Trucks are often called work-horses because they are used for daily driving, hauling, towing and for off-roading. Trucks are painted with the same type of paint used for cars, but in many cases that paint doesn't seem to last as long on trucks due to abuse resulting from its intended usage. Before repainting your truck, you must strip off the paint and primer to expose the bare metal.
Instructions
- 1
Remove fender flares and fender trim off of the truck prior to sanding. Remove any camper shells or tool boxes from the bed.
2Park the truck in an open area that can be cleaned. The debris from sanding will become airborne but will end up on the ground around the truck. Wear safety goggles and a mask over your mouth and nose to help prevent sanding debris from reaching your lungs.
3Place 120-grit sandpaper on a dual-action sander. Start at the front of the truck and work towards the rear. Keep the sander flat against the truck. Set the speed on medium or high. The 120-grit sandpaper cuts through paint and primer without gouging the metal surface.
4Sand the rocker panels on the truck carefully to remove the primer and paint while checking for rust. Many trucks used for off-road driving have rust problems in this area. Remove rust by using 80-grit sandpaper on the dual-action sander.
5Use 80-grit sandpaper to sand the inside of the bed of the truck if a bedliner is going to be sprayed or rolled on. Remove the paint and primer and leave the deeper gouges made by the 80-grit sandpaper so the bedliner material can adhere.
