clear coat peeling

GlennWest · December 4, 2016

On my truck around hood where engine heat and sun bakes it, the color seems good but clear flaking. Anything I can do short of painting

rpsinc · December 4, 2016

Throw a pic on here of the area. I am investigating the same thing on my Newmar 5er. I will share some of what I have learned but want to see what you are dealing with first. I have painted cars etc in the past so have SOME experience.

GlennWest · December 4, 2016

Raining now. Will do later.

I'mdonewiththis forum · December 5, 2016

My understanding is you can get the clear in a rattle can at most any place that sells automotive paint and body supplies. Then I would clean it, sand the area with maybe some 600 grit paper and spray it.

rpsinc · December 5, 2016

I have not heard of any automotive clear coat available in a rattle can. Clears are generally urethanes and need to be sprayed with some solvent. I am not sure that even if some were available in a rattle can that I would use it for a hood. Not much solid material in those cans esp for a repair like that. Need to prep it right though and then have it reshot in clear. There is a school of thought that clear should never be redone over clear. If the clear has broken down and is peeling, most shops want to respray the base coat and then clear over the top. Those components work together and the base helps set off the clear. New clear over old clear is relying on the old clear to give you a good repair. Sometimes its about stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime. Got to think it through. Do you want a short term fix or something that will last.

Keep in mind that most of what I have done is based on the limitations of available chemical and chemical compounds in California. Another of the reasons that I am working my way out of here. It is increasingly difficult to get job to be done well when the limitations on our product base is restricted.

GlennWest · December 6, 2016

I actually picked up a rattle can of clear at O'Reilly today. Going to try it on an area first before doing all of it. It doesn't have to be perfect. I could leave as is but if I can improve it!!! I have a friend back in NC that would paint it for me at a great price. I would help prep it. That will be later.

RandyA · December 6, 2016

The unofficial shade tree method for folks with no spray equipment, automotive paint skills or clean room is to wet sand the edges where the clear is still bonded to the base coat with 400 grit paper to get a good feather edge that you cannot feel with your fingers. Next step is to grab a can of wipe on Minwax polyurethane at Amazon, Lowe's, Home Depot or other home store. Apply several coats per the can's directions with cheese cloth. You can wet sand with 1500 grit paper a few days later and buff with a fine cut compound if you want a smoother finish. Since the product is for "interior" use it will need a good coat of wax a few days later. Don't expect it to be body shop quality but it will be better than the white haze and pealing clear you have.

If you must use a rattle can product buy the DupliColor clear lacquer with the fan spray tip - not an acrylic enamel clear. Spray 3-4 medium wet coats allowing the lacquer to flash between coats You can wet sand the lacquer with 1000 grit paper and compound/polish to blend after a few days in warm weather. Might hold up for a year or so.....

GeorgiaHybrid · December 6, 2016

You can get a good catalyzed clear coat in a can from several places but I know of several that have used this one with pretty good success and it can be bought at several different places:

http://www.repaintsupply.com/spraymax-3680061-2k-urethane-clear-coat-aerosol-p3685.html

You need to push a pin on the bottom of the can in to release the activator and then shake well for an additional two minutes. Some local paint stores can also mix up clear and even base coats the same way (push in the pin to release the activator). Just make SURE you use a good quality mask for isocyanate paints when you use these. Catalyzed paints are not to be taken lightly.

Dollytrolley · December 6, 2016

Shucks Glenn.....if reading all the posts for wet sanding bizzillion $$$ multi-part paint it starts to make your head hurt (even with the proper mask).

You might just rethink the paint and consider what some of the off-road Geeks do..... drive down to the bed liner shop and have them shoot your hood day-glow Green simi-gloss.....

Bullet holes no problem, just goober more bed liner in to fill the hole.....cracks and dents, no problem just fill it with more bed liner.

After you fixed your Shaker wipers everything else is a walk in the park

.

Drive on....(don't wax your bed liner)

rpsinc · December 6, 2016

I just REALLY appreciate the sharing of information and experience. I have learned more than I could have expected. Certainly gives more options for different situations.

Alie&Jim's Carrilite · December 7, 2016

I've actually had good results with the Duplicolor brand. What RandyA said would work fine. Clean the area with a prep solvent, feather the rough edges, lightly sand the bare area, clean again and put several light coats of rattle can clear on it. After it cures, you can buff or do a little fine grit wet sanding-800-1000grit, and buff.