Sandblasting Bare Steel Rock Sliders?

Out of curiosity, why would you go with steel weld on sliders when:
A) you only want door ding protection and steps
B) you won’t be doing any rock crawling
C) you live in a rust prone area

As a previous owner of a 2010 Tacoma, I’m fairly concerned about Tacoma frame rust and I would be very hesitant to weld anything on my frame that might impact any kind of future frame replacement warranty. Maybe I’m “once bitten, twice shy”, but it is something I think about.

FWIW, I had the same requirements as you and went with bolt on OEM tube steps made out of powder coated aluminum. I think they were about $300 new during one of those recent dealer parts sales.

 

Most likely that texture is the type of powder.

 

The coatings place should have a standard procedure for applying their powders, most likely given to them by the manufacturer of the powders. Each should have a tech data sheet that gives product and application information including surface finish requirements. Find a coater that follows their specific powder requirements and stands behind their work.

When I sprayed mine with marine enamel it required an 80-120 grit blasted finish or wire wheel finish per the TDS.

 

Touching up my powder coat is coming up on my list and what I plan on doing is using the POR15 kit for the underside of my RCI sliders. I won’t be able to remove the rust in those areas. I should have gotten the sliders without the top plate. For touch up on the top of the sliders, I haven’t decided what to do there yet. I’ll look around for some flat textured black but not expecting a perfect match. I might even put a bit of clear OSI QUAD caulking along the top of the plate edge, since this doesn’t drain and I don’t think the powder coat ever got into that area much.

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When I initially got my sliders I skipped the sandblast. Within 6 months the powdercoat was chipping from gravel roads and then peeling off completely.

I took them off and the second time I got the sandblast, then the enamel primer coat, then the powdercoat. Years later they look perfect.

Don’t just sandblast get the primer as well, trust me.

 

As you have found out sand blasting is a must, also if the power coat shop can’t do that for you, don’t use them as they have never power coated correctly. But I am confused a little, since these are weld on, how do you intend on welding them on? You do realize you can’t weld once they have been power coated as the heat will kill the coating for very large area (a few feet) around the welds.

Also for sliders I would personally use an 2k epoxy primer and decent bed liner (like Raptor liner) it will be a far stronger and more durable finish.

 

No self-respecting powder shop skip sandblasting or provide it as a option. Sandblasting should be included whether needed or not.

Not entirely true. I powered a jeep frame then ended up building a custom 4-link for it and had to grind some powder off in the areas that I welded and the radiant heat hasn't killed the power coat

 

its the heat buildup that will effect the power adhering. On a frame there is a lot of metal to dissipate the heat, on a 1~1.5” tube, very little. Not that I have welded on a powder coated frame, but that would be my guess as to why you didn’t see any problems. I have welded on powder coated tubes, the you can flake the powder off quite easily for a large area after.

 

What do you think you are welding a slider to? In either case it takes like 1200 degrees to burn off powder but it shouldnt be flaking off like that, sounds like just a bad powder job.

IDK, i dont do a lot of powdercoat welding either