Front bar scrapes - what to do?

[deez]

Hi folks,

I've got an SS front bar on my lowered ute and keep scraping the bottom of the damn thing on gutters, steep driveways, etc. Unfortunately, its botannica mica in colour (green/blue) so the scrapes show up quite prominently, ruining my otherwise nice-looking ride.

Its not economically sustainable for me to keep taking it back to the panel shop for a repaint, so I've been using touch-up paint but its just not the same.

How do members with similar issues deal with this?

Any tips for protecting or touching up the bottom section of the bar will be greatly appreciated (and wise cracks about my driving skills will be tolerated)

Denny

[VS-S-PACK-UTE]

i'd think itd b the same way as u'd touch up any paint mate, few light coats then allow it to dry and run over it with some cutting compound and polish

[hakhawk]

"sucks to roll hard"

learn that line, and harden up, or raise the car.

theres not really much you can do about scraping paint. dont park close enough to hit gutters, take driveways and speedhumps on an angle, etc.

how low is it?

[TrikkBen]

Get airbags....

[deez]

"sucks to roll hard"

learn that line, and harden up, or raise the car.

theres not really much you can do about scraping paint. dont park close enough to hit gutters, take driveways and speedhumps on an angle, etc.

how low is it?

sadly, not that low. i do have super lows on the front but there's still decent clearance between the road and the bar.

the biggest problem is me really - i originally bought the car to do my courier work in. since moving on from that job, i've lowered it and tidied it up a bit to get it looking good. but the driving habits haven't changed...

[deez]

i'd think itd b the same way as u'd touch up any paint mate, few light coats then allow it to dry and run over it with some cutting compound and polish

thanks for the tip mate. i'm finding i can't get the bottom part of the bar quite as shiny as the upper section despite how much i cut/polish (presumably because the upper was oven baked?). anything else i can try, or is that something i just need to live with?

[jokerflingo]

Got a pic of how lower the front bar is?

[Maxxiz]

Uhh.. raise it?
Either that or butcher half the front bumper off...b

[VYMAD]

Why would you lower a ute in the first place? Arn't they intended for carrying loads, which would mean if anything you would want the ute to sit slightly higher. Please correct me if I'm wrong........

[06vzcalais]

i would suggest raising it, dont drive up driveways or gutters leave it on the street....or paint the bottom edge black the same coulour as the bumper underneath then noone would see the scratches

[v6lux]

I've got an SS front bar on my lowered ute and keep scraping the bottom of the damn thing on gutters, steep driveways, etc.

Buy a 4WD Hilux!

Its not economically sustainable for me to keep taking it back to the panel shop for a repaint, so I've been using touch-up paint but its just not the same.

Why not find a bogged VS and steal the front bar (you may need a crane to get it off). Then you take your good one to the panel shop, get it fixed and wrapped in plastic and store it. Then fit the stolen one and "spray can" it a similar colour until you want to sell the car when you will fit the nice one. ("stolen" is a bit of "tongue in cheek")

[jokerflingo]

Superlows on a VS Ute are fine as long as you dont have a kit, but you add a VS SS Front Bar then you start to have problem due to the fact its probably 30mm lower again?

[VrWagz1]

Touch up paint is not the same as you know and it never looks the same. I think it maybe somthing you have to put up with unfortunatly. Basically, sand off the rough edges of the scrapes(if they are bad) and apply it as best you can. I think my touchup paint is acrylic so i use a tecnique of basically applying it fairly liberally all over the place and wait an exact amount of time(only seconds) and use a damp corner of a rag to wipe the excess off the good paintwork and the stuff in the scratch usually dries quicker and stays when you wipe it, this is mainly cause the scratched area is a bit pourous and rough.