I have alittle problem. I have the SR5 thin chrome strips for flares, as you can see here.- <img src="http://pics.montypics.com/hawkdog21/2002-12-29/hpim0047.jpg" alt=" - " />
I really like the extra coverage it gives me, becasue my tires even stick out past these flares. I dont want to take them off, if i lived out west i would, but down here, theres soo much mud, plus the rain, i need all the coverage i can get. I also dont want to get big rainbow flares like the limiteds because i like my tires being the widest thing, because with the v-ditches, if a slip in, you would rip off the flares, and i dont wanna do that. Also my truck has this dark look going (black bumper(s), black wheels, dark paint, etc), and the chrome really looks bad. I now some of you guys with 96-99 have painted your front chrome bumper to match your paint. What can i do to paint these bad boys, because normal spray paint isnt even close to sticking, so did you use some special primer or sumtin? sorry about the long post, but these is important to me!

How about the molded black textured flares that some of the SR5s came with? They are quite low profile, probably stick out as far as the chrome jobs we have. The textured black finish looks clean, and they certainly do not stick out as far as the rainbow Limiteds.
Just a thought.
Another possibility, allowing you to retain the current guards, would be to find a black vinyl tape that is the same thickness as the chrome inset piece, and then apply carefully on a warm day.

Andreas

<small>[ January 11, 2003, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: aowRS ]</small>

I like the textured black flare idea, I could possibly, and the tape is another good idea. Anyone else, I know there are guys that painted there front bumpers, cmon guys!!

Those strips are polished stainless I think... I'd have to check the ones I took off to be sure.

Either way, chromed steel or polished stainless, just give them a good sanding to rough up the surface a bit to give the paint something to bond to. Mask off the rubber before and after you sand. Paint them with some decent bodyman in a can and you should be good to go.

Mike

I would be right there with ya trying to paint that bumper but my SR5 came with the grey bumpers so all i have to do is take it down to the nearest body shop and let them worry about it. I would try to sand it down real good and the paint should stick.Good luck, let us know how it turns out <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

<small>[ January 12, 2003, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: Jonathan ]</small>

my tires stick exactly 1/2 an inch out from my limited flares <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> check out the website link

SR5 black flares <img src="http://pics.montypics.com/chitrod/2002-07-23/our_yotas_001.jpg" alt=" - " />

The best way to get paint to stick to chrome, aluminum, galvanized, and other "hard to stick surfaces", is to use a self etching primer. Most self etching primers consist of 2 parts.... the primer and the activator(acid). When mixed they will produce an acid etching primer that will stick to damn near anything. Vera-Prime is one such primer made by Dupont. Spies-Hecker, PPG, BASF, and other paint companies make it also. I've used it on glass, wheels, car amps, interiors, even a tail section of a hospital helecopter.

i will try that primer this week, thats what i was looking for, thanks.