Clear coat issue

[SuiteSuccess]

Looks like my clear coat is starting to peel.  Is this something that can be easily repaired with sanding, spraying and feathering?

[GlennWest]

Mine doing the same on just the hood.

[Star Dreamer]

Usually the whole panel is sprayed or at least up to a body line as it will leave a hard line. The entire surface to be sprayed needs to be scuffed. So the clear coat adheres correctly. You will want to have someone check to see why yours is peeling as you do not want to spray over it and it still peels.

[beemergary]

No way to just sand and respray. Will need to be sanded and new base coat (color) and then clear coat.

[GlennWest]

Shops I go to all say if repaired, it will happen again. Poor paint job. Sand it down and repaint. I have got prices from 3k to 6k for just the hood.

[sbslinde]

Yes it can be re cleared.  The area must be scuffed for the clear to adhere. I use red scotchbright pads.  You should feather in the areas where the clear has peeled away.  Make sure to clean the area very good.

 I have repaired my truck this way and will be doing it again this year.

3k to 6k seems a bit steep to paint a hood.

[GlennWest]

I agree. You stated fix spots peeling. Mine just continue peeling. Bunn repaint job.

[sclord2002]

Carl, my hood clearcoat was flaking badly. I had the hood repainted with basecoat/clear last year.    Charlie

Edited February 27, 2019 by sclord2002

[GlennWest]

7 hours ago, sclord2002 said:

Carl, my hood clearcoat was flaking badly. I had the hood repainted with basecoat/clear last year.    Charlie

Do you mind sharing your cost.

[sclord2002]

Glenn, I got lucky and was refered to an aircraft painter who sanded, primed and painted my hood  in my back yard.  $500.00 labor and approximately @200.00 in materials. Unfortunately my guy moved  away.  Several years ago I was quoted 5k for a complete paint job....I'm sure it would be higher now.  My hood is not perfect but it suits me just fine and it was  convienent and affordable. My guy was planning on doing some painting on my camper, too, but  he had a really goog job offer out of state , darn it .         Charlie

[GlennWest]

I am a fair painter but since selling everything and going full time no where or equipment to fix mine. Most places surprise me with what they want for just the hood. The darn comes off easy. Not all that tape to put on to protect the rest. Easy job.

[DesertMiner]

On 2/25/2019 at 1:23 PM, SuiteSuccess said:

Looks like my clear coat is starting to peel.  Is this something that can be easily repaired with sanding, spraying and feathering?

What do you do to fix this?

[rdickinson]

Vinyl wrap it.

[SuiteSuccess]

Thanks to the help of GeorgiaHybrid I repaired.  First I used a plastic razor blade and cleaned off all the flaking around the edges. Then used 1000 grit sand paper to scuff up the area and surround. (Use can use the Scotch pads as mentioned above). Use caution and not rub too hard because the base coat comes off very easily.  After cleaning with mild soap and water and drying, masked off the area and sprayed with two part clear coat I purchased on Amazon.  I sprayed 4 coats at 10-15 minute intervals.  Allowed it to dry and cure for 48 hours and then used wet sanding with1500, light compound, followed by polishing and then waxing using a variable speed Porter Cable buffer.  The trick that Georgia showed me was using some pressure on the buffer to heat up the clear coat and get it to blend.  Go multiple directions.  It’s an art because too much heat or pressure can damage.  All said and done not a perfect restoration but very passable and should last awhile. I will try to post some pics of before and after.

Note.  Even though you mask off area to be sprayed (we used blue shop towels) you may want to go cover more than you think you need.  Even with a light breeze, I got some overspray on other areas I’m going to have to buff off.  The two part clearwith the hardener really sticks.

Edited July 22, 2019 by SuiteSuccess

[Nuke-E]

Mine is going to need the same thing, along with some paint work along the top where it looks like someone didn't properly prep the aluminum trim.  It started peeling last year, and has gotten pretty bad.  Interestingly, it has a unique, symmetrical pattern, almost like it had some decals or a wrap at some point.  Almost looks like it had flames like Jim & Allie's truck.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

12 hours ago, Nuke-E said:

Mine is going to need the same thing, along with some paint work along the top where it looks like someone didn't properly prep the aluminum trim.  It started peeling last year, and has gotten pretty bad.  Interestingly, it has a unique, symmetrical pattern, almost like it had some decals or a wrap at some point.  Almost looks like it had flames like Jim & Allie's truck.

Hard to match 20yr old flames.... But it could be done.

 

[SuiteSuccess]

Here is the finished product.  Not perfect but very acceptable.

[Cotreker]

I am going to give this method a try, I have watched a number of Utube sessions on how this is done.  Just need to order a two pack of the gloss clear cans.  Will take some before and after shots.  Cannot look any worse.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

2 hours ago, Cotreker said:

I am going to give this method a try, I have watched a number of Utube sessions on how this is done.  Just need to order a two pack of the gloss clear cans.  Will take some before and after shots.  Cannot look any worse.

