Touching up painted fender flares

So I noticed the other day that my truck got it's first really noticeable body damage. Mixed blessing: it's a small scrape on the fender flare, so no worries about rust, but it's a textured/painted fender flare (SR5 model), and I know repairing textured plastic is a PITA. Here it is from a few feet away:



And here's a closer view:



I think if I just get rid of the loose bits and dab some touch-up paint in there (a few thin layers), it'll hardly be noticeable. I mean, I only noticed it because of the black showing through. At first, I thought it was bird droppings, but when the torrential rains this weekend didn't wash it off, I investigated.

 

Gentle wet sand to clean/smooth the area. A few coats of touchup followed by some wax and polish should be pretty close, not perfect.

 

Why are your flares textured? I have a super white SR5 and my flares are smooth like TRD Sport model.

 

Got me...I didn't request them that way, just took it off the dealer's lot. That second shot is really close, so they look more textured than they really are. It's almost like an extreme case of orange peel in the paint. Maybe it has something to do with the paint color; maybe metallics are textured and "flat" colors aren't? No idea, really.

 

Thanks...I was going to skip the sanding, though, so there's less loss of the textured surface. And I'm not trying for perfect, just less noticeable. With the color filled in, you'd have to look pretty hard to see the scar, at least that's the hope. I just have to hunt down some touch-up paint.

 

Just phone up your local napa or auto paints supply, and get a spray can of your paint code, or take something in to color match. The can wont go bad so you can use it in the future. And all you have to do is spray some into the cap or small lid and use some touchup sticks/paint brush etc.

I got mine at cmax paint, owned by napa. And its come in handy a few times for battle scars.

 

I used to work in a body shop and they do make the plastic repair or u could try some clear 3m chip guard and then spray black or the black chip guard but if u sand u won't get the texture back. My sr5 flares are smooth and are the same color as the truck..

 

I have a sport and they are deffinetly textured slightly, nowhere near the texture of an offroad flare, but there is some texture to the flares if you get up close and personal.

 

Take them off and Rhino line them! Never worry about it again!

 

The texture is definitely more visible than tactile. If you run your fingers across the flares, they feel smooth. Even if you look at them from a couple feet away, they look smooth. But when you look closer, there's that orange peel-like finish. And when they scrape like this one did, it's even more noticeable.

 

You can do what I did with my 1st gen to deal within the FL sun fading them and turning them to gray splotched and ghetto looking. After painting with Rustoleum spray bed linner mine looked great for well over a year. They probably still do but I traded it in for my 2017. You can pick it up at Wal-fart, Home Depot, Lowes, or almost anyplace for less than $15 a can I think.

1. Remove all 4 flairs
2. Clean with simple green or other cleaner/degreaser
3. Wet sand with 200 grit or green scotch bright pad, you do not need to remove the pant just a good even scuffing so they appear evenly dull
4. Clean with alcohol using a lint free cloth and allowing it to dry completely
5. Paint with Rustoleum spray bed liner at least 3 light coats following directions on the label. Should take 1 to 1.5 cans

My buddy used the same paint on his ARE tonneau and is help up without fading far better than the brush/paint on stuff from the local home improvement stores he used previously to fix his bubbling and peeling paint problems. I do not know what roll/brush on brand he used but it faded in less than a year of FL sun. The Rustoleum spray was on his <cough> `01 dodge sport <cough> for 2+ years and looked great after a washing. IT starts out quite rough, almost sandpaper like. I don't know if it actualy lost some of the gritty feeling over time or I just got used to it.

Worked for me and my friend with very little cash outlay. I really liked the results. Pick up a can and paint a scap board or something to see if you like it. It will cost you less than $50 even if you buy ned tape and fasteners. Just be sure you will like the result prior to doing it and hating it.