Frame touch up help
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Vermont
Frame touch up help
Advice from painters pro or otherwise appreciated ? The only time my bikes ever been in the shop was for a new rear tire in July. When they jacked it up they must have put the jack on the rear cross member and the powder coating cracked right along the rear cross member under the tranny where its welded to the front to rear frame tube. I touched it up with Harley vivid black. But did not remove the loose powder, so obviously it did not stay. This time I chipped away the loose pwder revealing the length of the weld line that needs to be touched up. Its about 1/8" wide the whole length of the weld about 6" long. I touched it up with standard vivid black but first tried etching primer. The paint would not cover the primer and just kept lifting it. So I tried just touching it up without primer. That worked for one coat but subsequent coats peeled the first coat off. So ultimately I was able to get on one very light coat applied and when dry tried to put a coat of Harley clear over that and the same thing happens. Any second coat softens and lifts the first. I would really like to use something other than the Harley Bottled laquer since I'm trying to make it permanent and so that it doesn't eventually get to the frame. Its just the weld area so a brush on paint as long as it self levels a little will not be very notciable unless the paint doesn't match. Someone I was talking to this weekend said the best repair that out lasts everything and can be had in a touch up bottle, is Epoxy appliance enamel? Any advice would be most appreciated. If I use Epoxy enamel do I need primer over the exposed enamel? Thanks
Last edited by Rickr01; Oct 22, 2012 at 12:01 PM.
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From: Vermont
It held up ok so far for you? How longs it been? Thanks
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Joined: Apr 2012
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From: North Florida
Are you sure the frame is powder coated? That would be the first time I heard this.
Lacquer is a hard paint to go over a lot of different types of paint, plastic is one of the hardest.
I believe your frame is probably a urethane enamel with a clear coat, unless that has changed.
I am still surprised HD is still selling lacquer. With Lacquer you want the first coat just a dusting, then build up the coats a little at a time, otherwise it shrinks really bad. Once it shrinks you cant get it to cover the cracks.
Also surface prep is very important, it must be rough and clean. Sand it with at least 400 or 320.
Best advice it the Rustoleum, I have pretty good luck with that for touch up, and Harley black is a true black not a rich black.
oh yea, as long as you are not down to the metal or have rust, then you dont need primer, but i would sand it wire brush it a little first.
Lacquer is a hard paint to go over a lot of different types of paint, plastic is one of the hardest.
I believe your frame is probably a urethane enamel with a clear coat, unless that has changed.
I am still surprised HD is still selling lacquer. With Lacquer you want the first coat just a dusting, then build up the coats a little at a time, otherwise it shrinks really bad. Once it shrinks you cant get it to cover the cracks.
Also surface prep is very important, it must be rough and clean. Sand it with at least 400 or 320.
Best advice it the Rustoleum, I have pretty good luck with that for touch up, and Harley black is a true black not a rich black.
oh yea, as long as you are not down to the metal or have rust, then you dont need primer, but i would sand it wire brush it a little first.
Last edited by Harleycruiser; Oct 22, 2012 at 02:38 PM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 453
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From: NM
Rustoleum rattle can for my frame. Worked fine. Just prep the area real good and prime any bare metal.
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Thread Starter
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From: Vermont
Are you sure the frame is powder coated? That would be the first time I heard this.
Lacquer is a hard paint to go over a lot of different types of paint, plastic is one of the hardest.
I believe your frame is probably a urethane enamel with a clear coat, unless that has changed.
I am still surprised HD is still selling lacquer. With Lacquer you want the first coat just a dusting, then build up the coats a little at a time, otherwise it shrinks really bad. Once it shrinks you cant get it to cover the cracks.
Also surface prep is very important, it must be rough and clean. Sand it with at least 400 or 320.
Best advice it the Rustoleum, I have pretty good luck with that for touch up, and Harley black is a true black not a rich black.
oh yea, as long as you are not down to the metal or have rust, then you dont need primer, but i would sand it wire brush it a little first.
Lacquer is a hard paint to go over a lot of different types of paint, plastic is one of the hardest.
I believe your frame is probably a urethane enamel with a clear coat, unless that has changed.
I am still surprised HD is still selling lacquer. With Lacquer you want the first coat just a dusting, then build up the coats a little at a time, otherwise it shrinks really bad. Once it shrinks you cant get it to cover the cracks.
Also surface prep is very important, it must be rough and clean. Sand it with at least 400 or 320.
Best advice it the Rustoleum, I have pretty good luck with that for touch up, and Harley black is a true black not a rich black.
oh yea, as long as you are not down to the metal or have rust, then you dont need primer, but i would sand it wire brush it a little first.
Thanks All! Well thats an interesting question? I don't know the answer although I have always been told Harley Frames are powder coated? I do know that the small Harley paint touch up bottles is definately laquer.
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From: Bella Vista, AR
paint
I had some warranty work done where a weld on the frame was making contact with the swing arm. Both the frame and the swing arm needed to be touched up after the repair. I was told by the HD shop that they used "frame touch up paint". I took it that it was an OEM supplied product. Can't see it where they used it and matched up well.
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From: Vermont
VHT Epoxy paint
I purchased a can of VHT Gloss Black Epoxy paint which I'm told is a bullet proof repair to the cracked frame paint. Since this is going to be confined to a maximum 1/8" wide by 5" long thin weld between the frame and cross member, I'm wondering if I can spray this in a paint cup and apply by artist brush? This would avoid overspray and since its a weld it would not be noticable if its not glass smooth as long as its black and glossy. Anyone know if an epoxy can be applied like this? I don't care if I waste product as long as I achieve the end goal? Thanks
