Painting Plastic Sidecovers

mo650chopper · Posted: August 18, 2005, 8:47 am Post subject: Painting Plastic Sidecovers

Was curious if anyone has had any experience with prepping of and painting the later model plastic sidecovers? Do you have to treat them any differently than painting of metal?

650rider · WebMaster Joined: Feb 09, 2005 Posts: 431

Not sure about the side covers but what I do on other types of plastic is this: light scuff with really fine steel wool, wash with hot soap and water, clean with acetone and then paint with a new style plasta-coat paint. Crylon makes a great paint and if holds on like crazy!

xs650mike · Posted: October 11, 2005, 12:00 am Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

I wouldn't use acetone on plastic unless you want a crazed effect, the stuff eats plastic. Soap and water should be sufficient to clean before painting.

Phred · Posted: October 12, 2005, 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

Your local auto body supply sells a primer for plastic parts like bumpers, trim, etc. that you topcoat with regular paint-its supposed to stick better to the plastic and prevent the paint from cracking when the plastic flexes. Alternatively, you could try the new line of spray bombs Krylon (I think) has out now for painting plastic-I think I saw it at Home Depot.

Borris · Posted: October 13, 2005, 1:29 am Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

I used to get a subscription to an airbrush magazine. I found a bunch of "How to" articles in it. Many recommend using a medium scotchbrite pad to scuff the surface so your paint has something to adhere to. I've seen others say to use 80 grit sandpaper. After scuffing wipe it down with a wax/oil remover. PPG makes something for this but I can't recall the name of it. Also after cleaning wear latex/rubber gloves so no skin oil gets on your part before painting to cause any "FISHEYES." I found some articles online recntly, I'll try to find them again and post a link if I'm successful.

Borris · Posted: October 13, 2005, 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

Well, heres one I found. I did not write this, I found it on a airbrush/bodywork site:

Right here is a tip that I want to share incase anyone else decides to paint an atv. I've been painting autos for nearly 15 years and painting my fourwheeler gave me fits.
First, atv plastic is empregnated with oils. Everyone knows oil causes fisheyes. Here is what I finnaly did after the third paint job came off.
Clean you plastics, well. Then get some hot water and ajax ( that stuff you clean you toilet with) and scrubb the devil out of it. Next wet sand it with 800 grit sand paper, keep the plast wet and fresh sand paper in your hand. When your finnished sanding, spray it down with de-greaser and hose off.
Now be sure that you painting area is free of any fumes that contain silicone (wd40, tire shine, stuff like that) and properly secure your parts.
Now go wash you hands, or put on gloves, and wipe your plastic down with a wax and grease remover.
Now I used a can of Bulldog, Its in an arisol can, as an adhesive promoter. Cover you plastic with it wait about 5 minutes and then apply your basecoat.
Hope everyone understood, any questions, email me.

xs650mike · Posted: October 13, 2005, 10:46 am Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

As a guy who's built a lot of plastic models and also as a former paintmaker (yep, people do make the stuff) I've got to say that the procedure outlined by Borris is the way to go. I have used other methods with success but his way combines all the tricks in one process. Clean hands or better yet clean gloves when handling prepared parts is an absolute must and can't be emphasized enough.

flavaz33 · Posted: October 17, 2005, 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Pinting Plastic Sidecovers

I painted my sidecovers along with the tank last winter in my refinishing class. I scuffed the sidecovers with a medium scuff pad and then wiped them down with a degreaser. To start my refinishing process i sprayed the sidecovers with an adhesion promoter used on plastics, takes place of having to primer them. Allowed the promoter to set for about 5-10 minutes then started painting. This was all done woth PPG paint supplies.

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