Rear Bumper removal and cleanup

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A while back, I decided to tackle some rust and unsightly areas in the rear of the bus. I suspect the previous owners drove on salted winter roads and never rinsed off the salt, leading to several bad spots. I removed the rear bumper and the ugly mud flap, then took off the hitch. After cleaning and priming, I painted everything gray and cleaned, painted, and reattached the hitch.

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It looks like you did a really good job Andre! It just feels good doesn’t it.

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What paint did you choose to match that frame? Looks really really nice.

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Andre: Great Job. Looks A1. And I know that you feel great about getting her done.

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Great job, Andre! How many hours did you spend on the project overall? Did you sandblast the hitch? What kind of paint did you use for repainting?

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Andre in the second post first picture what material is that white pipe made out of?
GregM

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That’s painted copper fittings, all soldered together, Greg.

Brian discovered this when he took all his radiator plumbing off his Liberty to get it powder-coated and realized he couldn’t.

Looks great, huh?

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I spent most of one weekend on this job. Without a sandblaster, I used steel wire brushes of various sizes and shapes on an electric drill, along with sandpaper to clean off as much rust, paint, and dirt as possible. For paint, I went to Lowe’s since it’s close by and had a good selection of Rust-Oleum.

Here’s my 4-step process:

1. Grind away as much rust and dirt as possible, then wipe down with paint thinner.
2. Apply 2 coats of Rust-Oleum “Rust Reformer” (the black paint in the pictures).
3. Apply 2 coats of Rust-Oleum “Grey PRIMER.”
4. Finish with 2 coats of Rust-Oleum “All Surface Gloss Slate Gray.”

The gray is pretty close to the Prevost Gray, although there’s a visible line between old and new. Still, it looks a hundred times better than before, so I consider it a success. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with the results.

Hope this answers everyone’s questions!

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Since Joe mentioned it, when refurbishing the 8V in Tom’s coach, I thought powder-coating the large water pipes would be a good idea. Turned out to be a bad move—the baking process melted the soldered joints in the pipes. The right approach is to strip, prime, and repaint those instead. No secrets in this group!

Great job, Andre! It makes me a bit worried about what’s hiding behind our bumper, though.

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Good job, Andre! When Florida Detroit pulled the bumper on our bus to change the rear seal on the engine, they found significant wear on the bolts holding the hitch to the frame. A fresh sanding, paint, and new bolts solved the issue, but it could have been a real problem. It’s definitely worth checking on older frames; my guess is that hitch takes some serious shocks while towing.

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That looks fantastic, Andre! The step-by-step procedure and pictures are really helpful. My bus could definitely use the same treatment, and your post makes it seem like a project I might actually tackle. Thanks for sharing!

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Brian,

I’m surprised to hear the soldered joints melted during the powder coating process. I’ve worked in powder coating for years, and typically, the cures are done at around 325 degrees F, with some going up to 450 for shorter times. Generally, low-temp, long-time cycles can be just as effective for heat-sensitive items.

It’s always good to double-check with the coater about the specific materials involved.

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Jon,

After discovering several leaks in my (Tom’s) new powder coat job, I did some digging and reached the same conclusion about curing temperatures. The powder coating company refunded my money and requested that I not bring them any more work. Given the risks associated with poorly monitored bake jobs, it’s definitely wise to avoid powder coating for soldered assemblies.

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Hmm, do I smell anti-freeze?

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My bus was originally designed for a guy in Ontario, Canada, and their road salt does a real number on rust. I might be in the market for a new oil pan—it looks pretty rough.

GregM

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