stallie Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 As the topic suggests. I'm replacing the bushes all round, rubber bits and cracked t/a brackets. Whilst its all off, I thought I'd give everything a tart up. I've witnessed the chassis powdercoating debate, but hopefully this will be simpler! Any preference either way amongst the learned here- powdercoating or other like zinc dip & paint - and why? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobinTR6 Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Done both, I'd probably now paint as the powdercoat does get chipped and then you will have to revisit, if its painted its easy to touch up the chips with a spray can... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 I've said it before... don't bother powder coating unless you are going to get the items media blasted first to "etch"the surface. A wipe over with a cloth before powder coating is worse than useless and means, as Robin says, it WILL chip and flake off. PROPERLY prepared, it's really tough and almost bonds with the surface. PPP=PPP Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stallie Posted September 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Yes, should have mentioned media blasting before either option.... So that's one for and one against. That clears it up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Maybe use one of these..... http://www.wimp.com/powercleaning/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stallie Posted September 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Wow. I wonder what they are worth? I've tried to find prices but no joy. I wonder how it would be for cleaning the underbody and wheelarches of old sealant and **** to reapply... I assume it's low enough power not to do other damage? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) Powder coating is fine if it's achieved to a high enough standard. That means metal decontamination followed by grit rather than smooth media blasting to give sufficient 'key' for the powder coating to adhere long term. It also requires a relatively slow heating and cooling process to avoid distortion to heavier items, and to achieve an adequate metal to powder coat bond on heavier items, and to hopefully eliminate premature cracking of the powder coat. Unfortunately, not every powder coating facility is willing to go to that much effort, perhaps relatively few are willing, and to do the job properly costs considerably more than straightforward coating of new metal of modest thickness. Some years ago I worked for a company which had a modest powder coating facility, we did coat some components for a high performance car specialist to top notch standard, that cost rather more than double the rate of run-of-the-mill work. Add to that the potential problem that really good powder coating is capable of maintaining a surface integrity even when the underlying metal component is beginning to crack or corrode . . . . . which suggests that it would be a reasonable precaution to crack test steering and suspension components before coating. An MoT tester might not be able to pick up the start of a crack as per Roger's trailing arm brackets, for example. Which is why said performance specialist reverted to paint rather than powder coat for competition cars, having learned the hard way that powder coat can conceal evidence of cracks starting. £100K rebuild after kissing the armco concentrates the mind on priorities. A simple traditional wet paint coating might not offer the same luxurious initial appearance as top class powder coating, but subsequent cosmetic damage can be more easily touched-up, and old-fashioned paint is unlikely to conceal either metal corrosion or cracking for long. Cheers Alec Edited September 21, 2013 by Alec Pringle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Paint it white then you cant miss the cracks if they develop. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stallie Posted September 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 OK, Good info. I might mediablast then por15 then Blackcote High Gloss...? Or is that overkill? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cj79 Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I had all my suspension parts shot blasted and powder coated, they masked pretty much everything I asked them to (bolt threads etc) but unfortunately not the inside surface of the rear brake drums meaning I had to get this back to bare metal for the pads to sit against. . . . . . I cannot stress what a B**CH of a job it was to get the powder coating off with a wire brush drill head... which was a pain and took ages but also reassured me that the chassis and all suspension components would be protected for years! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stallie Posted October 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I have just bought a small sandblasting cabinet. Should arrive today. It's 600x500x360 so big enough for lots of bits. I figured it would be cheaper in the longrun anyway to do this then paint. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
48 Spokes Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 Hello everyone, I just found this discussion and think that I may be able to add some value to your decision making. The mistrust I have of most powder coating business’ drove me to build my own powder coating facility to take care of my needs for the current restoration project I am working on. I have read all of your for and against arguments and it will come as no surprise that I am for powder coating, provided it is done correctly. Adherence to process is everything and this is how I see the process. As most suspension components will have come into contact with some oils or grease at some time the 1st thing is an initial degrease (to avoid contaminating the media blasting cabinet) before 2nd blasting with glass grit (this is more environmentally friendly) which will remove all of the old paint and surface corrosion. 3rd I would put the parts into the oven for an Out-Gassing cycle (this will drive out any grease and oil from the components, particularly if they are fabrications with spot welded flanges or other features. 4th I would put the parts back through the blasting process for a second time as it will most likely be discoloured from Out-Gassing, this will provide a good key for the powder coat to adhere to. 5th I would do a final degrease with Acetone wearing nitrile gloves and using lint free cloth. 6th I would apply any masking that is needed to prevent powder coating the important features like threads, location features and surfaces that must be kept free of powder coating to enable them to function correctly (I couldn’t believe the comment about powder coating the inside of the brake drums. Clearly done by someone who had no appreciation of how vehicle parts function) 7th I would use a Zinc based powder primer coat which bonds properly with the correctly prepared substrate. Then 8th and final stage would be to apply the final powder coat to what ever colour and finish required. Powder coating when done correctly is way superior to a painted surface. The trouble with Powder Coating I believe is that it has a reputation for being cheap and cheerful. I have met many people who say that they would never have it done again at the surface had chipped or split and is flaking off. When asked, how much did they pay for it, they would always say “Oh! It wasn’t much, just a few pounds” well I am afraid that said it all! You take a rather grubby part in for powder coating and you collect it a few days later and it looks amazing. You are really pleased with it and it didn’t cost as much as you thought it would. Win/win you are thinking. You take the parts home and build them back onto your car and hope for the best. But really, this is a serious case of false economy, as the components are usually not quick and easy to replace as that is the real reason you chose powder coating in the first place, so you could fit them and forget them as they should provide you with years of excellent service (you hope). I hope this helps? Kind regards Paul from 48 Spokes BTW, once I have completed my current restoration I will be offering my powder coating services to others who are looking for someone who can adhere to process and understands cars and motorbikes. paul.levers@hotmail.