Powder coating

[rckstrgrl21]

Hey guys (and girls)

I am in southern California and need a cheap, but good quality, place I can take my frame.

Since my engine is shot, I figured I would turn this into a kick butt trike. I want to go with a Redbull theme. I love the product, and the colors!



anyways, I would love all of your help, as I will attempt to do this myself to not only learn but to feel accomplished and to save a bit of money.

What tools, specifically am I going to need to strip this down and put back together??


Thank you!

[Daddio]

I don't know where to tell you to take your frame since I,m not from California but as far as rebuilding your trike I would suggest that you start by buying a good repair manual for your trike.
My son is working on a couple trikes right now. For him it's a labor of love, possibly even an addiction. It takes a lot of time and patience.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[TwoHundredEx]

Well one thing I would invest in is a torque wrench if you're going to be taking the engine apart.
Other than that, basic tools like sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers will get you down to a bare frame.

[dreadhed]

http://www.customcoaters.com/html/southern_california.html
Here are some coaters in your area. Some times cheap & good quality don't go together. I can't remember but I think I but I think I know some on in Socal that PCs. I will check & see where they are located for you in the next day or 2.

A big hammer & a piece of wood is all ways handy too. I also keep cutting disc around for those pain in butt bolts. Also I would buy a impact screwdriver(the kind you hit with a hammer). That is some thing I don't know how I got by with out it.

[rckstrgrl21]

Thank you!

and thanks to Edog I have an oem manual for my year bike.


What size sockets? mm or in?

[chris200x]

I don't know where to tell you to take your frame since I,m not from California but as far as rebuilding your trike I would suggest that you start by buying a good repair manual for your trike.
My son is working on a couple trikes right now. For him it's a labor of love, possibly even an addiction. It takes a lot of time and patience.
Good luck and keep us posted.


you forgot one important thing.... MONEY! and lots of it! lol

You'll discover that rebuilding one of these old wheelers (no matter what the cost) can be very rewarding. I'd sink a few grand into an old trike before I'd buy a new quad anyday!

... back on topic. a frame will most likely cost around $150-$250 depending on who does it and what color. Best bet would be to shop around and find someone local so you wont have to ship the frame.

Oh.. and it's all metric.. unless some redneck got his hands on a bucket of standard bolts. lol

[rckstrgrl21]

Powder coating is the only way to ensure it doesn't chip easily, right? Can I sand it, primer it, paint it, and clear coat it?

[TwoHundredEx]

If you use automotive grade paint it can come out nicely. I've used somewhat expensive spray paint before and had fairly good results too though. One thing I would reccomend if you do decide to paint it is to prep it VERY well. Clean and sand every single inch of that frame.
I did a quick prep job on mine and it turned out like crap. I now have to do it again because I didn't take the time to do it right the first time.

[rally4x4racer]

I am 100% with TwoHundred. You can get great results with automotive paint, but unless you have an air compressor, guns ect then you may end up paying someone to do that too. Unless you plan on becoming a trike addict like some people, you might want to just have it PC'd or painted. If you could have it chromed that would be cool too.

This is a nice tool set :) http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_005W730703110001P?vName=Tools%20&%20Outdoors&cName=MechanicsTools&sName=Mechanics%20Tool%20Sets&psid=FROOGLE&sid=KDx20070926x00003a

[MyMistress86R]

One other tip I can give you is to pick up a box each of gallon and quart ziplock bags and a sharpie marker. Bag everything you take off the bike that will fit in a bag and then label the bags. It's a lifesaver when it comes time to reassemble.

Something else you might consider for your frame, beyond the obvious good prep and such...brake caliper aerosol paint. It comes in many different colors these days and it's tough as nails. Just a thought...

