What Sandpaper is best to use for sanding chrome parts to paint?

So I've been in contact with one of the members on here to see how he painted the front part of his First gen Taco. I just wanted to do a little research on what sand paper would be best to use for the front grill and bumper Chrome and Plastic parts. I will be using primer and good paint. Just wanted to know what sandpaper would be best.

Thank you in advance

 

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Sorry I have no idea what would be used but I'd like to know as well

 

Irrelevant but what lift and tire size setup are you running?

 

Would yerr believe me if I told yer that shes been running the stock suspension for almost 200,000 miles now? haha nah but really stock suspension stock tire size bud 265s I just got some wheels from Procomp (Series 7069, 16x8 6 on 5.5 bolt pattern - flat black) to be exact. With beefier tires. Whole thing including wheels and Tires ran me about $950 cant beat that price. Love them. No extra strain. Runs amazing. I do want to lift but not now. Maybe when I get tired of these wheels and tires.

 

Here are a couple of pictures.

 

Wow. They looked like 285s to me but maybe it's just the pic. Are they a 265/75 cause if so I may just get that. They look great

 

When I repainted my stock rear something like 4 years ago I just did a few passes with a 100 grit to really skuff up the chrome and then a once over with a 250-300 to smooth it out. Thats how Ive done all my paint work on my bumpers/ sliders. Also a good wipe down with alcohol or acetone to clean before paint goes a long way towards a cleaner painjob

 

The best way to paint over chrome is sand it with about 120 grit sandpaper. You really want to get scratches into the chrome. Then use a "self etching" primer to prime over it. I would put 2-3 coats then sand with 400 grit and paint.

Self etching primer has an acid built in to help with the bonding of the primer to bare metals. Once your primer is bonded you can paint it without worrying about the paint pealing off.

 

Here are a couple of shots from different angles and the name of the tires. They are 265/70/r16. Although, I am sure you can get away with the 265/75s Im not sure why I dint go with that option. Maybe it had to do with the tire rubbing when I turned and so the mechanic guy told me it would be better with 70s or maybe this tire did not have that option I'm not quite sure. You're gonna have to look that up. But they do look good I love it. Thank you.

 

Alright I will use both of yalls advice. I think I'm going to use the 120 sand it, clean with alcohol/acetone and the use that self etching primer and sand down with 400 grit after a couple of coats. That sounds like the best way to go about it. Yeah @Mikerocosms the guy I talked to told me o use self etching primer as well. I have a question though. Why not sand the chrome with 120 then sand again with 300-400 before using the primer?

Is it better to have those scratches for the primer to work?

 

You want deep scratches for the primer to be able to grip to. The more scratches the better. The self etching part of the primer (acid) is just another way to help bond the primer to the bare metal. Once you've got that bond, you can treat it like any other painted surface.

 

Alright cool Ill do that for sure, thank you for the help man. Will post pics of the process and see how it went.

 

I bought mine with 265/75's stock suspension. They work and are a tight fit but no rubbing. They're highway tires though so maybe they wouldn't have such an aggressive tread sticking out.

 

I always wet sand my parts to be painted. For a few reasons. Wet sanding will allow the sand paper to become more flexible to the sanding surface, will reduce deep scratches and give you a more uniform scuff job, and the sand paper will last longer because the water cleans off the sand paper to get rid of build up. I would suggest using a 220 grit at most to start off, then 320. You can do a finish sand with 320 or 400. If you wet sand you need to make sure the package says wet sand or the sand paper will just fall apart. Home Depot and Lowes has paper for wet sanding. If you paint plastics the paint will most likely peel off after some time unless you use a plastic adhesive promoter spray before applying the paint. It allows the plastic to become more sticky and is very important for having a good bond with the paint and plastic. Ask to see if it is compatible with the paint you are using. Any auto paint store should carry it.

 

@erik530195 Yeah that's what the tire shop guy told me. He said that the highway tires do not have such an aggressive thread so you can get away with 75s...but in any case, just ask who ever you're getting your tires from. Maybe you can get away with it and make it look meaner ...>

 

@UtahTacoma02 are you saying to first go over the bumper chrome part with 220 not 120? and then use the self etching primer?

 

I worked in a body shop, for a complete job hit it all with 80, then three light coats of primer with 10 min dry times in between. Next is 150, take some black paint and spray it over the primer from far away so it speckles it, that is your guide coat so you don't make low spots. After 150 spray a light tack coat of primer, then for the other two coats you can go a little thicker. Then move to 220 grit with the same process, guide coat, sand, tack coat of primer and then the other two heavier coats. Next is 400 grit, again use guide coat and make sure it all comes off, this is your last sanding. After sanding thoroughly wipe it all with wax and grease remover, or alcohol. LET IT DRY, if the wax and grease or alcohol doesn't dry long enough it'll fisheye like a motherfker. Then when painting, first do a tack coat, and do three more coats each heavier then the next, allow 15 minute dry times in between and then do 4-5 coats of any clear of your choice, 10 minute dry times in between, and if something goes wrong just sand it with 400 and start the painting part over. Good Luck!!

 

@RedManRocket

Ok so I understood your procedure after a couple of times reading it. Have a couple of questions.

Do you recommend the wet sanding or no?

Also do you recommend the self etching primer for plastic? or any regular automobile primer for metal/fiberglass will do?

 

My apologies, yes wet sanding on the 400 grit and any primer will be fine

 

No you did a good job of explaining, I just had to picture in my head so I could understand. I will try and follow as best as I can to that procedure. Lots of work to do thank you!!