Painting the cage - process

[Reno Computer Repair]

I need some tips for this....side project. Got the PSC trail cage add-on.

1. Sandpaper grit?
2. Special type of primer needed?
3. Rattle can our buy some good stuff?

I am thinking of doing the entire cage a gloss black, or to match the exisiting metallic blue scheme.

If I do decide to remove the stock blue from the existing cage rear half, what would be the best method to remove? Manual sand (12 pack to Connect), wire wheel?

[MR.ROCKAPE]

IF IT ALREADY HAS PAINT ON IT,JUST SCUFF THE WHOLE THING WITH 220 GRIT SAND PAPER OR A RED SCOTCH BRITE PAD.YOU DONT REALLY NEED TO SAND IT OFF UNLESS IT IS ROUGH OR CHIPPED.AND UNLESS YOU GO TO BARE METAL I WOULDNT USE ANY PRIMER.

PAINT.......I HAVE USED THE SPRAY BOMBS FROM SUMMIT THAT ARE EPOXY PAINT,THEY WORK PRETTY GOOD BUT ARE FAILY EXPENSIVE AT $8-9 A CAN.

NOW FOR THE ULTIMATE FINISH A HARBOR FREIGHT HVLP SPRAY GUN AND $50 WORTH OF UV RESISTANT PAINT FROM BARRET PAINT SUPPLY WILL LOOK LIKE ITS ALMOST POWDER COATED(SMOOTH AND EVEN TEXTURE).THIS IS THE MOST TIME CONSUMING METHOD BY FAR,BECAUSE OF ALL THE MASKING YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IF YOU DONT TAKE THE CAGE OUT OF THE VEHICLE.IF IT DOESNT GET COVERED IT WILL HAVE OVERSPRAY ON IT!!!!!(SINCE THE FLOOR OF THE GREEN YJ IS NOW SILVER....)

[Connect]

I do like that metallic silver that Cockape used on the YJ and Truggy. But I think the back half of the cage stays in the interior unless Kevin wants to remove it for paint, so probably the epoxy cans from summit would be the best. Why use cheap ass paint it'll just chip and fall off.

[Reno Computer Repair]

Taking it out looks to be ah....a royal pain in the ass. There is a bolt on the floor that is bigger than ANY wrench I have. But if that is the "right" way then so be it.

So what grit sandpaper should I use on the bare metal cage trail cage add-on that was just installed?

[MR.ROCKAPE]

Taking it out looks to be ah....a royal pain in the ass. There is a bolt on the floor that is bigger than ANY wrench I have. But if that is the "right" way then so be it.

So what grit sandpaper should I use on the bare metal cage trail cage add-on that was just installed?

STILL USE 220 GRIT AND PRIME IT!!!MAKE SURE TO WIPE THE CAGE DOWN AFTER SANDING WITH A SOLVENT(I USUALLY USE BRAKE CLEAN)THEN PRIME....THE OILS FROM YOUR HANDS WILL LET THE PAINT NOT STICK WELL!!!

[Connect]

Taking it out looks to be ah....a royal pain in the ass. There is a bolt on the floor that is bigger than ANY wrench I have. But if that is the "right" way then so be it.

So what grit sandpaper should I use on the bare metal cage trail cage add-on that was just installed?

So when did you volunteer me for this little project? Let me know so I can make sure I have time!!!

Don't forget about my laptop either now :cool:

[Reno Computer Repair]

I am knee deep in the sh!t now as I speak.

Getting the cage out is a no-go, two of us have been sanding the crap out of it for the last two hours. The windshield was a little bitch at first. Will post up pics later of the progress. For now here is some before pics:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage003.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage002.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage001.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage005.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage006.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcage010.jpg

[Reno Computer Repair]

So we tried to take the cage out, but a t45 torx on the impact did not play well with others....:eek: I broke the torx bit, and took that as a devine sign that was not the preferred choice.

So it is being painted in the vehicle...
What can I say...
Sam warned me:wink:


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2002.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2007.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2001.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2003.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2006.jpg

[Connect]

Lots of blue tape and painters plastic for the win!!!

[Reno Computer Repair]

My arms are toast, running that paint remover wheel for two hours is no fun.

I am going to paint the rollbar black gloss, since it is less shit to do/buy.

I got the 220 grit that Rockape mentioned, but it is going to be a masking party trying to paint that thing in the vehicle.

I am still pissed that TORX bit broke:14:

[Connect]

My arms are toast, running that paint remover wheel for two hours is no fun.

well I'm not quite sure if you grasped the concept of "scuffing" the paint, but at least since you went down to the primer the paint will turn out nice in the end :Big Grin:

[MR.ROCKAPE]

My arms are toast, running that paint remover wheel for two hours is no fun.

I am going to paint the rollbar black gloss, since it is less shit to do/buy.

I got the 220 grit that Rockape mentioned, but it is going to be a masking party trying to paint that thing in the vehicle.

I am still pissed that TORX bit broke:14:

JEEP LIKES TO USE TORX'S IN PLACES A REGULAR BOLT WILL DO!!!I WOULD HAVE MENTIONED A LITTLE HEAT BECAUSE THE ALSO LIKE TO USE LOCK-TITE,IF I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ON IT!!!

