Exterior Linex

[eldogo]

I'm picking up a new F-250 Lariat and I'm thinking about having the chrome bumpers and lower quarter panels Linex coated. Anyone done this? Pictures & suggestions would be appreciated!

[lanedecamp]

Originally Posted by eldogo

I'm picking up a new F-250 Lariat and I'm thinking about having the chrome bumpers and lower quarter panels Linex coated. Anyone done this? Pictures & suggestions would be appreciated!

A few vehicles and trailers in our fleet were done with it. First, be sure and get the Linex Ultra -- it's a clearcoat with a Kevlar chop that goes over the basic Linex and makes it smoother, fills in the little crannies, and also makes it impervious to UV. It isn't the sunlight that makes Linex look crappy as it ages. It's the dirt, mildew, etc. that gets into the texture and that you can't get out even with a powerwasher.

Second, the colors are very expensive. Very.

Third, The coating softens the lines of everything and fills quite a bit, so you have to protect everywhere you have any kind of attachment bolting on, such as backup sensors, lighting, etc. Not an overwhelming issue, but a mess if you don't do it right.

Fourth, if it scrapes up, it's more expensive to repair than a paint job (again, because the colors in the Ultra are so pricey and small jobs like a bumper have to be masked or preferably have the bumper removed so you can do the back side as well (might as well get the rust prevention while you're doing it, and you have to wrap around the edges of the metal so you don't get a little bit of chrome showing.

Have you considered powdercoating your bumper? Some powdercoats are very fragile, others are intensely durable. Hammertones, for example, are almost totally impervious to damage. And it can be done quite inexpensively, especially if you're starting with a chrome bumper. Just a suggestion.

I wouldn't Linex for a cosmetic effect. It's good on the front of trailers to protect metal from thrown rocks, on the floor of trailers (such as horse trailers) to protect against abuse, or on specialty trailers such as the specialty trailers for sailboats (there's a lot of metal showing if you have a fixed keel on the boat and they either get powdercoated or Linex'd).



COnsider

[drunk on diesel]

DO NOT ruin a nice new truck like that!

[1BADTON]

Again very expensive, was thinking of doing the same to my dually but the roof and lower part of the body kind of like a two tone paint job. The cost of doing the roof alone was 800 to paint match Was thinkin about Dupli color, cheaper and DIY.

[eldogo]

Thanks for the info. I'll look into powder coating after the holidays.