Painting Bumperettes - DIY - (now with after mounted pics)
02-13-2011, 07:19 PM
#1
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Painting Bumperettes - DIY - (now with after mounted pics)
Given that I just spent a bunch of money on suspension – there is no way I could justify to the other half spending $300 on painted bumperettes from Bumperplugs. So I decided to give it a try as a DIY. Figured if it failed, then I would have to buy them 
Sorry, but these are less than attractive.
Inputs:
Total Cost: $75
Total Time: 4 hours (over 3 days)
Step 1
Remove Bumperettes (6mm? Hex socket or Allen key ) – takes 2 mins
Clean bumperettes with soap and water (discover all kinds of little nicks in the surface and hope that primer fills them)
Step 2
Sand to remove current, rubberized, pebbled finish. I started with 200 grit and quickly went to 120 grit as they are much harder that they look). This took quite some time (1 hour) to get finishes that I like and there was still pebbling in some locations.
Left - not sanded; Right - sanded
Up close sanded
Step 3
Prime with flexible bumper primer (2 coats)
Sand with 400 grit (note getting at the openings at the bottom is not easy)
After priming this, I was not happy with the unevenness in the surface, so I decided to use the high-solids primer to fill in the imperfections (I had used it successfully in the past on bumpers).
Step 4
Prime with high solids primers (3 coats)
Sand with 400 grit
Step 5
Apply two tops coats of Arena Red Metallic
Step 6
Three coats of clear
Step 7 (not completed yet)
Wet sand with 2000 (1500 grit if required) to get rid of orange peel.
Buff with compound and wax - well worth it. Makes a huge difference
Step 8
Re-mount (when it’s not snowing outside)
Sorry it took a week. In finishing I accidentally burned through the clear coat on one and hard to refinish it.... Oops
Assessment
Not as good as Bumperplugs, but good enough from 5 feet.
Paint match looks pretty close
Big question – durability. If they don’t last, then I get to place an order in the future to Bumperplugs
Sorry, but these are less than attractive.
Inputs:
- Sandpaper various grits (120 grit to 2000 grits)
- Flexible primer for bumpers
- Spray bomb Arena Red Metallic
- Clear Coat
- Sandable high-solids primer (not shown)
- Brake cleaner and rags (not shown) – used to clean surfaces after sanding
Total Cost: $75
Total Time: 4 hours (over 3 days)
Step 1
Remove Bumperettes (6mm? Hex socket or Allen key ) – takes 2 mins
Clean bumperettes with soap and water (discover all kinds of little nicks in the surface and hope that primer fills them)
Step 2
Sand to remove current, rubberized, pebbled finish. I started with 200 grit and quickly went to 120 grit as they are much harder that they look). This took quite some time (1 hour) to get finishes that I like and there was still pebbling in some locations.
Left - not sanded; Right - sanded
Up close sanded
Step 3
Prime with flexible bumper primer (2 coats)
Sand with 400 grit (note getting at the openings at the bottom is not easy)
After priming this, I was not happy with the unevenness in the surface, so I decided to use the high-solids primer to fill in the imperfections (I had used it successfully in the past on bumpers).
Step 4
Prime with high solids primers (3 coats)
Sand with 400 grit
Step 5
Apply two tops coats of Arena Red Metallic
Step 6
Three coats of clear
Step 7 (not completed yet)
Wet sand with 2000 (1500 grit if required) to get rid of orange peel.
Buff with compound and wax - well worth it. Makes a huge difference
Step 8
Re-mount (when it’s not snowing outside)
Sorry it took a week. In finishing I accidentally burned through the clear coat on one and hard to refinish it.... Oops
Assessment
Not as good as Bumperplugs, but good enough from 5 feet.
Paint match looks pretty close
Big question – durability. If they don’t last, then I get to place an order in the future to Bumperplugs
Last edited by fbgh2o; 02-19-2011 at 02:35 PM.
Looks like a nice job though!
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02-14-2011, 02:26 AM
#10
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Awesome! This might be in store as an upgrade one day.
Btw can you take a pic of the car with the bumperettes removed? Is there a gaping hole, or does it look alright?
Btw can you take a pic of the car with the bumperettes removed? Is there a gaping hole, or does it look alright?
02-19-2011, 02:36 PM
#12
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Finally installed
Sorry it took a week. In finishing I accidentally burned through the clear coat on one and hard to refinish it.... Oops
Colour match is pretty good and the finish way better now that they are wet sanded and buffed.
Here they are mounted (compare to the original)
Colour match is pretty good and the finish way better now that they are wet sanded and buffed.
Here they are mounted (compare to the original)
