2013 XLT bubbling paint

[fischer5]

There is a huge thread on this topic and many solutions to remedy the situation. I stripped my hatch completely took it to a Powder coating shop, matched the color and had them do it
(Tuxedo Black ) and clear coat. That was over three years ago and still looking great! I don't know why Ford doesn't do the aluminum panels that way. The only issue I had was when they stripped it with the sand blasting some of the areas that are unsupported on the back side, need to be more gentle with the pressure and there can be some dimpling. It is not obvious until you put the final gloss on. I also saw a site where they sell replacement hoods of steel , which won't have his problem, but so far they don't have the rear hatch.

 

[Zmann96]

How about using Zinc Chromate primer (if it's still available...it's pretty toxic). I had a 1971 Porsche that used it on some panels and wheels and had no issues. My 2013 Expy has edge of hood and rear hatch starting to bubble like the pictures.

I was thinking of that or something comparable. I also thought of taking off the mounting bolts one by one and installing a hard plastic washer on both contact sides and maybe a plastic cut to fit on the bolt just where it passes thru the two metals.

 

[mnachreiner86]

How big of an area? When my bro in law had some spots on the 10 white limited he bought he just got the touch up motorcraft matching touchup pen/brush, scraped down the bubbling and touched it up. Looked fine and never got worse until he sold it a year and a half later. Mine is black and Ive got a couple spots but in the year and a half I’ve had it they haven’t gotten worse. You have to be up close and really look to find them. I just try to keep an eye on them and make sure I keep the paint polished/waxed.protected and pretty clean.


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[Zmann96]

How big of an area? When my bro in law had some spots on the 10 white limited he bought he just got the touch up motorcraft matching touchup pen/brush, scraped down the bubbling and touched it up. Looked fine and never got worse until he sold it a year and a half later. Mine is black and Ive got a couple spots but in the year and a half I’ve had it they haven’t gotten worse. You have to be up close and really look to find them. I just try to keep an eye on them and make sure I keep the paint polished/waxed.protected and pretty clean.


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Mine is about 1 1/2" all around the rear plate and just underneath the front hood lip in a few spots. Mine is the Kodiak brown metallic, it would have to be sprayed.

 

[Trainmaster]

I always thought the problem came from bad paint adhesion to the aluminum oxide corrosion that forms. When the air reaches aluminum through a crack in the paint, possibly caused by flexing or expansion, the oxide that's generated takes a huge amount of space. It swells the paint and is chalky. That pops off the paint. On unprotected aluminum exposed to weather, the oxide is continually flushed off and reforms, preventing the white, powdery substance from building up.

 

[mnachreiner86]

You can still get touch up paint. This is what you’re looking for.


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[Zmann96]

You can still get touch up paint. This is what you’re looking for.


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Thanks but my area is too large for those. I'll get a pint and spray it then clear after I sand and prep the inside and out.

 

[Tonka]

Man this sucks I was just looking at my trunk lid yesterday, at how bad the peeling paint looks, is annoying.

 

[iimagine]

Ford cuttin' corners?

 

[Modelcarguy]

Seems to be just one of those things to put up with.

just got back from my local body guys to start thinking about rocker replacement on my 2008 Limited 190k on the clock (given the price of a new one I can spend a great deal of money on keeping a good truck going before I even get close)

Our tailgate is in the same shape. Had it addressed 4 years ago. Time to have another go at it. Body guy says don’t bother replacing with salvage or used - they all suffer from this problem. Don’t bother with new replacement. Those are made in China and not much better.

Strip the door, grind out the oxide, fill with high quality filler. Zinc oxide, the primer and finish coat. Keep an eye on it and rinse and repeat every five or six years when necessary. Nothing is weather impervious. So if you like your truck and plan on keeping it. Maintain it to a high standard.