[SYKO]

you can paint it with automotive grade paint, goto a automotive pait supply store, if you dont know where one is ask a body shop, if you dont know where a body shop is wreck your car, if you dont own a car your SOL.. anyway back on topic, see if any avail shops can get colored epoxy paint, this type of paint is STUPID strong so strong in fact if you get it in the bolt thread holes you cannot get it out, only with a retapper! a bolt wont even thread it out! I use a mixture of this and single stage (wich I dont condone unless you have mucho expereince doing this) here are a few frames Ive done



crazylime green 350x

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/100_1580.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/100_1398.jpg

insane candy blue metalic on a 83 300R

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/100_1575.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/MVC-884S.jpg


stupid wicked candy apple red metalflake on my 85 250R flat tracker


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/100_1112.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/100_1114.jpg

[RapidRick]

Awesome paint jobs Sikolincoln !!!

[SYKO]

Awesome paint jobs Sikolincoln !!!


thanx!! i really wish I could be out west I would make the sickest painted trike the plannet has ever seen, but alas im in the east, mud,clay and rocks, so no super fine jobs here, just the okeedoke

[breastman569]

you can save money on powdercoating jobs if you prep it yourself and and also get all the parts that you want in that color done because once they mix their paint it doesnt really matter how many parts you have to get done the price will pretty much stay the same.

i too automotive painted my frame and the only problem that i had with the pain coming off it where the seat sits on the frame and rubbed :( but other than that very very nice!
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i279/breastman569/Three%20Wheelers/PICT0460.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i279/breastman569/Three%20Wheelers/PICT0446.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i279/breastman569/Three%20Wheelers/PICT0691.jpg
thats a shine you are seeing on the side of the frame but if you look right behind the rubber seat mount you can see the small wear spot.

[rckstrgrl21]

Yeah, I think I will just paint it with automotive paint (I have a small air compressor what else do I need? expensive part?)

[rally4x4racer]

if your AC is small you will have to combat the water more - get a water filter and a cheapo gun. http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=paint+gun
.. you will like painting it yourself

[rckstrgrl21]

what do you mean "you'll have to combat the water more"?


will this spray gun be ok?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47016

[SYKO]

that gun will be fine for spraying frames, just dont plan on any cars with it.

[rckstrgrl21]

is there somewhere that sells a sand blaster for the air compressor?

[rally4x4racer]

a smaller compressor will heat up more and create more (condensation) water. I have a 60gal that I can paint without a filter and a 10 gallon that must have a filter.

when I said "combat water" I meant take precaution against it forming and spraying out with the paint ruining your paint (filter)

It takes a good compressor to push a sandblaster efficiently. You can get them on the internet cheap, but you might just want to sand the frame. I have been thinking about trying that spot blaster on harbor - no idea how it works.

[SYKO]

as for a sand blaster to work correctly a large compressor is needed and alot of pressure and volume, a cheap little one will barely cut it, to quicken up this process, go into the yellow pages and see if a chrome plating place would acid dip your frame, 5 mins of it in the tank and it will be perfect bare metal, shouldnt cost that much either

[Daddio]

Most places that do powder coating also do sand blasting. It would be far cheaper for you to pay to have the sand blasting done for you. With you being from California I'm not sure what kind of paint to recommend for you to use. The restrictions on auto paint there are much different than here in Ohio. I would suggest a good urethane based paint. I have been in the autobody repair business for several decades and have had good success using dupont chroma one. I painted my sons drag trike and it has held up very well. It's going on its third year with no problems. By the way he is 1upfront on this forum. Here is a pic of his drag trike and one of another project.
He does all of his engine work and rebuilds the trikes and and does all of the prep work for before paint ,all I do is spray the paint. If you need any good answers try to pm him he will probably be glad to help out.:TrikesOwn
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e183/lrdunlap/100_0017.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e183/lrdunlap/100_0101.jpg

[Boss]

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee59/boss6675/3.jpghttp://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee59/boss6675/R.jpg

[rckstrgrl21]

That is exactly what I want to do, powdercoating the frame black that is. I was also thinking of maybe a candy apple red/maroon.