2004 - 2008 F-150

Cowl Removal and Painting Step-By-Step (56K Waring)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:01 PM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cowl Removal and Painting Step-By-Step (56K Waring)

Well I successfully did it, and since no one else had posted up good pictures and a step by step I decided I would.
First, let's take a look at the before so you know what we're working with:


So, first, remove the windsheild wipers. Just look for the little tab and pull it out, then gently pull up on the wiper arm and it's off.

Then pull out the little tabs that hold it down on each side by the bottom of the A-pillar. Just yank them out, you won't break them.
 
  #2  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:05 PM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Next, open the hood and remove the rubber strip:

Then begin to finangle the driver side. You sort of have to push down on the part closest to the windsheild and then out. Once you figure it out it'll come loose. There's also 3 tabs on the engine side that need to be undone. Once it's loose remove the washer tubing. Then the washer nozles come out:

Then there is one screw holding the passenger side down. I think it was 9/32. Then do the same with the washer hose and pull the line through the hole in the cowl. Then both pieces should be free. If you have more parts than this, you screwed something up:
 

Last edited by tardman91; 04-28-2008 at 02:30 PM.
  #3  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:08 PM
Bluejay's Avatar
Global Moderator &
Senior Member

Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Burleson/Athens/Brownsboro, TX
Posts: 26,015
Received 68 Likes on 64 Posts
Thanks so much! I will definitely be using this in a few weeks when I do mine.
 
__________________
Jim
  #4  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:11 PM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Next I cleaned everything really well. I sprayed down both pieces with Simple Green, scrubbed them, then rinsed them off and set them in the sun to dry:

After they were dry I used some rubbing alcohol to rub them down and make sure every last bit of grease/grime was off.
Then I painted them.
I used Krylon Fusion in gloss black and then some Krylon clear coat. Go very slow and do EXTREMELY thin layers at a time, wait a minute, then re-apply. Take your time. I was in a hurry and messed up a small part that I had to go back and fix.
Let it dry (only takes about 10 minutes) and then apply the clear in the same fashion.
Then let both pieces dry for about an hour so you don't screw anything up.
Then it's time to reinstall the colw, in the opposite order of the removal.
 
  #5  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:12 PM
ManualF150's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Vernon, NY
Posts: 10,625
Received 259 Likes on 250 Posts
I think it would look pretty good in mine being silver... hmmmm...
 
  #6  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:12 PM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So here's the before:

And now the after:


I used a small amount of the low-shine armor-all I had left. I'm extremely pleased with the results. The total cost of the project was $7.50, and the amount of work (not including drying time) was about 1.5 hours.
It's not exactly perfect, but it is leaps and bounds above what it was, and I'm very happy with it, especially the cost.
 

Last edited by tardman91; 04-26-2008 at 01:17 PM.
  #7  
Old 04-26-2008, 01:53 PM
dkstone05's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Indianapolis, area
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Looks good. I might just paint the extra cowl I have laying around. It's smooth instead of textured. I just couldn't decided if I wanted it gloss or not. But after seeing your's I think I'm going to go gloss.

Damn, the cowl that I have might be for an MY09. Sections of the bottom of your cowl doesn't match the one I have. In my work I usually get to see alot parts and pieces long before the they come out. Sometimes I get to keep the parts like the cowl that I have.
 
  #8  
Old 04-26-2008, 02:04 PM
ncf150sc's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 462
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ManualF150
I think it would look pretty good in mine being silver... hmmmm...
I'm considering that as well.
Let me know if you do yours.
 
  #9  
Old 04-26-2008, 02:50 PM
beckerjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Belleville, IL
Posts: 680
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
nice work tardman
 
  #10  
Old 04-26-2008, 03:15 PM
keith61760's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lemoore, California
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Looks real good Nice job.
 
  #11  
Old 04-26-2008, 03:52 PM
mengela's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: san diego
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
how well does paint like fusion hold up to UV
 
  #12  
Old 04-26-2008, 04:25 PM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mengela
how well does paint like fusion hold up to UV
I'll have to keep you guys updated. I looked for a clearcoat with some UV protection, but I couldn't find any. I"m guessing it should hold up pretty well since everything that was pictured on the can is typically stuff that's left outside (patio chairs, playhouses, etc.)
 
  #13  
Old 04-26-2008, 07:47 PM
lil_man's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by keith61760
Looks real good Nice job.
x2

and hey keith61760 check this picture out it will go with some of your gallery

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/l...t=DSCN4034.jpg


sorry for high jacking your thread for as min
 
  #14  
Old 04-27-2008, 03:15 AM
keith61760's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lemoore, California
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by lil_man
x2

and hey keith61760 check this picture out it will go with some of your gallery

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/l...t=DSCN4034.jpg


sorry for high jacking your thread for as min
Nice! That looks like my last flight to Japan!! Rode in a KC 10 with 6 Super Hornets in tow.
 
  #15  
Old 04-28-2008, 08:52 AM
tardman91's Avatar
Technical Article Contributor

Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Port Richey, FL
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Still looks good after a couple of days. The pollen doesn't really stick to it as much as I thought it would (it's a little tackier than the original plastic finish). It's going to rain today, so we'll see how it goes.
The real test will be to see how it survives a nice hot, humid, Florida summer parked outside.
 


Quick Reply: Cowl Removal and Painting Step-By-Step (56K Waring)



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:56 PM.