Frame galvanizing

[craveman85]

I've been looking for a place to give my tub an acid bath and was thinking of doing the frame too. I found a place that could acid dip my frame, galvanize it and powder coat it. I'm awaiting a price quote from them. Would being dipped into 850° molten zinc warp the frame at all? I was thinking I could possibly make some braces that bolt into body mount holes to hopefully keep it straight. Unless it would still warp anyways. I'm not sure if I want them to dip my tub because their process was designed specifically for metals to be galvanized. I'm pretty sure the tub would warp from that.

 

[Dave The Sparky]

I have had both the 6 and my 8s chassis galvanised and neither have twisted.
The only down side is that every hole has to be tapped out afterwards and any welding seems to attract more zinc for some reason!
So that perfectly smooth grinding you did where you welded it up will be blatantly obvious!.

 

[gazzo]

Do some research but I think (happened to me not on a jeep frame) the powder coating will flake right off the HDG. May be better with etch prime and wet spray like POR15

 

[craveman85]

I think the place has their process setup specifically for that though. I imagine if you did the powder coat very quickly after it would be fine. Like before the zinc starts to oxidize

 

[BRKLYNZ28]

I used 2 part por15. Good stuff but the fumes will kill you. Respirator needed job

 

[craveman85]

Doesn't por need a top coat too though?I thought it has very little uv resistance. It's not going to be driven in snow so maybe I'll skip the galvanizing and just paint everything. Depending on the price quote of course. I would like the protection it gives inside the hard to reach areas.

 

[gazzo]

My experience was some angle iron parking rails bolted to the concrete. I went past the car yard a year later and all the yellow PC was flaking everywhere. Looked horrid. Kept my head down and kept driving.
You have lots of good chassis coating options. Acid bath is a great start, will dissolve the rust if any, then I'd media blast, por15 full Monty treatment. Top coat leaves a delicious waxy looking satin black.

 

[AK-RWC]

I did POR15 over my galvanized frame, with the Chassis Coat after that. I was pretty anal about all the prep work (Marine Clean, Metal Ready), and so far it's held up great. It's only flaked off a little bit where I've got a consistent brake line drip, which is my own dumb fault.

I've heard of successful powder coating over galvanized steel, but I decided I didn't want to chance a poor powder coating job. Plus powder coating chips and can't be repaired, whereas I can buy more POR15 and fix areas myself.

 

[craveman85]

Am I correct in assuming I couldn't get the body galvanized?

 

[AK-RWC]

You are incorrect. Even YJ tubs were galvanized; or maybe it was an e-coating with zinc as a rust inhibitor (I've never quite determined that). And I'm pretty sure it's been that way since 1987 for most Jeeps. The ZJs both definitely had some kind of zinc coating that I had to avoid breathing when welding up the rear fenders. Either way, it can be done.

 

[craveman85]

Maybe electronic coating but the only local place dips directly into molten zinc at 850° I feel if sand blasting can warp panels then that probably would.

 

[gazzo]

I think your tub would look like it was standing in front of one of those crazy mirrors at the Fun Park

 

[aluke0510]

Frame galvanising is very common on Land Rover Series and Defenders. Those guys don't have problems so I can't imagine you would. They don't even paint them. Waxoyl is a common treatment they use as well; inside the frame and in other areas where water can build up. They have real corrosion concerns though with the mixture of steel and aluminium. FYI, something Ford F150's are going to have real problems with in 10yrs...

 

[craveman85]

Was talking to the shop today. They told me they never recommend powder coating a frame. Got quoted 750 to galvanize the frame and a bunch of other stuff but I may go with stainless hinges so I may not get those done. Front bumper and tire carrier are definitely being done

 

[Bad Karma]

I galvanized my TDK frame and primed it with a primer specifically for galvanized metal. Then I top coated it with regular satin black paint. Easy for touch ups. Still all on there after 4-5 years.