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Painting Door Handles?

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Anyone painted their door handles to match their truck? I see a lot of the show trucks that have done this and am wondering how difficult it is. (See the Cannonball express from Performance West as an example) I have '03 on order so if anyone has done it I'd love to hear and see some pics.



I know your supposed to add some fex additive and such. Is the best way to take it to a professional?
 
TBrennan,

This is something that I have been asking for the last 6 months to several body shop type folks. I went to SEMA and decided that I would have my mirrors and door handles painted to match the body paint when I get my new truck.



What I found was that you could see the confidence in the person you asked. I got responses from "it won't last" to "we do several a month and never any problems". I was reading some literature from House of Kolor about the painting of plastics and other non-metals and decided I would find someone that does trick paint jobs. There is alot involved and little tricks of the trade that these body guys have picked up over the years that I don't know about.
 
Thanks for the info. That's what I suspected. Unfortunately for me, I live in such a rural area that I can't imaging too many body shops have much experience in this sort of thing. Maybe I should have them shipped somwhere to have it done?
 
door handles

I spent a while working in a body shop, we did paint a fair amount of door handles and mirriors. Product quality and longevity depended greatly on the product brands that you used and also on the prep job that was done. Anything plastic is supposed to be preped with a flex additive. Can be done at home, but if you want it to last hire it out to a reputable shop.



Good luck,



Jason

:p
 
TBrennan

I have done quite a few door handles over the years. I am not completely familiar with the new 03 style door handles, but have done dozens of the older style. There are countless products on the market to make paint stick to plastic. I have always used Sherwin Williams finishes at the shop I work at. The steps taken are to wash them in solvents. One is like soap and water, but way more expensive, the next solvent is alcohol based and helps remove static that will cause problems. After this is done you scuff them lightly, tack them off with a tack rag and put a 1k plastic adhesion promoter on. If you have a textured handle, the next step would be a 2k primer surfacer. This will fill voids and texture to give a smooth finish. After the primer is cured you sand with 400 grit and then 600 grit wet or dry. Then comes the best part, color. With door handles, which arent a flexible plastic you wouldn't need a flex agent. This is only for the fascia and bumper parts where the paint may flex when an impact occurs. Sherwin recommends a ounce of hardener per sprayable quart of basecoat for all plastics. This would be the same hardener you use in the clear. After the color is applied and you are happy with the coverage and color you apply the clear. Note this is painting in a nutshell, and there are many steps I left out so my post won't be a mile long. Any specific questions, Ill try to help you out the best I can.

Derek
 
Great info Dpugh. Sounds like a pro is needed to do this right. This information should allow me to find someone who does it right anyway.
 
Does anybody out there know of a company that sells aftermarket chrome or stainless door/tailgate handles for our trucks? I personally have had no luck finding one.



Thanks,

Bill
 
Originally posted by wlowe

Does anybody out there know of a company that sells aftermarket chrome or stainless door/tailgate handles for our trucks? I personally have had no luck finding one.



Thanks,

Bill



Yes! Just yesterday I found PUTCO has them. Unfortunately their web site would not give me prices so I e-mailed them. When you go to their site, look under "Fender trim". By the way, their not replacements, their covers. They look good in the pictures at least.



http://www.putco.com/
 
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