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so when prepping it, do i have to sand all the factory paint to look like the messed up paint does now (that is, the part that has undergone clearcoat failure)? or even as far as bare metal? or do i only need to sand of enough to make it a bit rough so the rustoleum can stick? or can i just get by fine without any sanding?





A simple concept to keep in mind when sanding a failed or failing clearcoat is this : if it is failing, then it is separating from the painted layer. SO... imagine if you painted on to some clearcoat that is about to fail... the odds are that it will still separate in the future and take whatever fresh paint is on it with it when it goes.

It would be best to get the clearcoat off ( since it has already shown you it would be the achilles heel of any fresh paint put on top of it ).

As noted by the other commenter... the key is to get the sanded surface as smooth as possible. Don't look to the new paint to magically level up any uneven surfaces. Get them level and if you have to spray or roll on a bit of primer to level things out, so be it. Keep saying to yourself : the smoother the surface I am going to paint on - the shiner and better the end result will be.

This is the point in our usual speech where we pause and repeat our manta : More time and patience spent in the initial surface preparation will result in less work overall when painting and better results.

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