truck bed coating on outside step

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Pat

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Posts
1,234
Location
Payson AZ
I need to refinish my outside step that comes down out of my back door.  I was in a shop yesterday, and the guys there suggested having them spray their truck bed coating on it.  I wouldn't have to do much preparation besides cleaning it. 

Does this sound practical?  The coatings sure look nice in trucks, and they're non-skid.

--pat
 
Pat, that is basically what I did to my steps after the coating started to lift and I found rust underneath. I did take the steps off, removed all loose powdercoat, and wire brushed the rust areas clean. Then I protected the hinges and joint areas and hit it with some Rustoleum. Finally, I emptied an entire spray can of bed liner material on the step top and bottom, making sure that I didn't get any on moving parts.

Held up wel for a couple of years, then I replaced the single step with a double step set (which required torching the mounts and cutting the fiberglass body)..but that is a story for another day? :D .

David Derway
 
DaveD:

Could you add a few specifics?  I'm delighted to hear this can be a do-it-myself job.  How do I get the old paint off the step? 

Do I need to remove the very-well-glued-down nonskid mat from it?  How?

Just any wire brush on the rust?

I have 4 bolts handing down underneath that I'd like to keep clear of coating.  Will tape do the job?

I need to keep the sides (just about an inch high) clear, because they're such a tight fit.  Tape again?

Finally, and most importantly, what canned truck bed liner?  Where?  Any special heating process needed?  If it's expensive, maybe having it sprayed would be more permanent.  I'm told their stuff is very hot for a minute or so.

I phoned them back to see if I needed an appointment and got somebody who quoted $100, which seems really steep to coat two sides of a thin metal plate about 2 feet long and a foot wide.

--pat
 
Pat, sorry for the delay in answering, but was at the SE Rally in Savannah, eating wayyy too much food and having a great time? ;D .

I had rust on the top and bottom of the step, so I removed them completely off the coach (after making sure they were in the extended position). There are the 4 mounting bolts/nuts, and the electrical connections. Make sure to pull the fuses to the steps to make sure you don't short something out (there are several circuts to the steps), and double check everything electrical to make sure there are no live wires (12V) when disconnecting them. If you decided to try and tape things, just be aware that no matter how well you mask and cover, an errant wind current wil show up just as you push the button on the can, sending the coating is some oddball direction. You will be happy you took the time to take them off, trust me.

Wherever the coating was lifting, I used a pick to pop the "bubble" of coating and break it off to where the coating was still firmly attached to the steps. The rusty metal was scrubbed with a metal brush until all the rust was gone. I did use some sandpaper to feather the hard edge of good coating to the wire brushed area. I didn't see a need to remove any previous coating that was well attached. I used some coating I think I got from Autozone or Advance Auto. Wasn't that expensive (around $15, I think). It had a gritty texture that you were supposed to get by holding the can well away from the metal it was being applied to. I sprayed it close to the metal, and it made a great, fairly thin, gritty texture. It was listed as truck bed coating or something similar. Sorry for being vague, but I did this back in 2002.

NCDaveD
'96 Windsor towing 2000 Honda Accord
 
DaveD

I had an electric step that attached to the bottom of my fixed top step.  Removed it.  I unplugged the electrical connection and had to cut one wire.  I also have an inside switch that I turned off first.  I taped the other end of the plug and the cut wire pretty well with electrical tape and attached it to something underneath to keep it from flapping around.  Hope that was sufficient electrical work.  Got rid of the electric step.  I have a back door, and it was in the way of the hitch ball mount for towing the car.  I have a portable platform step that works just great and looks neater.

I will now remove that fixed top step and do the truck bed coating.  I found a place that would do it, but I'm getting conflicting pricing.  I think I'll do some of your prep work before I take it in to them, because I imagine they'll just spray the coating over whatever I give them. 

--pat
 
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