IF YOU GO TO BARRET PAINT SUPPLY ON VASSAR,YOU CAN BUY A GIANT PIECE OF PLASTIC TO LAY ALL OVER THE REST OF THE JEEP TO HELP AGAINST OVERSPRAY!!!!GET SOME BLUE OR GREEN MASKING TAPE FROM THEM TOO!!!!!ITS THE KIND THAT DOESNT LEAVE ANY STICKY CRAP BEHIND!!!(UNLESS YOU LET IT BAKE IN THE SUN FOR THREE DAYS....)

[BIG BLUE]

Rig is looking sweet. Now you just need some aggressive tires and tube fenders. And you really didnt need to sand that much. You just needed to scuff the surface and that would have been fine, but this coming from a guy who barely felt the need to wash the mud off before painting mine but hey to each his own.

[Connect]

Now you just need some aggressive tires

Period.








Ok not period it needs some gears and a locker too :Big Grin:

[Reno Computer Repair]

Yeah, about the scuffing....

I could not find the red scotch brite pad at home depot last night. I bought the drill attached paint remover instead. To many places had chips/gouges in them so I am am going down to the metal so the shit is right (I hope). Worked on it from 9am to 11am this morning and got half the cage bare.

Did I mention my hands hurt?

Tires come later....I have another 2 months to save for a little itty bitty engine mod.

[Connect]

Tires come later....I have another 2 months to save for a little itty bitty engine mod.

I'd go with gearing and tires before supercharging and/or turboing the engine, but that's just me :eek:

[BIG BLUE]

Yeah gears, lockers and tires..then bling bling stuff for the motor...although it would be nice if I could go faster than 60 down the freeway...and thats downhill. But it crawls pretty good. I was curious if that was light reflecting off of your seat covers or if you installed some pretty leds lights for extra bling factor???

[BIG BLUE]

Oh and while your sanding the cage maybe think of adding a rear spreader bar to the cage before you paint it all up. If you look at any pics of rolled jeeps you see that those rear sections like to fold in....not a biggie since you dont have rear passengers but since its not hard and your in the process of doing the cage, it was just a thought.:Big Grin:

[Connect]

Oh and while your sanding the cage maybe think of adding a rear spreader bar to the cage before you paint it all up. If you look at any pics of rolled jeeps you see that those rear sections like to fold in....not a biggie since you dont have rear passengers but since its not hard and your in the process of doing the cage, it was just a thought.:Big Grin:

that's a good point.

[Reno Computer Repair]

Those pretty reflections are from the rhinestone seat covers Rockape hooked me up with. I think he got them from the Liberace estate auction in the 80's :tongue:

It's actually the metal clips on those damn things, they light up in damn near every picture....or maybe it's just because I don't know how to use my camera properly (HELP!!! Dirty Harry!!!:wink:)

[BIG BLUE]

Those pretty relections are from the rhinestone seat covers Rockape hooked me up with. I think he got them from the Liberace estate auction in the 80's :tongue:

It's actually the metal clips on those damn things, they light up in damn near every picture....or maybe it's just because I don't know how to use my camera properly (HELP!!! Dirty Harry!!!:wink:)

I was just wondering about those cause I got the same seatcovers only in green and tan and mine didnt do that...i thought maybe I missed the on/off switch. But it sure does make your jeep look purty!

[Reno Computer Repair]

Back to using powertools on my pipe:wackit: :eek:more pics later

[Reno Computer Repair]

Almost done with the prep, damn this is some dog work:smash::boxin::thbananahump: 5 hours on it today.


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2001.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2002.jpg

Neighbor brought us some beer:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2003.jpg

I knocked it over...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2004.jpg


90% prep work done:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2005.jpg

[MR.ROCKAPE]

DAMN...TO BARE METAL???MIGHT AS WELL JUST POLISH IT AND CLEAR COAT IT!!!!THEN YOU WOULD BE.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okTBN_SjWVI

[Reno Computer Repair]

You should have heard us going after the beer - chrome paint, keep it that way, and yesterday & spotted gold plating paint at Home Depot then I could christen the Jeep: Goldmember.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

You should have heard us going after the beer - chrome paint, keep it that way, and yesterday & spotted gold plating paint at Home Depot then I could christen the Jeep: Goldmember.

YOU KNOW YOU WANNA....

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c233/rockape81/spinnaz.gif

[BIG BLUE]

:thbling:dang dude thats some crazy ass work...usually its a good idea to leave the factory prime coat since its baked on...but since you already got it to bare metal just polish it and clearcoat it!! That would be hella sweet. I think gold would contrast with the blue paint...plus then you would have to get a gold grill....like this
http://www.mrbling.com/

[BIG BLUE]

So whats the final verdict? Did you finish the cage? How did you do it and what color did you end up painting it....its not nice to tease and then not follow thru!!!!:tongue:

[Reno Computer Repair]

40 Hours of labor, hand numb, DONE!:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2painted003.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2painted004.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2painted005.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y225/renohomes/Wrangler%20In%20Progress/jeepcagepart2day2painted006.jpg

[MR.ROCKAPE]

SO IS THIS YOUR LAST ROUND OF MODS???LOOKS GOOD AND IS MUCH SAFER THAN THE STOCK HOOP AND BOLT-ONS.

[Reno Computer Repair]

I think new tires are next since I failed at the last RockGods snow run:frown:

[MR.ROCKAPE]

I think new tires are next since I failed at the last RockGods snow run:frown:

A REAR LOCKER MIGHT BE YOUR FRIEND TOO!!!!

[BIG BLUE]

Wow thats turned out real nice. Yup now its time for a locker and some new rubber....and then....well you know it becomes a never ending process!!!!:Big Grin: