Paint on Ice Catle

[MARK 1201]

Why did ice castle use such crappy paint? I got mine February 2014. Repainted the rusty younger and wheel lifts over the summer. Then I used it at least 10 trips last winter. All rusty again. It looks like s___. I want this thing to last. What do others do ? I did use cheap paint myself. 

[RebelSS]

It's not so much the paint, as it is the surface prep and type of primer/coating ie; zinc, etc. That's the most important part of ANY paint job. That's where the rust starts. A quickie prep/prime just leads to issues down the road. (pardon the pun) The metal they are using has a huge impact, too. Cheaper stuff with a lot of impurities will cause it to rust far sooner.

Edited August 18, 2015 by RebelSS

[arcticm1000]

Search POR 15.  I haven’t used it yet, but when I do my frame I think it is what I am going to use. It has been discussed here a few times and always seems to be the top suggestion.

[Hawg]

Hard to believe Ice Castle would cut corners.?!?  Never heard that before.

POR 15 is bulletproof. 

[Boar]

metel contamination, meaning the frame wasnt cleaned properly before paint.  I have some experience in this not alot, no expert, but some experience. I build outdoor furnaces for a living, we have an acid wash, wher detergent type metel cleaner and water are mixed with high temperature of about 140 degrees with a pressure wash. this littleraly etches the steel so primer/paint can  adhere to the steele, if the steel is not cleaned properly paint wil easily chip away and expose bare metel an therefore rust. proper etching consists of high pressure with the nozzle of the gun anywhere from 2-4 iches away from the steele, 

[LindellProStaf]