I would restore the plow, reason being, there's fewer parts. I have done a couple. You'll want to take everything completely apart, so you'll need whatever tools are required for that. The next step depends on how pretty the finished product needs to be. When I did mine, I wire-wheeled all of the rust and loose paint off. I can live with the slightly orange-peely look to the paint because my plow will be used. You can sandblast, use beet juice, electrolytic derusting, vinegar boiling (don't do this to cast iron or anything containing lead, brass, or bronze) or many other methods to remove the paint and rust. Prep work is the most important thing. If you don't take the time preparing the parts before they are painted, they are going to look like crap. BTDT, stripped and repainted the parts... Then, wipe everything down with mineral spirits or similar solvent, and then a tack cloth right before priming. Shoot your primer (I prefer a paint gun) and final coat. I don't like spray cans because they seem to clog easily, and a spray gun allows you to get more paint on the part, as well as a nicer finish.
When I did my plow, I replaced the hardware, because it was cheaper than re-plating the bolts. I think my entire plow required less than $10 of new hardware...
|