So I've been on this forum for awhile, reading peoples threads about PTM.. it seems like everyone reads one perons thread, and all of a sudden thats the law around here. Im here to tell u, that theres a better way friends. Spray cans from your local auto store and such are convenient, but why not do it right? I'm here to show you a couple of things.

PTM chrome bumpers. There seems to be alot of confusion, so heres the way i did it..
-Sand down the bumper. I like to use a grinder with a 80 grit flap disc. Its fast, and the easiest way to remove the shine. heres how it looks

this can also be done with a DA sander, electric sander, whatever. as long as its rough, and fast! dont spend too much time scuffing. the scuffs and scratches will get covered by PRIMER. thats what its made for. only an idiot sands the first surface smooth. Primer needs a rough surface to bite into

On the bare metal, use etch primer. u can find it in a spray can, such as UPOL Etch.
Over the etch primer, use a HIGH BUILD primer. This primer is made to go over deep sanding scratches that u created in the first step. this will cover up the way you ruffed up your bumper. This is available in a can from brands like SEM, and i believe upol.


Wet sand the high build with 600 grit. Its very easy to sand, and will get flat and slick easily. (i can go into detail if need be)

When everything is nice and smooth, Paint!!! do not use cheap autozone spray paint. Go into any Automotive paint shop, and order basecoat/clearcoat paint and have them put it into a spray can. This paint sprays exceptionally smooth, and its the real deal! it does cost about 25 bucks a can, but it WORKS.

its CLEAR TIME. And im about to share the secret. its called SPRAY MAX 2k clear. This stuff is 25$ per can, and has a built in hardener chamber that u have to break and shake. Once cured, it dries to a sand/polishable rock hard finish

The finished product.. yes my upper valance was crooked. Thank my pops. but at least it the paint looked great!



This bumper and the rear lasted 2 years chip free before i sold it.. it was a pain to keep buffing the bumper to remove road scratches.. on my new truck, i will spray it with my compressor set up (since its a metallic) and clear bra over it.

Here are other little parts that i have done with this method.




The method using quality auto paints in aersol cans delivers results that duplicolor wont. simple as that! please post questions.. Next up, PTM handles!

 

You forgot to mention that NO PROFESSIONAL would ever recommend that you paint over chrome, scuffed or not. The scuffed chrome is not considered bare metal unless you break through it, thus no etch primer is required unless it is part of the primer manufacturers priming process for additional bite. Not all etch primers are formulated equally, and thus, react differently. If one was insistent on a DIY PTM over chrome, I would strongly recommend using a capitalized primer instead of any rattle can product out there.

Secondly, wet sanding creates a deeper scratch than dry sanding, so 400 wet is like a 320 dry scratch, and way too coarse for a base/clear. You really should go either 500 dry, or 600 wet to avoid seeing scratches through your finished product.

 

I dont think most people that modify cars or trucks really care about what professionals recommend. Obviously in any application a 2k primer is better, but this post was intended on being an alternative to people that dont have a compressor paint set up. U can disagree with it, but its worked on a few chrome pieces for me.. for years. So i believe its worth sharing. Thanks for your input anyways.

And i did mean 600! Dont know why i put 400

 

A friend of mine who owns a local body shop explained a very similar process to me as being the best way to paint over METAL chrome. However, he wasn't as confident in prepping, painting and getting paint to stick on plastic chrome products (grills, etc).

Eventually, I want to summon 'the plums' to do this to my 2012. I think an all dark blue pearl metallic truck would look

 

Indeed it would brother! Im going to do my 2012 the same way. Chromed plastic is easier in my opinion, because u can easily sand off the chrome, then use adhesion promoter and prep as usual. If painted alottt of plastics.. chromed or not!

 

10-4. You hear different stories from different people with different levels of success and failure. I'd just hate to start painting on this new truck unless I'm very, very, VERY sure it's going to work. Replacement parts are expensive for these things!

 

This true. I've had alot of trial and error, cuz alot of friends would let me experiment on their cars to improve the look of it for pretty much zero cost. On my 2012, im confident enough to paint over the chrome and then install clear bra over it to protect it
. I did it to a friends silverado over a year ago and it still looks show worthy.

 

Dewser, if you are looking for a more sure fire method, try posting in your local craigslist for a painted/chrome swap. In a perfect world you hit a bumper the right color, but even if you wind up with a wrong color, it is MUCH safer to paint a factory painted bumper a different color than it is to paint a chromed one. Or look in your local yellow pages and locate a company who does chroming. Ask them to dip your bumper and strip it of its chrome. From there you have a solid foundation from which to build on.

No paint company on the planet will warranty a bumper that has been painted over the factory chrome, scuffed or not. There is a smart way to do this, and do it once.

 

Warrantying a bumper you must not be much of a DIYer. Maybe a should put a disclaimer on the top of the post. if you dont have a question about painting parts outside of your usual project, please start a thread your own thread to help people out.. thats what we're here for isnt it?

 

Chill Dude. You couldn't be more wrong on that note. I am a definite DIY-er, but I also happen to be a licensed tradesman, with a ticket in auto body and paint, and countless hours of courses and technical upgrades since I got my ticket.

Dewser suggested that he was looking for a fail proof method, and quite simply, your method, although they may very well work in the short term, are far from fail proof.

I didn't mean to hijack your thread. Just poking my nose in to make sure folks get the facts.

 

Thankee, elbow!

I had actually considered doing it that way. I already have a grill treed on Craigslist; however, it's flame blue. Still, as you said, it has to be safer than painting over chrome.

Thought about checking the local salvage yards too. Sometimes you can find a steal on great parts at a couple of the local spots.

Either way, it IS paint and it IS on the front of the truck. I know it's going to chip a little. Heck, my old factory PTM bumper had several chips. Although chrome is more resistant to chipping, I just don't care for the look of it.