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mtrehy Posted February 26, 2022 Report Share Posted February 26, 2022 22 hours ago, 48 Spokes said: Hello everyone, I just found this discussion and think that I may be able to add some value to your decision making. The mistrust I have of most powder coating business’ drove me to build my own powder coating facility to take care of my needs for the current restoration project I am working on. I have read all of your for and against arguments and it will come as no surprise that I am for powder coating, provided it is done correctly. Adherence to process is everything and this is how I see the process. As most suspension components will have come into contact with some oils or grease at some time the 1st thing is an initial degrease (to avoid contaminating the media blasting cabinet) before 2nd blasting with glass grit (this is more environmentally friendly) which will remove all of the old paint and surface corrosion. 3rd I would put the parts into the oven for an Out-Gassing cycle (this will drive out any grease and oil from the components, particularly if they are fabrications with spot welded flanges or other features. 4th I would put the parts back through the blasting process for a second time as it will most likely be discoloured from Out-Gassing, this will provide a good key for the powder coat to adhere to. 5th I would do a final degrease with Acetone wearing nitrile gloves and using lint free cloth. 6th I would apply any masking that is needed to prevent powder coating the important features like threads, location features and surfaces that must be kept free of powder coating to enable them to function correctly (I couldn’t believe the comment about powder coating the inside of the brake drums. Clearly done by someone who had no appreciation of how vehicle parts function) 7th I would use a Zinc based powder primer coat which bonds properly with the correctly prepared substrate. Then 8th and final stage would be to apply the final powder coat to what ever colour and finish required. Powder coating when done correctly is way superior to a painted surface. The trouble with Powder Coating I believe is that it has a reputation for being cheap and cheerful. I have met many people who say that they would never have it done again at the surface had chipped or split and is flaking off. When asked, how much did they pay for it, they would always say “Oh! It wasn’t much, just a few pounds” well I am afraid that said it all! You take a rather grubby part in for powder coating and you collect it a few days later and it looks amazing. You are really pleased with it and it didn’t cost as much as you thought it would. Win/win you are thinking. You take the parts home and build them back onto your car and hope for the best. But really, this is a serious case of false economy, as the components are usually not quick and easy to replace as that is the real reason you chose powder coating in the first place, so you could fit them and forget them as they should provide you with years of excellent service (you hope). I hope this helps? Kind regards Paul from 48 Spokes BTW, once I have completed my current restoration I will be offering my powder coating services to others who are looking for someone who can adhere to process and understands cars and motorbikes. paul.levers@hotmail.com Good work champ, 1 post, 1 advert. 100% . Top of the class! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Most decent powder coaters will blast prior to coating. Painting can be done by yourself and is touched up easily enough as well as being cheaper. Powder coat does look nice at first. No right or wrong, just choices. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FatJon Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Whichever way you go be sure to check the trailing arms for cracks. Both my rears were cracked and powder or paint would have done a fine job of hiding it! The crack zones are in the picture which I borrowed from another site. They will be possibly very fine cracks but the results of one becoming less fine on a fast bend does not bear thinking about. They were not expensive to fix but it needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing with the right filler composition and heating/cooling cycle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 9 minutes ago, FatJon said: Whichever way you go be sure to check the trailing arms for cracks. Both my rears were cracked and powder or paint would have done a fine job of hiding it! The crack zones are in the picture which I borrowed from another site. They will be possibly very fine cracks but the results of one becoming less fine on a fast bend does not bear thinking about. They were not expensive to fix but it needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing with the right filler composition and heating/cooling cycle. And also when theyve had an outer UJ let go Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CP26309 Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 My only experience of Powder Coating was getting my original wire wheels blasted and coated silver...After just a year Rust appeared in areas that were too thinly coated (or lacked some kind of undercoat or inhibitor) as my wheels had never had any rust on before this, only several layers of rattle-can silver paint over many years! When I last rebuilt my front suspension I rubbed down all the pressed metal arms and sprayed them with undercoat and Hummerite gloss black. The Alloy trailing arms were all left natural. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CP26309 Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Correction just looked up in my cars history log...Hammerite was sprayed directly onto the bare metal parts, and is still good and providing protection 23 years on! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FatJon Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Hammerite is not what it was 23 years ago. The formulation changed some years ago and the current stuff is watery thin horrible stuff offering little protection. I used to paint it on and forget it but the stuff I used last year was so watery that even after several coats the stuff was semi transparent and 1 year later my fence is rusting. I found an old tin on a shelf and it is very different stuff. I think the current maker bought the brand name but stuck on cheap watery product. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PodOne Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Blasted and used POR chassis black and silver very happy with the finish and it takes some removing once dry and cured. Powder coated every thing else that was black after again blasting and was lucky to use a friends powder coating company who zinc coated everything first then coated again in black. Seems very durable. Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Pope Posted March 4, 2022 Report Share Posted March 4, 2022 Blasted and POR + 1. IMHO the only option. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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