Raw Aluminum Bumper Finishing How To?

[ajkaz]

Hello All,

Pulled the trigger on a new aluminum front bumper, from Under Cover Fab. Super happy with it so far, especially for the price, made in USA of 6061-T6.

https://undercoverfab.com/jeep-jk-0...-front-bumper-for-jeep-wrangler-jk-jl-jt.html

Time to get it finished up and mounted, but I'm curious as of the best way to finish it. I was originally thinking polished, but then realized how much work it is and that it requires a TON of upkeep from what I'm reading.

Definitely want to keep it raw, I see some use a scotch brite pad and wd-40 for a shiny brushed look, how long does that last?

It doesn't need to look perfect, but I'd like to go with the lowest maintenance raw finish I can, I live in Southern CA, but not near enough to the beach that corrosion is an issue.
Brushed would even look fine if it lasts.

Should it be top coated?

I do need to clean up some printing on it, what would I use for that?

I intend on running raw aluminum fenders in the distant future as well and would finish them in the same manner.

With the packing material, all bolts and accessories its weighs about 41 LBS. Impressive.

I did an overnight vinegar bath on the winch tray and frame/d-ring mounts, wiped off the mill scale.
Then hit them with a silicone carbide abrasive wheel to clean up and scratch for paint adhesion.

3 coats primer, 3 coats red enamel, I was trying to get close to the Rubicon tow hook red, its a little brighter, but I like it.

The enamel has a great gloss, and seems durable, do you think it needs a topcoat of clear??

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[wchevron]

I'd say yes on the clear. Couldn't hurt

 

[bleda2002]

After you clean it, clear it and you should be good to go on a long lasting raw finish.

Depending on how shiny you want the red parts, look at glamour 2k clear coat, it's a super hard urethane that gives a factory like clear coat. I don't recommend the clear for anything painted that will routinely get scratched as it's easier to just hit it with more enamel in those cases than try to match a clear.

 

[Minty JL]

I third the motion to clear coat for ease of maintaining

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Clear top coat - a QUALITY clear, sort of like I used on some of my car stuff - something that is hard and will hold up (not like spray can)
OR
Clear powder coating.

After my SX4 aluminum wheels were CNC machined and refinished, they were cleared and 5 years later still look like new.
A lot of car people do aluminum wheels in either a clear powder coat or a top coat like sprayed over cars and polished.

Aluminum begins to oxidize the second to stop polishing it so if you have a shop do it, they'll likely polish then right away shoot the clear on.
I've polished alternator housings before and you need to protect them pretty fast.

 

[ajkaz]

After you clean it, clear it and you should be good to go on a long lasting raw finish.

Depending on how shiny you want the red parts, look at glamour 2k clear coat, it's a super hard urethane that gives a factory like clear coat. I don't recommend the clear for anything painted that will routinely get scratched as it's easier to just hit it with more enamel in those cases than try to match a clear.

Thanks a ton! I think I'll leave the enamel bare for easy touch up. What would you use to clean the aluminum before clearing?

 

[bleda2002]

Thanks a ton! I think I'll leave the enamel bare for easy touch up. What would you use to clean the aluminum before clearing?

Dawn dish soap and then degreaser is your best bet. Aluminum is not the easiest thing to stick, but since it's not polished aluminum the clear should stick reasonably well (and be easy enough to fix if it chips somewhere since it's just clear and won't rust)

 

[rharr]

You can always get it anodized. Clear anodized or hard coat. Hard coat would be my choice.

 

[ajkaz]

Dawn dish soap and then degreaser is your best bet. Aluminum is not the easiest thing to stick, but since it's not polished aluminum the clear should stick reasonably well (and be easy enough to fix if it chips somewhere since it's just clear and won't rust)

Thanks, sorry I should’ve clarified, what can I use to clean up discoloration on the surface to get a more uniform look before clearcoating?
Will this impact the clearcoat sticking?

