Best black paint for wheel wells?

[89 jimmy]

Looking to paint my front and rear wheel wells and wondering what kind of black paint would be best to use? For 89 Jimmy. Mine are in good shape, just looking to make em look even better. Someone mentioned POR paint (I think that’s what it’s called). What do you guys recommend?

 

[Capt Ron]

Van Sickle. Great stuff sold at Tractor Supply and at Murdochs I think.

 

[beags86]

POR is shit.
Buy some quality enamel. And take your time to prepare them correctly and repaint them.

 

[diesel4me]

POR-15 is so far the longest lasting "coating" I've used on my vehicles--it does have some drawbacks however--high cost being one,the other is it will fade if exposed to UV rays unless you buy the more costly version,or topcoat it..its best for frames,under the hood,not so much where it will see any sunshine..

It also needs some rust to activate it and give the best results--many guys sandblast everything spotless and then use it,and are discouraged when it peels or doesn't adhere well..

I suppose in the 15 or so years since I last used POR-15 there may be other alternatives that are equal or better,but I like it..

Imron is a very tough coating,but is very expensive and may require a spray gun you can toss rather than try cleaning,because once it cures,nothing removes it..
I mixed Imron for years ,and a local sand & gravel and concrete company painted their fleet of mixers with it back in the late 80's--they are still looking great after years of gravel pit abuse and steam cleanings..

I used to sell R-M paints at one parts store I worked at--they used to have an asphalt based "chassis black" that held up well to salt exposure and it wasn't that expensive..don't know if they still sell it or not--much of the paints and related stuff I sold in the 90's was "banned" around here,like laquer,and many other body shop products,and their more "environmentally friendly" versions don't seem to work as well...

 

[K588]

Haven't used it for that application, but what about the good 3M under coating? I know one is even paintable.

 

[diesel4me]

That might get gooey under the hood from the heat of the exhaust manifolds,it would work on the underside of the inner fenders ,but undercoating can blister and let pockets of moisture form and cause rot under it,no matter what brand you use..the 3M rubberized stuff is probably the best ,and can be top coated with paint if desired after it cures..
Anything is better than leaving them in the flat black paint alone they come with however..gloss alkyd enamels resist moisture and rusting better than flat or semi-gloss paints..but Imron is the best in my opinion,if you have $100 to spend on a quart of it and the hardener it requires,you'll also want a good respirator too,the stuff does permanent damage to your lungs if inhaled..so it's not the cheapest option..

 

[Dan Myers]

Imron. Holds its glossy finish, doesn't chip and you'll only have to do it once but it's not cheap.
Be sure to wear a respirator.

 

[AV8TER]

For me it would depend on what the rig is for and what you want it to look like when done. My rig is a trail rig so those underside things like axles, driveshafts, gearboxes etc get a coat of black epoxy primer and run 'em. Black epoxy is semi gloss when new and holds up longer and is much tougher than any rattle can I've ever used. If it was a 'nice' rig that I wanted to look good I would use the same epoxy primer and top coat with black (or your choice of colors) polyurethane single stage like the Imron mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Dan Myers]

I was thinking epoxy but I've never used it nor know anyone who has but it sounds like it would be durable.

 

[89 jimmy]

My Jimmy is in very good condition cosmetically and I only do trail type off-road adventures. It is NOT a beater. More of a driver and a garage queen. I pretty much want a factory/stock look. Only mods are a 2.5 lift, and 32/11.50 BFG M/T’s on stock alloy wheels. I like a all stock, with a bit of an aggressive look. I would want the wheel wells to look factory. They have a slight bit of a surface rust look to them now.

 

[trukman1]

Well, I'd be asking what paint most closely matches OEM color/sheen. Is it available in a rattle can? DIY'ers don't usually have access to professional spray equipment. Is there a spray can paint that is durable with proper preparation? Just some thoughts. I know I purchased some Rustoleum satin paint for a frame and it came out glossy. There should be some spray can finishes out there somewhere that are the right match for factory. Maybe Eastwood or SEM? Good luck!