Powder coat or chroming running boards step plate
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 237
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CLK320, ML550, SL55, GL450
Powder coat or chroming running boards step plate
Sup all
I'm getting a bit tired of looking at my dingy/rusting running board plates and was wondering if anybody has considered refinishing them?
Mainly, I was thinking about having them chrome plated or powder coated.
Powder coat would likely be silver, or just black (my car is black w/ black wheels).
Any suggestions on what the costs of coating are these days?
TIA.
I'm getting a bit tired of looking at my dingy/rusting running board plates and was wondering if anybody has considered refinishing them?
Mainly, I was thinking about having them chrome plated or powder coated.
Powder coat would likely be silver, or just black (my car is black w/ black wheels).
Any suggestions on what the costs of coating are these days?
TIA.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 237
Likes: 5
CLK320, ML550, SL55, GL450
I thought that the rubber nubs were a separate piece from the actual top aluminum cover... I envision perhaps having to enlarge the holes to accomodate the rubber nubs poking through.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 359
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From: Kelowna, BC
'09 ML550
Aluminum oxide is unsightly but, unlike true rust, it actually protects the aluminum underneath as it stops water from getting to the aluminum, so it really shouldn't be cleaned off. That is why you never polish an aluminum boat -- the oxide that forms on the surface protects the hull from further corrosion. If you keep cleaning it, it gets thinner and thinner and sooner or later it wears away, which, in the world of boats, is generally considered to be a Bad Thing.
The running boards aren't pure aluminum, of course, but an alloy. But even so, I would think it best not to use polish on them any more often that you absolutely have to.
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Joined: Jan 2011
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CLK320, ML550, SL55, GL450
Well, I tried to polish the boards tonight.. but stopped because it's gonna take me forever to get around each nub and to scrub out the extra dark spots/rust dots.
I'm instead going to try uninstalling it... and then just work with the aluminum cover plate itself... hopefully the nubs really are a separate piece underneath the aluminum.
Here's a pic of how bad my boards are.. and the little bit of section that I polished tonight.
Edit... crap.. I don't think the rubber nubs are separate from the aluminum. I think I'm going to try polishing with a brush instead of a towel to get faster results.
I'm instead going to try uninstalling it... and then just work with the aluminum cover plate itself... hopefully the nubs really are a separate piece underneath the aluminum.
Here's a pic of how bad my boards are.. and the little bit of section that I polished tonight.
Edit... crap.. I don't think the rubber nubs are separate from the aluminum. I think I'm going to try polishing with a brush instead of a towel to get faster results.
Last edited by B-tsai; Jun 24, 2011 at 05:02 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 519
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From: Mississauga
GLA45 AMG, GLC43 AMG
Just wondering.......
do you live near a railway track ?
I have been told this type of (rust spots) are enviromental fallout, and are even worse if you are near a railway track, due to the fact as the trains go by, they kick up metal dust, from the wheels and track contact, this becomes airborne and settles on our cars, which in turn looks like the cars are rusting.....
Look closely at the rest of your vehicle and see if you notice these rust spots anywhere else, you will find them even on the plastic bumpers, to remove from the body of the vehicle I hear a good clay bar session is in order and will remove those contaminants..
do you live near a railway track ?
I have been told this type of (rust spots) are enviromental fallout, and are even worse if you are near a railway track, due to the fact as the trains go by, they kick up metal dust, from the wheels and track contact, this becomes airborne and settles on our cars, which in turn looks like the cars are rusting.....
Look closely at the rest of your vehicle and see if you notice these rust spots anywhere else, you will find them even on the plastic bumpers, to remove from the body of the vehicle I hear a good clay bar session is in order and will remove those contaminants..
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CLK320, ML550, SL55, GL450
I just bought the truck 2 months ago (Ex-leased vehicle).. so I don't know much about the history other than the carfax and MB maintenance reports.
No other rustspots on the body, though the muffler's look a little tinged in color.
Now that I think about it... I think I'm going to have the bottom of the car coated in some kind of rust-proof application if I can find it for cheap. Maybe install some kind of sacrificial anode or something.
No other rustspots on the body, though the muffler's look a little tinged in color.
Now that I think about it... I think I'm going to have the bottom of the car coated in some kind of rust-proof application if I can find it for cheap. Maybe install some kind of sacrificial anode or something.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 519
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From: Mississauga
GLA45 AMG, GLC43 AMG
Was this a private deal, or from MB
perhaps the truck was detailed, and this might be why you don't see any of the rust spots on the rest of the truck
I wish I paid more attention to how the rubber nibs are attached to the board, I just installed a set of boards on my ML, but did not bother to see or look at this, perhaps if you take them apart you might be able to pull off all the rubber nibs and it will make cleaning the boards much easier.
I am sure I will fall into the same situation soon, I had these rust spots on my BMW X5 as well, replaced by BMW once, but they would not do it a second time, didn't matter it went back after the lease was up anyways
perhaps the truck was detailed, and this might be why you don't see any of the rust spots on the rest of the truck
I wish I paid more attention to how the rubber nibs are attached to the board, I just installed a set of boards on my ML, but did not bother to see or look at this, perhaps if you take them apart you might be able to pull off all the rubber nibs and it will make cleaning the boards much easier.
I am sure I will fall into the same situation soon, I had these rust spots on my BMW X5 as well, replaced by BMW once, but they would not do it a second time, didn't matter it went back after the lease was up anyways
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 359
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From: Kelowna, BC
'09 ML550
I don't like the treatments as they often plug up drain holes, thus making rusting problems worse than they would be without the treatment.
I would hazard a guess that your running board discoloration is some kind of environmental thing -- maybe acid rain. Or perhaps the previous owner tried cleaning them and removed the protective covering.
