Painting Kwikee Steps

[Ontario Don]

Hi - I've got to paint the Kwikee steps on our '21 View / Navion. We've had to run the motorhome for the past three winters in the salt up here, so the support arms for the steps have rusted and are quite the eyesore. The stair treads are good enough. I think I'll have to grind the support arms to remove the rust and prepare them properly for sealing and painting.

I'm looking for recommendations on whether I should bother removing the steps to make the job more convenient, or just slug it out at ground level.

Has anyone prepared and painted the support arms of their Kwikee steps recently? Any opinions as to the usefulness of removing the steps and working on them at bench height?

Thanks for the help.

Cheers!

[dkoldman]

Regardless to what you may find out, I would call Kwikee before applying any solution. They are easy to catch via the phone.

I did similar with my Propane tank. It came out very nice. I followed their recommendation and it came out very nice. It was simple enough to sand / remove the rust, mask off with tape real good and then spray with one of the Rust Oleum paints. The tank looked new when done. The RV was only 2 years old at the time.

[wahoonc]

I am going to attempt to do mine in place.

Aaron

[deckape]

Put a large piece of cardboard under mine . used a 1" $.35 brush and a small can of black Rust O lem to paint them . Had them extended open . Sanded with paper and a light wire wheel to clear off rust . Gave them several coats .

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by deckape

Put a large piece of cardboard under mine . used a 1" $.35 brush and a small can of black Rust O lem to paint them . Had them extended open . Sanded with paper and a light wire wheel to clear off rust . Gave them several coats .

That's the plan. I usually use disposable foam brushes for a bit smoother finish. My rig spent much of its life in the NE before heading south to warmer pastures. It was originally titled in ME for 2-3 years then PA for the next 7. It was a trade-in in FL sometime during the winter of 22-23. A lot of the metal on the storage bins shows surface rust. I am hitting it with the grinder or a sanding block, then using Rustoleum Black Semi-gloss on it.

Aaron

[Morich]

I tend to shy away from grinders for paint as it is easy to go too deep too quick. Often not a big problem but I like a pretty flexible wire brush as I can work a little harder but feel less likely to do any damage that I might regret!
For getting down into places where two parts meet, I like the way the wire can get fully down into the angle without taking much metal off with it?

Just what we each feel works better? Truth is that I really hate any form of painting and prep is the worst of all!

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Morich

I tend to shy away from grinders for paint as it is easy to go too deep too quick. Often not a big problem but I like a pretty flexible wire brush as I can work a little harder but feel less likely to do any damage that I might regret!
For getting down into places where two parts meet, I like the way the wire can get fully down into the angle without taking much metal off with it?

Just what we each feel works better? Truth is that I really hate any form of painting and prep is the worst of all!

I am using a flap wheel or a wire brush in the grinder. It works great for knocking the loose stuff off without being too aggressive. I have a battery-powered one that is perfect for this type of work.

Aaron

[Ontario Don]

Ok! Thanks to all for the tips.

Cheers,

[AlanO]

This spring on my 16 View, I wire brushed the entire thing and applied 2 coats of Rust Oleum black to the entire step. No need to remove anything. Just wear an old shirt and rubber gloves to protect yourself. Job came out great.
After the paint dries, lube all hinges.

[Pjkid]

My experience with antique cars & motorhome steps is that Rustoleum paint is simple cover up that does nothing to stop the rust.
Suggest you scrape & wire brush existing rust & paint with POR15. Donot get this product in actual pivot points which should be conventionally lubricated.
POR15 is avail on Amazon & other sources.

[dkoldman]

Be sure to get the Rustoleum "Rust Stop" Spray

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-ca...m-spray-5-in-1

The below picture is how it looked when I spray painted my brand new 2019 RV that after 1 year old looked like crap from rust. It has been almost 4 years and it looks new. I was motivated to do, because I had learned some places may not refill a very bad rust looking propane tank. The procedure I used and the Spray paint was to proved to me by Manchester Tank.



With that said, if any doubts one could always use a primer but own my propane tank it was not necessary. Maybe it will not make 10 -15 years but if I have the RV that long, I could always spray paint again. The below is what it looked like with OEM paint after 1 year and better view of the back. Cost me less than $20 with spray paint left over. The color options allowed me to better blend with my RV's tone.