Hey guys,

Another of my endless stream of questions about my new truck.

My bug deflector has worn a thin strip of paint away and exposed bare metal. I want to touch this up if possible, if for no other reason than to stop it from rusting.

I have 3 questions, really:

1. Where the devil can I find this stuff? I checked AutoZone online and they don't have any available for a F-150 apparently.
2. Is the tube of touch up paint what I should be using, and how does it turn out looks wise?
3. What is the best way to apply it?


Thanks as always for your knowledge and kindness!

 

If you exposed bare metal, then you'll have to get the primer too. You even want to see about getting a rust inhibitor applied there.

Go to a body shop and tell them your problem and ask them to mix a small bottle of touch up paint for your truck. If they can't or won't do it, then they'll know a place locally that you can get some touch-up paint for your truck. You'll also want to get a small bottle of clear coat.

I did a write up some time ago on how to fix paint chips. Might try to search for it because I'm going to try to do the quickie version here.

Wash the chip well, tape off around it with painter's 7 day release tape, scrape out scratch with tooth pick, use a needle or a small paintbrush from an art supply store to apply the paint. Let it dry for 24 hours. Now come back and apply some clear coat to the spot. It is ok if it bubbles above the surface of the rest of the paint.

Get a hole punch and some 2000 grit sand paper. Punch some holes and glue them to the back of a pencil eraser. Then sand clear coat bubbble down level with the paint. Now get some Polish and polish the sandpaper marks out. Good as new!

 

It's less of a chip and more of a 5 inch rut where the bottom of the bug deflector was rubbing against the paint.

Do the same techniques apply to long ruts as do the single small chipped places?

Thanks for you help!

 

Long ruts you can use the needle method or if you have a dart with a metal tip you can use it. Get a bubble of paint on it and put it on one end of the scratch. Then you can use the tip to drag the paint through the rut.

 

Try this site . . .

http://www.paintscratch.com/

. . . not cheap but may fill the bill!

Bob

 

also, you may wanna adjust your hood bump stops so they are higher up. My passenger side rubbed a little tiny spot off on the grille surround top, so i just adjusted the passenger side stop up a little and it stopped. And all the seams are still even. Could have been outta whack from teh factory. good luck

 

I've always gotten touch-up paint from my dealer..it isn't that expensive and usually is given to me when I purchase a new vehicle. BTW, that's another reason I love my Lund Interceptor deflector, it sit far enough off the hood that there is no chance for it to rub the truck.