Hi, I’m looking for recommendations for the best way to paint these brackets. Is this a “ white “ metal?
What would be the best primer and or paint to get these back in shape?
Thank you in advance.
Best way to paint mirrors
- Thread starter Tooonz
- Start date
Hi, I’m looking for recommendations for the best way to paint these brackets. Is this a “ white “ metal?
What would be the best primer and or paint to get these back in shape?
Thank you in advance.
Those look very nice, did you just repaint from a good base? Or did you have bare metal like I do? I’m not sure the SEM paint can work without a primer.
Replacing them with 03-06' mirrors is a better option.
I wire wheeled the flakey bare metal making sure to get to any l loose and lifting paint off until I got to a solid base. Lightly sanded whatever black was left and the sprayed them. Finish coat was SEM Trim Black. They came out perfect. And then I replaced them with the '03 - '06 mirror. I still have the early mirrors in my parts bin if you want them..
I don't have a before/after.
I don't have a before/after.
Ctdriver86
TJ Enthusiast
When I first bought an old 06 lj I had, I swapped the obnoxious bulky mirrors for early 97-02 flat mirrors, the first week I bought it. I must be the minority that doesn’t like them.
OP, just get as much of the flaking black off. I used a small flathead, and had chunks coming off, at a time. Red scotch brite the remains. Dawn dish soap wash. Dried, then final alcohol wipe. Spray with SEM, done. Oh yea, taped the actual mirror before the alcohol wipe.
I actually like the look of the early mirrors but with new seals on my recently refinished half doors they require a firm hand to close them and the mirrors would move every time I closed the door. Haven't decided if I will get matching new style mirrors for the full doors now that I have become accustomed to the look or put the old mirrors on the full doors. I had removed the mirrors from the doors and ran an a-pillar mounted mirror full time so I didn't have to mess with swapping mirrors when going doors off.
I hated that old mirror design on my YJ and still do. They move every time you shut the door too hard, paint peels and they rust. My old style ones moved when I drove over 75 mph too.
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TJRick
TJ Enthusiast
Me three. I prefer the earlier style with "Jeep" etched into the glass.
TJRick
TJ Enthusiast
It's not the design; something must have been wrong with yours.
Those mirrors should *not* move when you shut the door too hard, nor should they move over 75 mph.
Nope. Old style mirrors you had to move the entire mirror to angle them. New style mirrors you move the glass. I had them on my YJ and several pre 03' TJs. Same Shit, Different Mirror.
"Less easy to move" means they still move. The 03-06' mirrors take a fat drunk dude to fall against your Jeep to move them.
p.s. I know because I lived 30' from a brewery.
TJRick
TJ Enthusiast
Okay, but what does that have to do with what you said in post #9?
I actually have had both styles, so I know how to adjust them.
What I was saying was that - once set - the old style mirrors should *not* move by closing the door too hard, and they should *not* move if you are going over 75 mph.
Mine don't.
That white stuff is oxidation of the pot metal. Pot metal is just a mixture of a bunch of scrap metal melted together to a useable form. The black that is coming off looks more like powder coating than paint.
Finish scraping the black off and sand it smooth. You can then use some muriatic acid and that will instantly remove the white residue. You can use an epoxy filler mixture to spread over it and sand smooth as if you were doing body work. The pot metal will oxidize again if exposed to air, coating with an epoxy primer will increase lifespan. Then paint with paint of choice.
For the amount of time you will invest in these it would probably be cheaper to buy new ones.
Finish scraping the black off and sand it smooth. You can then use some muriatic acid and that will instantly remove the white residue. You can use an epoxy filler mixture to spread over it and sand smooth as if you were doing body work. The pot metal will oxidize again if exposed to air, coating with an epoxy primer will increase lifespan. Then paint with paint of choice.
For the amount of time you will invest in these it would probably be cheaper to buy new ones.
Does that help you remember what you're driving when looking at them as they shift at high speeds? I don't rely on the "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" etched in the glass either.
TJRick
TJ Enthusiast
Does that help you remember what you're driving when looking at them as they shift at high speeds? I don't rely on the "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" etched in the glass either.
No, because mine don't "shift" at high speeds.
I don't typically drive at 75 mph, either. I think that is illegal.
Even if it wasn't, I don't think it would be very wise to drive a CJ, YJ, or TJ that fast.
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