Paint For Wishbones Etc

[Big Jim]

You should get them plated.

 

Jon, you need to paint over the plating with a good "finish" paint, otherwise in about 2 years you will be sandblasting them to start all over again, as they will eventually start to corrode. Be warned.

[Jon Bradbury]

Really?

 

Well, I was going to use a metal lacquer on them as I quite like the golden finish. Hammerite do a metal lacquer that works alot better than tehir paints and can be brush applied. I used it on my brake calipers (all reconditioned and plated gold like the wishbones) and so far have been impressed with the result. Mind you, my car isn't on the road yet...

[Big Jim]

That will probably be fine Jon, but just leaving them bare Zinc Plated is no good.

My only thoughts are, if water does get under/into the laquer, then the zinc plate will oxidize and discolour anyway, so then you'll need to paint them anyway.

[Guest Russler]

Mine have been powder coated and after a couple of years of rather severe use nearly all the coating has chipped off :angry:

 

anyway I was looking to get them chrome plated but was quoted about £200, now that sounds a bit excessive to me, does it sound reasonable or a rip off

[Big Jim]

whatever you use, you'll need to keep on top of it, the front edges of the suspension parts get hammered with road grit etc. and will need annual repainting etc (depending on mileage obviously) Zinc plating as Jon has done and then painting with a good enamel is about the best protection, but the paint will need redoing as i've said.

[Guest Russler]

right-o zinc plating and paint it is, although will etch primer be required or will that just ruin the plating?

[Big Jim]

if you're painting onto the zinc, you won't need etch primer.

[Guest daveg]

Jim

 

I could be wrong but isn't that plating called "cad and pas"?

 

Dave

[Jon Bradbury]

I think it cost £25 for the plating. I also got them to do a load of other little bits and bobs at the same time (included). Dunno where this £200 quote came from, it's definitely a total rip off.

 

TOP TIP : Drill all holes before sending it to the plating shop. That way, they will not rust (well, not quickly anyway).

 

TOP TIP #2 : Use the correct tool to unscrew the ball joints. RHE recommend you do not do this ever, because they are heat fitted to the wishbones. You could knacker the threads, so proceed at your own risk.

 

Oh, here's a quote from my website on the topic. Read in conjuction with the picture I posted earlier.

 

"One thing to note is the lack of ball joints on the lower arms. These are supposed to be screwed into the "O" shaped bits you can see on the larger wishbones and Robin Hood do this just after welding it up when it is still very hot. The idea is that the wishbone shrinks around the joint and effectively locks it into place. We builders are not supposed to be able to remove them, but I've noticed on the RHOCaR discussion forums that several builders have had them unscrew of their own accord whilst the car is being driven! No accidents yet, thank God. Anyway, I thought I'd try mine and sure enough, out they came. Bloody hell. On the one hand I was pleased (because it meant the wishbones could be plated without damaging the joints) but on the other hand I might have had a nasty accident. Various suggestions have been made by RHOCaR club members as to hoow they can be locked safely into place. I think I will screw them back in and tack weld around the join. They will not be going anywhere then!"

 

Bear this in mind when refitting the joints.

 

 

Sure it's zinc, Jim? Zinc is silver. Why does it come out gold?

Just curious...

 

 

JonB

[Guest daveg]

Sure it's zinc, Jim? Zinc is silver. Why does it come out gold?

 

I thought Zinc plating is called galvanising

 

What Jon has is call "cad and pas"

 

Dave

[Peter Bell]

Hi chaps just to add my penoth? bare zinc plate will be silver and as Jim said will start corroding fairly quickly, that is its job, it is a sacrificial coating so it corrodes before the steel. The secret is the passivation, which can add colour, it can be clear. the photos show the gold finish. This protects the zinc and it is very important that it is done well, it can vary quite a lot. Daveq mentioned cad, which is cadmium plating, this is illegal now in europe and I think the US are probably the only place that still do it legally, it is very good but just kills lots of things.

Peter

[Guest Mike Perry]

OK - so now I'll add my bit.

 

What Jon has is most likely to be either nickel or cadmium electroplate with colour passivate. Both nickel and cadmuim are naturally a silver finish; the gold/yellow tint is given by the colour passivate. If you wanted silver wishbones you could have requested a clear passivate.

 

And as Peter says cadmium plating is quite rare nowadays as it is toxic.

 

All this I have dredged up from a 20 year old recesses in my memory when I used to manage a plating works; not my most favourite job.

[Jon Bradbury]

Well I don't care wot it's called, lads, I just like the look of it. Besides, there's loads of examples of it in use (check the inside of your PC for example, to say nothing of car parts). I've yet to see a part plated like this go rusty (although I've seen lots of rusty chrome plate).

 

Which isn't to say it won't, in the end. I defer to Jim on this one and, as I said, will use a clear lacquer on all parts before hitting the road (sometime in 2030 the rate I'm going!!!)

 

 

 

Your pal

 

JonB

[Guest frozennorth20]

Just a quick note re plating of wishbones etc; generally speaking, it's not recommended for highly - stressed parts, as the plating process causes a non - reversible effect known as "hydrogen embrittlement" - worst case on steel can reduce strength by up to 50% (!) - I certainly wouldn't do it myself.......Best recommendation (this is what we do with offshore oilfield equipment) is to grit blast back to bare steel and then get painted (immediately) with a good 2 - pack epoxy paint system; finishing touch is to drill and inject cavities with rust - proofing wax (like Waxoyl), the best stuff is that used by machine shops etc to rust protect machined parts (you typically find it on new brake discs etc). Rust Veto is one type, various others around........... If you go down this road the parts will outlast thee, me, and the rest of the known RH universe!

Hope this is helpful, John.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

I'm just about to look into prices for re-galvanising my Lotus Esprit chasis. It is 21 years old now and when I removed the body as part of the full restoration I was amased at how good it was. There is not a spot of rust anywhere. Well there is but only on all the nuts and bolts, but as all of these are being replaced I'm not that bothered.

 

If anyone knows anywhere that does galvanising (don't foget it's the whole chasis) I would appreciate it.

 

Hope you guys won't mind me turning up next year to the meets in my Esprit, Mick will be there in his Mac#1 aswell