Roadster Elephant Ears Finish

[jeffhelms56]

Trying to finalize my items for powder coat so that I can drop them off next week. Are the splash guards visible such that I need to powder coat them? If so, I assume that they will need coating on both sides.

Thanks...Jeff

[edwardb]

Highly recommend coating the wheel/tire side with undercoat. You'll hear every stone and pebble pinging off of them if you don't. Plus the dark color will make them less noticeable and a clean appearance to the wheel wells. As for the other side, you'll get different opinions. Some want all the bare aluminum coated. That's how I approach it. Others only what is "visible," and the back sides are similar to the rest of the underside of the car, e.g. not visible with the car sitting on the ground.

[Murd]

I did mine with Bedliner. Only drawback of that seems to be that dirt sticks to it and doesn’t like washing off the rough bedliner surface.
Not sure if undercoat is better?

[jeffhelms56]

That’s what I needed to know. I’m going with the “visible” only approach.

Thanks Paul

[jeffhelms56]

Not sure if undercoat is better?

Maybe someone who has used both can comment. I’ve read that the bed liner can be hard to keep clean.

[John4337]

I used roll on bedliner paint, no problems in 19000 miles. I’ve only cleaned it a couple of times, you can barely see it unless you lay on the ground

John

[Jeff Kleiner]

Unless the customer prefers otherwise I do the tire side of the splash panels with rubberized undercoating. Ya' know what? If it gets grungy all you do is break out the spray can and hit it again---viola---five minutes and it's all nice and black just like day one!

Jeff

[i.e.427]

We've been using the rubberized under-coating for years and recently switched to this stuff.

https://live.staticflickr.com/7828/46787461094_6b71753684_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ehrY8G)flex_seal_black_liquid_rubber_spray (https://flic.kr/p/2ehrY8G) by i.e.427 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152631091@N02/), on Flickr

Sticks really well and seems a bit thicker than the under-coating.

[Papa]

I used the same Hurculiner roll-on bedliner that I rolled on the underside of the body on the tire side and the same spray on stuff on the back side for both front and rear panels.

[Murd]

I should also add I had my front wheel splash guards powder coated the same as the rest of my panels and then put the bedliner only on the tire side.
From inside the engine compartment the backside matches all the other panels.

[jeffhelms56]

Thanks Murd. I’m gonna go with PC on the back side of the front guards and rubberized undercoating on the rest. I wanted to make sure that all of my panels in the engine bay matched.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

DD with 10,000 miles on rattle can bed liner. Wears well & it it gets dinged a quick spray & its good as new.

[Murd]

Thanks Murd. I’m gonna go with PC on the back side of the front guards and rubberized undercoating on the rest. I wanted to make sure that all of my panels in the engine bay matched.

Get both side of those panels powder coated, just scuff up the side you are undercoating so it sticks.

[jeffhelms56]

Get both side of those panels powder coated, just scuff up the side you are undercoating so it sticks.

Just the front ones...right?

[Murd]

I didn’t powder coat the rear’s, just rolled bedliner on both sides. If I did it again I might powder coat them black and just undercoat the tire side.
I only said to powder coat both sides as it’s less confusing for the guy doing the powder coating, won’t cost anymore and I think it’s easier to stick to then the bare aluminum.

[jeffhelms56]

I didn’t powder coat the rear’s, just rolled bedliner on both sides. If I did it again I might powder coat them black and just undercoat the tire side.
I only said to powder coat both sides as it’s less confusing for the guy doing the powder coating, won’t cost anymore and I think it’s easier to stick to then the bare aluminum.

Thanks for the input. I’m inclined after all the feedback to PC both sides and undercoat the tire side of the guards.
Jeff

[Dwmaurer86]

Good info. I'm almost to this point!