Painting a pickup’s bed rail cover

[JethroB]

I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra pickup that I use for puttering around. Recently a friend and I were talking and leaning over the side bed rails and we both started scratching our forearms. What ??? We then noticed sparkling or a glittering in the plastic rail covers. So something is embedded in the aging plastic rails like fiberglass. The only option I see is painting them. But with what?

Does anyone have experience doing this. Thanks.

 

[RustyA]

If you decide to paint them be sure paint includes flex additive to allow expansion and contraction without peeling. Rust-Oleum sells a rattle can product specifically for plastic outdoor furniture. I've had good luck with it painting plastic conduit that sits in direct sun on south side of the house. Surface prep is the key to getting paint to stay on plastic without peeling.

 

[ponytug]

I guess I have three thoughts; sanding it with fine sand paper or rubbing compound to get rid of the the exposed fibers, coating the rail with something like armor-all just to slow the decay, or coating the rail with plastidip.

Activating plastic to have good paint adhesion to plastic like ABS isn't easy. You need to sand it, clean it, and if possible, chemically activate with a primer made for ABS, followed by a paint made for ABS.

There is also just buying a replacement rail, or ignoring the issue... I view rails as protecting my truck.

All the best,

Peter

 

[jaxs]

Why not use bed liner?

 

[JethroB]

Why not use bed liner?

That’s a good idea. That stuff ain’t peeling off anything short of Teflon. Go for a smooth finish.

ponytug suggested replacing them. I found them on Amazon for about $90 but the reviews aren’t great. They use double faced foam tape to adhere and some say that doesn’t work too well. But hey use heavy duty adhesive caulk. The trucks only 21 years old and not a show piece but a limb & trash and BS’ing prop.