Mother Nature can wreak havoc on your trucks’ finishes. Brian Calmer, product manager with Martin Senour Paints, stressed that trucks that run in winter climates need to be checked before and after the winter to look for cracks, scratches or anything that’s going to compromise the finish.
“Safety first. When vehicles are damaged and need repairs or refinishing so damage does not get worse; or more so, can cause problems with the vehicles performance as well as to its operator and others on the road,” he said.
Primer performance is extremely important to long-term durability but there’s a cost/performance trade-off.
“We recommend that you select coatings by performance expectations only,” PPG’s Wirth said. “If preventing corrosion is the highest priority, zinc-rich epoxies provide the ultimate protection when used as part of a three-coat system that includes epoxy or urethane primers and topcoats. Now, if cost is the major driver, an alkyd enamel primer may be the right choice, while still maintaining a good level of corrosion resistance.”
Surface preparation before priming is extremely important. A properly prepared, cleaned and possibly pretreated surface is the basis for a successful coating system.
“If the unit is operating in a de-icer environment, it may require use of a high performance 2K anti-corrosive epoxy or even a zinc rich epoxy to provide superior corrosion protection,” Sherwin-Williams’ Szczepanik explained. “For the topcoat, I would recommend an acrylic polyurethane single stage or base coat. This is one of the most durable topcoat chemistries available to fleet refinishers. The same goes with the clear coat, use an acrylic polyurethane clear coat possibly with a cleanable hardener that resists graffiti, dirt and grime.”
Custom call-outs
The increased popularity of heavy-duty truck beauty contests across in North America exemplifies the trend for custom paint jobs, including tri-coat finishes and dazzling graphics. PPG, for example, has responded to customer demand by making a wider choice of sophisticated color options and special effects pigments available for use with its Delfleet paint systems.
Something to consider, if you’re looking at crafting a custom finish for your fleet, is the time it is going to be down for the refinish and the cost of a custom paint job. “You have to think maintenance and upkeep of a custom paint job. It needs to be washed and waxed more often to prevent deterioration,” ChemSpec’s Markovich added. “Custom paint jobs are much harder to re-repair and consumes more time and dollars.”
“Cost can be an issue as newer effect pigments can be more costly than traditional pigments,” Sherwin-Williams’ Szczepanik agreed. “Stocking the full color bank of your coating supplier including effect pigments will allow you to exceed your customers expectations and imagination. Almost all effect colors are base coat/clear coat, so an extremely durable finish is still the norm.”
That said, Axalta’s Papa believes the overall fleet color and finish quality could affect a company’s reputation.
“A fleet with unmaintained finishes may negatively impact its company’s position in the marketplace, and its reputation among existing customers,” he said. “This could make it difficult to win potential customers. In addition, a fleet with a basecoat/clearcoat system that is well maintained could result in a higher resale value when the time comes to turn over the fleet.”
