Powder coat or spray paint skid plate.

PC imho. You cannot beat the initial coverage and rust protection from a good powder coat.
All those nooks and crannies to catch water and debris, they won't remain rust-free as long, if just rattle canned.
And paint and supplies ain't free or self-applying.
I will touch up the hits with spray/brush-on paint as needed (in blood red methinks).

I am starting to think some of you 'wheelers' are really concerned about the recoating not perfectly matching the original finish...

 

Kind of with Dan on this one, my BAMF sliders are PC and the scrapes I have on them I just hit with some sand paper, and painted on rust preventor then satin black rustomleum brush on. Visually you can't tell, scrapes are on the bottom and sides anyway. You can feel the thickness difference but who cares?

 

Been using the Rustoleum Professional enamel for Over a decade Only issue found us It Peels off When specific oil and Fluids like diff fluid or coolant touch it Peels off in Wet Flexable Sheets No matter what kind of primer used

 

? it peels sort of like the POR-15 junk peels in sheets?

 

Bedliner like Line-X or similar works great and lasts long

 

If that thing is going to see any sort wheeling, I would not waste money on powder coating. And it is a waste. The skid plates I have on my 4runner came coated (no choice) and in two or three wheeling trips, I've scraped most of it off. I would go with some acid etch primer for the bare metal and this stuff:

$17 Dupli-Color ERBA10100 Professional Rust Barrier Rust Preventive Coating – Gloss Black Spray Paint - 11 oz. Aerosol Can

Amazon.com: Dupli-Color ERBA10100 Professional Rust Barrier Rust Preventive Coating – Gloss Black Spray Paint - 11 oz. Aerosol Can : Automotive. Why? You can spray it right over rust and it leaves a somewhat durable (more so than normal rattle can), glossy finish, and it dries fairly quickly. It also comes in matte. It can be sprayed onto bare metal, but I would start with the primer first just to give you a little more protection. I pull my skids once a year or so to pound out dents and respray. I use that stuff on my skids, bumpers, and sliders.

 

PC is too expensive and time consuming for something that will get ruined in 5 minutes

 

When your skid is as pretty as mine, spray paint will do.

 

Yep just like por-15 in sheets

 

that POR-15 junk IS and YET it is VERY highly touted

 

Just like fluid film, probably the worst rustproofing spray out there yet everyone here swears by it lol

 

Paint is the best rust proofing spray. Cheap, quick and easy. I also spray my motor and stuff down with WD-40 after a good wash.

 

I've been using that paint for a long time too, my go to spray paint for just about anything black. Currently on my sliders and front skid.
In my use I have found that it chips fairly easy, and fades relatively fast. Even my front skid that doesn't see much UV has faded to nearly a flat black. To be fair, I'm not talking weeks or a few months, but it does fade.

 

Not sure what you are using but high gloss paints withstand the elements better than lower gloss levels. Also waxing fresh paint immediately after it dries really helps keep the vibrancy as well... If your looking for that sort of thing.

 

I guess you would have had to read the post I quoted and the post he quoted to know what we are using. This stuff and it's in a semi gloss....it does appear to be available in gloss as well.


Not bad, like I said, my go to spray paint, but I haven't found any rattle can paint to be as durable or long lasting as factory coatings. And yeah, I don't wax my skid plates haha.

I don't run center caps with my wheels, so to kind of dress up the exposed hub on the rear axle I sprayed some black appliance epoxy on it. Did nothing more than a quick cleaning for prep. I was actually surprised how well that held up. I haven't tried it on anything else.

 

PC is the longest lasting overall rust protection.
The main reason to PC skids/sliders is because it's the most durable overall rust protection rust- particularly in the nooks and crannies that are hard get prepped properly for paint.
Those voids become little cache-pools of rust promotors.
Later when they get scraped up, bring out the rattle can of choice to cover what got exposed.
This time, it will be easy to prep for paint because there will be no nooks/crannies to cover.
And yes, there will be a slight texture/color mismatch...
If that bothers you, consider taking up crocheting

opps, I am repeating myself

 

I used the leftover black wrinkle paint that I used on my valve covers on my skid plate. Not perfect but it is underneath so you can't see it.

 

Rust Oleum gray metal primer cant be beat for a no-mix primer.

If you use an enamel the glossier, the better.....to the elements.

THats one of the reasons I use the VHT chassis paint.... semi/satin for finish/top coat, its a fast dry epoxy.