Bumper cover (shellz) and rust prevention?

With new Tundra bumper covers coming to market shortly via @EC1 there will likely be lots of installs coming up.

Can we start a discussion on the best way to prevent or slow down an OEM chrome bumper end from corroding or rusting under the cover? Ideally the cover is on there for years and years without coming off for “service”.

Is there an treatment to apply that both allows the cover to stick and prevents rust from forming under it? Is it even worth the effort?

 

I hadn't thought of that, but if road salt is used in your area, you might want to rethink the "shellz".

If salt water becomes trapped between shell and bumper cap, the salt water will do a job on the chrome. It will already be working on the back of the cap, but at least that can be flushed away by a good washing or spring rains.

If you want the shellz, then I would simply put a highly corrosion resistant paint coating on the chrome. Just saw a thread asking about spray POR15, which might work. My go-to corrosion paint where appearance is not an issue would be rich-rich primer, but I'm not sure it will stick to chrome. if you ever remove the shellz, just strip the paint coating with methylene chloride and rinse well.

 

Sticker on top of sticker kind of worries me, and you're right about cost.

 

I thought you needed to etch or scar the chrome before you paint it. If so, it's not a reversible process.

I'm surprised this isn't a concern for more people living in the snow belts.

 

If you were painting the ends for a durable, attractive coating exposed to the elements, etching, scuffing, or bead blasting would definitely be required.

IIRC, POR15 will pretty much stick to anything, but you would have to check it out. Worst case, if you must have shellz, you could always apply a uniform coating of bearing grease to the bumper end before installing the shellz; any excess will squeeze out leaving a sealing barrier to prevent salt water entry.

 

I thought about that but the shellz Use 3M tape to stay on.

 

Apply the 3M tape, apply the grease leaving adequate margin around the 3M tape, install the shellz. Sounds like a problem of competent execution to me.

 

Agreed, if the tape isn’t preapplied to the shellz.