 

[ASU_Greg]

Visit you local powder coated to see if they have samples of sand blasted aluminum that has coated with clear. It yields a great finish!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Aluminum wheel, CNC machined to restore, then clear -

A bumper properly done with either clear top coat as used on automotive finishes, or a power coat which is a hard to scratch or nick surface and melts to the metal, would look really nice.

Spray can clear is fine for some stuff - but I'd have a bumper done in something a lot better.

 

[nickd]

you are using a steel winch plate but an aluminum bumper?

The bumper is essentially what secures the winch plate to the car. There is a reason why people use steel bumpers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

you are using a steel winch plate but an aluminum bumper?

The bumper is essentially what secures the winch plate to the car. There is a reason why people use steel bumpers.

No, it is not what secures it. In fact, I could use my winch plate with no bumper at all.
The winch plate is bolted directly to the frame rails and with mine, the front of the winch plate is behind the frame rail bumper mounting flanges.
If his aluminum bumper is made like my steel bumper, the bumper isn't part of the winch plate security at all.

There's a lot of people using the aluminum bumper that looks like the steel Rubicon bumper - with winches, and doing just fine.

All the bumper does for many of us is hold the fairlead, and nothing more.
If I put bolts in the holes at the end of the frame rails, I could actually use this winch fine if I kept the rope off the winch plate flange.

In this pic - what would a bumper have to do with securing the winch?

 

[nickd]

No, it is not what secures it. In fact, I could use my winch plate with no bumper at all.
The winch plate is bolted directly to the frame rails and with mine, the front of the winch plate is behind the frame rail bumper mounting flanges.
If his aluminum bumper is made like my steel bumper, the bumper isn't part of the winch plate security at all.
All the bumper does for many of us is hold the fairlead, and nothing more.
If I put bolts in the holes at the end of the frame rails, I could actually use this winch fine if I kept the rope off the winch plate flange.

your winch plate is only secured on the bottom? The warn winch plate has 8 mounting bolts plus 2 for the fair lead.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

your winch plate is only secured on the bottom? The warn winch plate has 8 mounting bolts plus 2 for the fair lead.

LOL - no. It's secured to the frame rails on the sides and to the front of the frame rails behind the bumper mounting area.
How could it be secured only on the bottom? It's reinforced there, and there's a 2" receiver there (and a snow plow mounting bar below that).
This isn't my first go-'round with winches and winch plates or mounting or whatever.

Here's other reasons your argument on bumpers doesn't hold water:

* Some aluminum alloys are as strong as steel - been in an airplane lately?
7075 (aircraft aluminum) is stronger than some mild steels and don't think that steel bumpers are of the highest quality or best alloy of steel when thinking steel bumpers.

* There are people here with winches installed with a PLASTIC bumper. Tell them they can't use a winch. There's at least 3 of them, possibly more. As others discover how some have done it, they, too, get the parts and make it a reality. Winch with a plastic bumper.

It's all in the winch plate, not the bumper - UNLESS you buy a bumper that IS the winch mount.

So your "Warn winch plate" is made differently and bolts differently - doesn't mean it's good or bad, better or worse. the number of bolts isn't the deciding factor in some designs.

The fairlead mounting doesn't count as that can be a distinct, separate bracket if you want to run with no bumper or an aluminum bumper or a home-made bumper.

My winch plate is a bulldog and is bolted on the sides and at the front. The bottom is reinforced with 1/4" steel reinforcements/gussets attached via tabs in slots, then welded in place into the bottom of the winch plate.
The front is mounted where the bumper mounts. Since it mounts behind the frame's front bumper mounting ears, there's almost no stress at all on the bolts - it's all forward against the frame itself. The bolts merely hold it up to the bumper.

In short, with a decent winch plate, it doesn't matter if your bumper is steel, aluminum, or not even there at all.

You can see the gussets welded into the bottom of the winch plate -

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