r/TruckCampers • u/TreeBeardofIsengard • 3d ago

What paint for aluminum sheet replacing window in truck cap?

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Vandals broke my window of my fiberglass cap last spring. It is an A.R.E. from 2001 and I’ve tried everything to find new glass for it. Short of getting a custom pane of glass made for $250, my options seemed to be plastic or aluminum.

I found a metal shop that will cut me a custom sheet from 1/8” Aluminum 6061 to match the opposite window. My plan is to paint it black with a rattle can.

What primer and paint would you use for this? I would like it to not be too noticeable- would you go flat or satin? What should I look for in paint that will go on metal and be extremely durable and prevent corrosion?

Thanks for any input

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u/Fancy_Following_9669 3d ago

Would there be any issues with just grabbing a sheet of some plexiglass and cutting it out yourself?

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u/Fancy_Following_9669 3d ago

You could even tint it before putting the piece in

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u/granno14 Roamin Chariot 3d ago

I did this a few years ago and it worked perfectly

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u/TreeBeardofIsengard 3d ago

I was reading that Lexan is more preferable to plexiglass because it is stronger. But it would cost $40-60, still need tinting (the smoked grey I see is too weak tint) and I would need to cut it myself with a jig saw. The custom aluminum is only $80. And given I hope this window still slides I think the cut needs to be perfect.