Thread: Por-15 Review

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I decided to use POR-15 on a customer's truck since I've had really good luck with it in the past. I got the entire kit with the metal prep, de-greaser, and paint. Everything was power washed twice, then cleaned with wire wheels, de-greased, and then metal prepped, and then finally the por de-greaser. I painted the entire front of the frame and suspension with the truck in the garage. Fast forward a month the owner wants all the front stuff gloss black. I go to scuff it to top coat it and the por on the engine cross member and inside of the rh frame rail just peels off. Every where else is fine. What gives? None of the por from the firewall back had any issues. I scuffed it all and shot raptor liner over it. I did notice that this por was a royal pain to apply. It was not like the por I've used in the past that covered bare metal pretty easily. This stuff wouldn't stick to some areas in a stroke. It needed multiple and then you had to be careful to not let it run. I don't think I will buy POR again after this experience.

I've never used it myself but, everyone seems to rave about how "tough" it is..
Sorry for your trouble but glad you're able to work through it..

I've used it before where it wouldn't come off with a hammer, and other times it peels off in sheets. Because of inconsistent results, it has to be a last resort for me to use it. I'd rather go through the extra work to media blast / abraded something properly and use a good epoxy primer that is made for automotive use AND has compatibility with other automotive paints. The snake oil POR grew out of a coating used on steel bridges. You see how long it lasts there too. Most of their positive accolades read online are from home enthusiasts that are tickled right to death they didn't have to media blast or sand or any of the other "hard" work. If you look past those you'll see examples such as your own, along with other horror stories of the rust accelerating once it's under that "encapsulation". If it's your own project, you get to live with the results, good or bad. If it's a customer car, welcome to rework. Do it right, do it once.

I believe that POR15 is a close relative to powder coating, where the "sheeting" effect is great if it bonds as expected/advertised, but is a curse if it simply forms a sheet that's floating free of the surface, and heaven help you if moisture gets underneath that floating sheet, because it will hide the rust monster until the sheet breaks free. Not a fan.

That's exactly how it came off. In sheet like fashion. Definitely not cool. Maybe those areas were too clean, as in no rust had been there before? IDK I stripped all the loose stuff this morning.

When I did the rear of the frame, the frame had a lot of pitting so I spot blasted it. Then I used etch primer, then the por, then raptor liner. None of that was loose when I scuffed it with 80 grit to prep for the raptor liner. These new bare spots up front will not get the por. I'll use the etch primer, sealer, then urethane paint. I'm over this project.

interesting thread on the spi site about it. used under a dodge truck and ended up replacing the whole floor. makes a nice rust sandwich . ok for farm stuff but it does not stop rust.

Well I for one am done using it. I won't get burned again. $209 for their "kit" of problems and head aches.

The products they sell in the kit came out of necessity when the paint started peeling on them.. Then a person like yourself follows all the instruction to the letter and it still peels. Read online and you'll see all those who have drunk the Kool-Aid will say any peeling issues and you obviously didn't follow the instructions. Seems all they have done for their $50 quart of peeling paint is to increase the price 3X. Sorry I didn't see you ask about it ahead of time, I know Shine and I both would have steered you away from it.

I guess I'm the one person in the bunch that still raves about POR15. As a matter of fact the more rust you have the better. But sad to hear about the bond issues. When I went to box in my frame, it took an angle grinder to get it off. It repeatedly out performs any other product I have ever used, their engine degreaser is phenominal too better than any other product I have tried. Not sure what happened here! I would use it again without a second thought!

Originally Posted by stovens

I guess I'm the one person in the bunch that still raves about POR15. As a matter of fact the more rust you have the better. But sad to hear about the bond issues. When I went to box in my frame, it took an angle grinder to get it off. It repeatedly out performs any other product I have ever used, their engine degreaser is phenominal too better than any other product I have tried. Not sure what happened here! I would use it again without a second thought!

Hope you feel the same way in a few years, especially given that you live in the Great NorthWet where it's going to be subjected to healthy moisture. I agree with Shine and Robert. I have a can of their "Chassis Black" aerosol which I grab if I have a need for non-critical corrosion protection, like on a tractor or lawn mower.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Well I for one am done using it. I won't get burned again. $209 for their "kit" of problems and head aches.

Ouch!! well that sucks.. thanks for posting the issues tho', you've prevented me from ever trying it!

I also have had mixed reviews, there are very few products that are the cure all or as good as all the hype (gotta say I am impressed as heck with SPI though) but I have used plenty POR in the past, enough that I will probably be sprouting a extra arm or something due to it being pretty caustic. Most degreasers that have the "slick" feeling left on your hands is just a Phospheric solution, no magic there and most are based on that, right down to purple power etc.
I won't use the POR much anymore but will the engine paint, I had a motor that was painted with it and the machine shop couldn't get it off with there cleaning process. I think sometimes good ol' epoxy primer with a good paint on top is simple and easy to touch up, if it can get powder coated thats what I tend to do as well. sorry to hear your problems though.

How do you guys feel about using something like
Rhino Liner type of treatments // coatings for those items?

Moisture control and degreasing is paramount just as it is when doing body work?
Run a dehumidifier or place a few DampRid type things around the area of application?

Just some questionable ideas from the outside looking in.

Originally Posted by t-top havoc

How do you guys feel about using something like
Rhino Liner type of treatments // coatings for those items?

Moisture control and degreasing is paramount just as it is when doing body work?
Run a dehumidifier or place a few DampRid type things around the area of application?

Just some questionable ideas from the outside looking in.

I put raptor liner on this truck and they say that the raptor liner has rust preventative properties. My concern, and the reason I used the por, was to try to stop any rust growth before the raptor liner was applied. I always thought in the past por-15 did just that. Stop rust from growing or forming. We used several of their products when I worked in a body shop 15yrs ago. I spoke to my old boss today and he said por sold out a while ago off the record and cheapened their products. he said he quit using them because he had 2 cars come back from the stuff peeling off and floor pans badly rusted. I wish he would have said something sooner. That is no good.

So what is a better product to use in a situation where the body isn't coming off the frame and sand blasting isn't an option? The owner of this truck didn't want to spend the money and time to do all that. The POR-15 was the way he wanted to go. Or even for a sprucing up of an old truck frame? My eyes and ears are open.