Striping wheel wells and underbody, what to use and what to recoat with?

[Fred Allen Burge]

Hi guys,

It's starting to get warm here and I'm getting in the mood to get my car done. It's stripped down to the shell at the moment and I'd like to strip off the underbody coating and wheel well coating and refinish all that before I paint the body.

What's best for stripping all that coating off?

What's the best stuff to reapply? I want something at least as good as OEM, not something you buy in an aerosol can at the parts store.

Thanks,
Fred

[blueshark123]

use a wire wheel brush. then apply 3m schultz

[sidewaysil80]

+1 on the wire wheel/grinder, then i apply a coat or two of "rust bullet", then duplicolor or w/e aerosol bedliner over that. the aerosol bedliner is used just a top coat/black paint that is a little more durable then paint. the meat and potatoes of the job is the rust bullet on the bare metal.

[onehundredoctane]

Just my perosnal opinion, but if you're going to bare metal with it then you either need to use etching primer (made for sealing off bare metal) then go over that with under coating. Your other option would be using POR-15, that shit is like concrete when it dries and prevents rust.

[Dorifto Machine]

Good Timing, I was planning on starting the same project very soon.

Ive heard good things about rust bullet + rubberized undercoating

[Fred Allen Burge]

Just my perosnal opinion, but if you're going to bare metal with it then you either need to use etching primer (made for sealing off bare metal) then go over that with under coating. Your other option would be using POR-15, that shit is like concrete when it dries and prevents rust.

Definitely don't want to go to bare metal, just want to melt/burn/scrape off the coating down to the paint and redo it from there. I'll look into the POR-15, thanks!

[Fred Allen Burge]

http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/POR15ApplicationInfo.pdf


CAN I APPLY POR-15 OVER OTHER PAINTS?
Yes, but you will lose the important benefi ts of POR-15. You must
remember that ordinary paints are weakened by exposure to moisture.
POR-15 can’t stop rust if it isn’t in direct contact with the base metal

It looks like POR-15 is really made for application on bare metal, if you use it on painted or coated metal it looks like you'd be paying a ton and not getting it's main benefit.

I think as long as the factory paint/coating is intact after stripping off the oily rubber undercoating then all I'll need is new rubberized undercoating and I'm good.

So I guess the question remains as to the best way to strip off the factory undercoating... ideas? I'm thinking a chemical that would soften it then scrap it of...maybe lacquer thinner or enamel reducer?

[Promise Land]

why strip off the original? I scrubbed mine with a citrus degreaser and reapplied factory undercoating. Looks great and will last for a few years until I feel like touching it up.

[sidewaysil80]

imo rust bullet is far greater then por15. i'd have to google but some independent tests showed rust bullet prevented rust way longer then por15. in addition por15 is a 2 part process.

[blueshark123]

I prefer por 15 you just have to follow the guide. first make sure its sanded and all washed and debris free.

Spray marine clean with hot water then wash it off let it dry.

then spray on Prep and ready let it sit for a bit the nwash off and dry.

Finally you can apply the por-15.