I recently purchased a set of TrailGear tube bumpers and rock sliders for my 87 4Runner and I'm looking for the best way to protect them. I've looked at basic painting, powder coating, or even having them Line-Xed. Any suggestions on what would stand up to rocks/offroading the best?

 

go to your local hardware store and pick up some Rustoleum Hammered Black ( they come in other colors as well )

cheap, durable and doesnt' chip.

 

I think you want a coating you can apply yourself, easily, anytime...because no coating is going to stand up to 4000lbs of steel sliding across rock face. I'd get a can of POR-15, and apply a coat to the scarred area every season....that is if you live in the rust belt like myself.

 

I just used to use the cheapest flat black I could buy in quantity on my Land Cruiser tube bumper. After a long hard day of wheeling just hose it off, let it dry, and spray.

 

Self etching primer, rubberized undercoating, topcoat paint of your choice...easy peezy

 

Fish oil...the equilivent of KY to an offroader.

Lets you slide right over those rocks...

 

lol!!!

 

EXACTLY what I was thinking. I have tube bumpers up front and back that are rattle can black. Back bumper has touched the ground crossing a narrow wash on a steep ascent. Will look good as new with 2 mins of work

 

Aren't they there to protect you and your truck?

As for a coating, like said above nothing will hold up to the weight of your truck against rocks. Get the cheapest spray paint you can buy. My local Home Depot carries flat black for $.97. Cheap and easy.

 

I use cheap paint. Easy to just re-coat after scraping them up on the trail. No paint will hold up to repeated bashings with the wight of the truck on them.

 

I like the cans of Dupli Color Bed Armor. I got it on my rocker panels. No scrap off yet. Gonna hit my bumpers with it. But I like what Blue posted.

 

I like POR-15 + the Chassis Black topcoat. If properly applied, it'll last and last. I truck the Rustoleum hammered paint and it is too hard and brittle and I found I stripped the slider pare on all the forward facing surfaces after a 50 mile gravel/dirt road trip (from all the gravel thrown up and back by the front tires). It was like they had been sand blasted, just bare steel left. I have also heard of folks having trouble with bedliner spray getting stripped off when sliding over rocks. That may be an application-specific issue, maybe if done right, it'll work fine.

But I find the POR-15 + the Chassis Black topcoat is flexible enough to not chip away from flying gravel and with the metal etch/prep step, even in places where the paint gets scraped off over a rock, there is no issue with rust penetrating under the intact paint and causing it to bubble up. So the bare steel in the deep scratch will rust a bit, but that it it, it won't spread. So every few years, I'll touch up all the deep scratches under the sliders and they are good to go.



If using a regular spray paint, I would opt for the lowest cost paint you can find. Reason being that those types of paints tend to dry softer and are less likely to chip away like a very hard coat on a higher end paint. Then just plan on touching up the bars from time to time as the paint is scraped off.

 

I have the same sliders. I had mine Line-X'd, cost me $300 and they look great but, I don't ever 'plan' on doing any type of rock climbing, just mud and the occiasional tree, which by the way, doesn't really do much damage to the Line-X. If I was actually going rockclimbing, I would have never invested that type of money on something that will get all beatened up anyways. I'm with the others that have suggested a good paint that can be re-touched if/when needed.

 

I've been told that POR-15 won't hold up to direct sunlight, so be sure to throw down a coat of something over it if used on bumpers.

I like Bedliner. Nice texture that offers some grip when I use my armor as a step. I don't wheel right now, so I don't mind that it costs more than a can of flat black-I don't have to keep repainting it.

 

^^^ correct, overtime it will turn grey or discolor depending on the color you chose. POR sells a UV protective clear coat that should be used.

 

Yes, they have a large variety of top coats, I like the Chassis Black top coat, but there are dozens of choices from clear, to black to colors, one-part and two-part coatings.

 

I think the OP was interested in a general wear and tear protective coating not something that would stand up to being dragged over a rock lol...

if you want something to protect the sliders going over rocks just bolt some 2x4s to the sliders the wood will wear away and can be replaced next time... be careful though the wood might bite into the rock and leave you stuck high and dry...

I have'nt used it yet but my research leads me to believe that POR 15 with a protective uv topcoat is going to be your best bet..

 

great idea aviator, but what would be the best wood sealer/stainer (i want something classy)??????????????????

lol

 

Epifanes... is by for the best stain/varnish you can buy... concours winning Chris-craft, Trumpy, Ditchburn boat restorations use it. It's spendy but worth every penny. Insist on it.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see anything classy about bolting 2x4s to your armor.