Painting Rear Axle

[jmnielsen]

Standing behind my car one can clearly see the rusted rear axle and stock diff cover. It's been bugging me for some time now. I'd like to paint it black and the diff cover a color. I plan on power washing under there, then I'll take a wire wheel to it with my cordless drill, then clean that off. Then prime and paint. Anything I need to be careful of or look out for or any suggestions?

 

[KChurch86]

Ricel did this recently, I forget if he did a dedicated How-To on it or if he did it within his build...I'll see what I can scrounge up and link it for you.

EDIT: Yeah, I got nothin' to link for you other than his build, but it doesn't look like he went over how he went about doing the job.

Maybe somebody else will chime in with more useful info.

 

[civicjoe]

For some reason I feel like Kuma has done this, maybe shoot him a pm and see if hes got a how to on this. I know it would be beneficial to all

 

[Silver dude]

If you can get the Plasticoat industrial paint cans. The cans work 360 degrees allowing sprays at any angle even upside down. I respray the whole underside every 10months or so with gloss black hit and hit the shocks with clear, mod parts with gray. Usually just park outside grab two cans of black and spray the underside till they are both empty. As a result the bottom of my truck looks new and not from the rust belt. I get positive compliments and questions on it frequently.

Only things you want to look out for....

Rubber hoses or anything rubber... you paint them they dry out and start to crack quicker. So I've been told.

Shock shafts... yeah don't paint the chrome shock shafts the seals.

Brake rotors... obvious no on the shiny rotor surface.

Transmission, transfer case, radiator... I stay away from as paint is a insulator. A raw aluminum surface will get rid of heat faster then one layered with paint.

The rest is pretty much free game. I don't mask off sections just use the can close to the part to get a more controlled spray around the areas. Your not painting a hood or visible panel just the rough areas under the truck so even if your sloppy it looks great. If I want a gray diff cover I'd do lightest colors first. Get the gray on there first, maybe use a piece of card board in your hand to mask the edge as you spray the black if you want tight lines.

 

[Mudlover55]

seems like a good excuse for an upgraded diff cover!

 

[Ricel]

CLEAN EVERYTHING WITH SIMPLE GREEN!!
But make sure you wear a mask or bandana or something.

I just blocked the front wheels, jacket her up and rested her on the spring buckets on the frame with jack stands. Then hit it with simple green, let sit and power washed it. Then after it dried, hit it with an assortment of whizz wheels. The plastic ones that look like a Brillo pad work great. Simple green again (lighter) and poet wash, then after a full dry. Rustolium rusty metal primer. Think it's brown to dry. Then some matte black paint for color.

I've hit my diff a couple times, and only takes off the black paint. Touchup here and there, and your good.