Tractor painting.

JayinNY · May 13, 2019

I have a ford 4610 I bought in 2008, from a horse farm I worked on since 1989, the owner bought this tractor to work with our ford 4600 in 1990, so Iv been around the tractor since then, I wanted the 4600, but they wouldent sell it, so I bought the 4610? The hood has surface rust, I don't want to paint the entire tractor, a few rattle cans will work, but how will the color match? I'm thinking tape off the sides and just paint the top and live with it! The nose is plastic so maybe I won't paint that?? Any ideas, 2nd time in 11 years the tractor has been off a farm and at my home!

showcrop · May 13, 2019

Jay, you need to get rid of the rust first, any tiny particle that is left and covered with paint will grow under the paint then eventually lift the paint. There are various ways to do it, one favorite is the cup shaped twisted wire wheel. They a are very aggressive. After getting all of the rust off you prime it because top coat paint doesn't stick to bare metal for very long. Before priming check very closely for any pits that are holding rust. If you have any, you need to kill the rust with some rust converter. Years ago I was going to paint the red belly of my 960. I picked up, I think, 3-4 cans. I went back for 3-4 more, I think three times. For the price of the spray cans needed I bet that you could buy a pint of paint, and an HVLP sprayer.

Stephen Newell · May 13, 2019

It's kind of counterproductive to just paint part of the tractor. If you make the hood look brand new it will look out of place with the rest of the tractor. The paint color couldn't be made to match because the rest of it is mixed with rust. You could make it match what the color was originally though.

The paint has deteriorated enough that the metal is rusting through the paint. Putting more paint over the top isn't going to stop the rust. The only way to stop the rust is to strip it down to bare metal, treat the metal and then put an epoxy primer over the top. Putting rattle can paint over the top will allow the metal to rust underneath the paint and deteriorate further. You just wouldn't see it because it's covered up. Then when the rust starts showing again you might have holes in the metal.

I know how much work it is to paint a tractor. I just think you would be better off in the long run if what ever you painted on the tractor you did it right so it would last. You could paint the tractor piece at a time over years. With the right paint it would last for decades.

JayinNY · May 13, 2019

Of course I would sand the rust off first, and prime
it, I have painted before, just dident want paint the
whole tractor, but figured just painting the top
wouldent match the rest of the tractor.

yakob · May 13, 2019

I usually advise against rattle cans for anything but a project that will ultimately live inside of a house. Terrible film build, soft, and it is a false economy to boot. There is like an ounce of paint in there thinned down to water consistency.

I also usually advise against using a wire wheel on sheet metal. You can get a ton of heat built up with one so if you do use it, keep that in mind and keep moving.

Tractor painting.

JayinNY

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showcrop

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Stephen Newell

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JayinNY

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yakob

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