Just make sure you buy the two part catalyzed clear coat. It has a button you push on the bottom to mix the two parts. After that, you shake it like normal and spray. What you need is a paint like this:

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-2k-aerospraytm-high-gloss-matte-clear.html

[Parrformance]

https://www.amazon.com/Spray-High-Gloss-Clearcoat-Aerosol/dp/B00W2D806Y/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=2+part+clear+aerosol+epoxy&qid=1564569858&s=gateway&sr=8-1

[Cotreker]

Thanks all, I will for sure purchase the 2-part clear.

[Nuke-E]

I'd say that looks pretty good!  Especially on a red truck, where fading can be hard to hide.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

20 minutes ago, Nuke-E said:

I'd say that looks pretty good!  Especially on a red truck, where fading can be hard to hide.

Agree... I can make black paint match better than red.

 

[RandyA]

Carl, there are so many different paints on the market now it can be difficult for a non-professional to buy or apply the correct product.  Unless you have a buddy on the "inside" the retail cost of the paint, hardener and possibly thinner are pretty darn hard on your pocketbook too.

The fix method I am going to give you is for back yard shade tree repairs.  It is not the best but it is also not totally inferior.

Go to your favorite auto supply store - AutoZone,  Advance Auto, etc.  Purchase the following material (note links to Amazon products):

Rattle can of Dupli-color clear lacquer (must be acrylic lacquer not acrylic enamel), you can also use the two part clear Parrformance referenced.  It is more durable than the acrylic lacquer. Several sheets of #600 3M wet or dry sandpaper, a solid rubber flat sanding block, a pint of surface cleaner for the removal of wax and oil, clean lint free rags and at least one tac rag and some HAND rubbing compound and a bottle of Meguires fine cut cleaner.  If you need tape buy the one designed for automotive use, not the cheap stuff or blue tape for brush painting.

Start by using the cleaner to remove all wax and oil.  saturate your rag, apply then immediately dry.  Turn your rags to a clean spot.  Do this several times.

Put a piece of #600 paper in the rubber sanding block and lightly wet sand the area about 3" beyond your peeled spot.  Slightly feather the edge of the clear coat around the area to be repaired.  Do not try to completely remove the edge or you could damage the exposed basecoat..

Lightly finger sand inside the spot where the clear coat peeled.  Again, lightly so you do not go through the basecoat.

Wipe down with your cleaner again and go over the area with your tac rag.

From the rattle can spray a light double coat on the peeled spot trying not to go too far beyond the damaged edge.  Let the clear dry completely and repeat.  Depending on how thick your original clear coat was you may need to do this  6 to 8 times.  Your final coat must feather out at least 3".  If you get a run don't panic - just let it dry normally.  Put everything away and wait at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours.

Using the hard rubber block sander, plenty of water and the #600 sandpaper sand in even strokes over and around the damaged area.  The idea is to get the lacquer in the damaged area to the same height of the original clear coat.  Use your hand and fingers while wet to feel your progress.  When satisfied, clean up and get out your rubbing compound.  Careful, this stuff can cut pretty fast.  Follow product directions for hand rubbing.  Put some on your cloth and start polishing the damaged area and surrounding clear coat.  It will look milky - this is normal.  Once satisfied that you have achieved rubbing out the majority of sand scratches switch to your fine cut cleaner.  The milky finish will become shiny and you should have a nice repair.

Again, this is OLD paint technology.  But it still works and it is a lot less expensive than a pro body shop.  I would not advise doing it on anything bigger than the spots you showed in your pics.  I would also advise you not to fool with this if the area where the clear coat came off just keeps peeling back.

Failure of clear coat is often the sign of a "dirty" paint job.  Not dirt like under your feet but contamination from silicone and wax.  Once a spray gun is used with silicone (for fish eye elimination) it can not be returned to use for paints without silicone.  In open shops silicone floats in the air.  It will contaminate your surface.  Another reason is using an Acrylic enamel as a base coat.  Painters do it all the time because it is less expensive.  But acrylic base coats need to be dry and sanded before clear application.  Urethane base coats can generally be clear coated in just a few hours dry time and bond well.  There are so many variables to base coat/clear coat repaint jobs that even a hospital clean base primed with a urethane sealer/bonder, a color urethane base coat and a high solids QUALITY urethane top coat can turn milky after a few years or start the separate as yours is.  Seemingly simple things like the wrong air pressure at the spray gun, dirty air from the supply line, film thickness and airborne contaminates can lead to later failure.  Still, simple old school backward patch jobs can give satisfactory results if done correctly and save hundreds of dollars in material and labor.  This is not to say the repair will become invisible but it should look good to anyone 5 feet away or when you are traveling down the road at 55 mph.  There are a lot of 5 - 55 paint jobs out there than can last for years.  Good luck!

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by RandyA