refrigerator) aerosol paint in black. Most aerosol paints suck but this stuff is actually pretty durable and doesn't look bad. Just 1 or 2 THICK coats does the job. I normally remove most grease/dirt with a hose and old towel then use scotch brite pads with Tide soap (straight orange pumice works good too) in warm water to clean stuff before paint.

[Rag]

Pressure wash with water, pressure wash with degreaser, get the nooks and pockets by hand, scotch brite, paint...

[willywong86]

I used aircraft stripper on mine and took all the paint off.. LOL im anal like that hahhaha

[jr_ss]

Bead blast, prime, powdercoat. Cost me $100.

[thefro526]

I would just get it powder coated. It's going to be more durable than any DIY paint job.

Biggest hassle is finding someone with a big enough blast cabinet, when I got mine done, my PC guy had to send it to some hot rod shop for blast.

[Renelovesnike]

I would have also welded and boxed all the cennecting ports to the ruca/toe/lca but i didnt have enough time before class ended "yesterday last day" so i just shoot it! if i come accross another one ill box it/reinforce it!

[feito]

soak it with concentrated simple green, let it sit for 15-20 min (dont let it dry), pressure wash it (carwash lol) repeat if nessesary, then heavy coats of vatozone gloss black paint done..

[USAFs13]

Thanks for useful responses guys. As stated earlier most of us in the air force have desk jobs so degreasing has jack crap to do with my job but I figured simple like simple green might work but I had seen on other threads people using aircraft stripper and other similar products. Wasnt sure if that was overkill or not. Im still going to get it powerder coated but I figured the cleaner this thing was the cheaper it would be cause they were gonna charge an extra 30 just to clean brand new calipers on top of the price to powdercoat them.

[ShadowMan]

I thought guys in the airforce were supposed to be smart.

[Om1kron]

Originally Posted by willywong86

I used aircraft stripper on mine and took all the paint off.. LOL im anal like that hahhaha

This would probably be the most efficient way to do it if you're not afraid of handling chemicals. Because I simple greened that motherfucker twice and the only way to truly clean a damn subframe is to hot tank it.

[Z33dori]

purple power and a car war wash

[blueshark123]

sandblasting is the proper way to prep for powdercoating