Which primer to use?

[custodian]

I'm going to prime my dually bed where someone before me sanding it down to the metal. I want to just prime it back for now, not painting it anytime soon.

Which primer should I use? I know there are at least three types, Epoxy, Urethane and Acrylic.

 

[Ricko1966]

I'm going to prime my dually bed where someone before me sanding it down to the metal. I want to just prime it back for now, not painting it anytime soon.

Which primer should I use? I know there are at least three types, Epoxy, Urethane and Acrylic.

I'd use epoxy and a topcoat of lacquer primer. The epoxy primer sticks good has excellent rust protection,but has a short recoat window. If you spray lacquer primer over it you can come back in 10 years scuff your lacquer primer and shoot paint.

 

[Hilllbilly]

Now days ... Epoxy with a catalyst, two part epoxy sealer type, apposed to high-build stuff

or use what ever you want

 

[Grit dog]

I can think of a few reasons why lacquer 1k is a very poor choice and no reasons why it’s a good choice since it’s 2025 now and not 1985.
Hence why it is rarely used anymore and not widely available. Just like VCRs and CD players.


But @custodian, depends what you’re gonna do with the truck. Is it going to be subject to weather? UV? Moisture? Chlorides?
If none of the above, any quality 2k DTM or DTR will provide as good of adhesion and long term protection from humidity and even direct moisture as an epoxy or acid etching primer.
There is zero reason to top coat any of the above direct to metal primers with a filler primer until you’re ready to get er done. And a couple reasons why it’s not good to. Primarily being moisture absorption.
And no primer will have great uv resistance or even good UV although epoxy is the best option if you’re gonna park it outside long term. Dunno if you’re talking a year or a decade before you paint.
If you plan on driving it, especially in the winter (Catawba, Michigan?) do yourself a favor and squirt it with some sort of paint after whatever primer you use.
Don’t worry about reducing your prep/sanding requirements in the future because that’s not a thing, no matter what you do, you’ll have lots of sanding and bodywork to do before final paint anyways.

 

[Hilllbilly]

 

[Ricko1966]

I'd use epoxy and a topcoat of lacquer primer. The epoxy primer sticks good has excellent rust protection,but has a short recoat window. If you spray lacquer primer over it you can come back in 10 years scuff your lacquer primer and shoot paint.

Well this it what the guys at Ditzler recommended to me in 2017/2018 when I called their tech line for advice on the Chevelle. I assumed they knew what they were doing.Id suggest calling a paint manufacturer and ask them maybe things have changed. But no doubt they know more than any of us.

 

[Scruffy49]

A good epoxy primer, and then top coat it with paint of your choice. Does not have to be a full on high zoot bells and whistles brand. Even epoxy primer will degrade quickly if out in the elements. Rustoleum, Krylon or Majic tractor paint from a foofoo can or even brushed on from the quart can you bought for your frame will help preserve the metal.

When you do decide to paint, it will sand off fairly readily, as long as you did not use the matching hardener. If you did use hardener, just takes a bit longer, but comes off cleanly. “Foofoo can” (spray paint) can/will be removed by mother nature anyway if you did not 2k clear it.

Cheapest option? Rustoleum Professional primer/paint, top it with Zep High Traffic floor sealer/polish. Do the whole truck in Zep, will help your existing paint last.

 

[legopnuematic]

Epoxy primer is good, or something like Tamco 5311 DTM/DTR high build (can be cut as a sealer) urethane.

I primed my trailer fenders with 5311 two years ago and the trailer has lived outside in all the weather Missouri can offer, besides some scratches from using the trailer, look like when I sprayed them.

 

[custodian]

I can think of a few reasons why lacquer 1k is a very poor choice and no reasons why it’s a good choice since it’s 2025 now and not 1985.
Hence why it is rarely used anymore and not widely available. Just like VCRs and CD players.


But @custodian, depends what you’re gonna do with the truck. Is it going to be subject to weather? UV? Moisture? Chlorides?
If none of the above, any quality 2k DTM or DTR will provide as good of adhesion and long term protection from humidity and even direct moisture as an epoxy or acid etching primer.
There is zero reason to top coat any of the above direct to metal primers with a filler primer until you’re ready to get er done. And a couple reasons why it’s not good to. Primarily being moisture absorption.
And no primer will have great uv resistance or even good UV although epoxy is the best option if you’re gonna park it outside long term. Dunno if you’re talking a year or a decade before you paint.
If you plan on driving it, especially in the winter (Catawba, Michigan?) do yourself a favor and squirt it with some sort of paint after whatever primer you use.
Don’t worry about reducing your prep/sanding requirements in the future because that’s not a thing, no matter what you do, you’ll have lots of sanding and bodywork to do before final paint anyways.

It will be subject to the weather. Catawba, NC. I'm leaning towards a Urethane Primer and might just use that Rustoleum Turbo paint on it until I get ready to paint the entire truck.

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[bucket]

Well this it what the guys at Ditzler recommended to me in 2017/2018 when I called their tech line for advice on the Chevelle. I assumed they knew what they were doing.Id suggest calling a paint manufacturer and ask them maybe things have changed. But no doubt they know more than any of us.

It sounds like they were suggesting that you could later re-coat the 1k primer without doing any prep work.

Ain't no way in hell that I'd ever chance that. If it's cured, you have to sand it before top coating with anything, no matter what.

 

[Ricko1966]

It sounds like they were suggesting that you could later re-coat the 1k primer without doing any prep work.

Ain't no way in hell that I'd ever chance that. If it's cured, you have to sand it before top coating with anything, no matter what.

What they told me was the dp40lf had to be topcoated in x number of hours. In that window if I wasn't ready for paint,shoot it with lacquer primer. Then I could come back at any time scuff clean and paint over the lacquer primer. IDK why because my plan was shoot epoxy primer 1 panel at a time as I finished each panel then shoot paint after everything was done. They said I'd miss my recoat window and I should leave the panels in lacquer primer over epoxy so as not to have a problem with the topcoat. The way I took it and understood it was the epoxy was I would have adhesion problems trying to topcoat the epoxy too late in the process.

 

[bucket]

What they told me was the dp40lf had to be topcoated in x number of hours. In that window if I wasn't ready for paint,shoot it with lacquer primer. Then I could come back at any time scuff clean and paint over the lacquer primer. IDK why because my plan was shoot epoxy primer 1 panel at a time as I finished each panel then shoot paint after everything was done. They said I'd miss my recoat window and I should leave the panels in lacquer primer over epoxy so as not to have a problem with the topcoat. The way I took it and understood it was the epoxy was I would have adhesion problems trying to topcoat the epoxy too late in the process.

Never heard of such a thing. An epoxy primer is a far superior product to lacquer primer. Top coating an epoxy with lacquer primer seems absurd to me.

 

[Grit dog]

Ditzler hasn’t been an actual brand afaik for a long time.
You mean PPG?
Either way epoxy can be primed or painted over after scuffing once outside the recoat window just like any primer paint or clear.

 

[legopnuematic]

Of course, follow the tds for the specific product, but Tamco’s 6xx and 7xx series epoxy primers can be topcoated within 14 days without sanding. Past that window, just sand with the appropriate grit for the current stage of work

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Here is from the TDS on the ppg stuff:

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[Grit dog]

It will be subject to the weather. Catawba, NC. I'm leaning towards a Urethane Primer and might just use that Rustoleum Turbo paint on it until I get ready to paint the entire truck.

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You have options and some of them will last a long time outside. If it’s just gonna sit and not be in the salt.
If you’re ballin on a budget look into Tamco. I second the recommendation for their products…and actual service.