How to powder coat the front suspension

[FF33rod]

So, the front suspension is raw metal and needs some paint. What does everyone do?
I'd like to powder coat it but I'm wondering what to do with these rubber boots and greasy bits.
Would love some tips.

Thx guys
Steve

98521 98522

[KenWilkinson]

https://www.eastwood.com/2k-aero-spray-rat-rod-satin-black-47968.html

I used this, for the 35 pu, it matched the satin finish exactly. Be sure to primer coat.

[NAZ]

I thought about powder coating mine too but didn't like the idea of some yahoo sand blasting my ball joints. Went with Eastwood 2K Chassis Black, gloss. Same paint type Ken listed above -- just a different sheen. The Eastwood 2K rattle can paint is not your garden variety hardware paint. It is a two-part automotive paint that is very durable and resists rock chips. It matches my FFR powder coated chassis perfectly and easy to get a great looking finish. It's expensive but you get what you pay for with paint and this one is a great paint for small parts. And did I mention it has a great fan pattern from the trick nozzle.

[Bob Cowan]

Those parts can be powder coated, but it's not particularly easy. As you already guessed, the rubber or silicone boots have to be removed. If you have rebuildable joints, you can take them apart.

You'll have to remove as much grease as possible. At 450*F, the grease will melt, and run down the part and make a mess. You have to position the part in the oven so if the grease does run, it won't ruin the finish.

The parts do not have to be sand blasted. They need to be prepped the same way as you would for paint. Wire brush the rust, sand off the welding slag, soften all the sharp edges. Clean with hot water and a good cleaner, like Simple Green, or Purple Power. Then wipe down with paint thinner. Once clean, handle them while wearing rubber gloves.

For <$100 or so, you can put an oven in your garage, and coat your own parts. Eastwood is having a sale on their basic kit. If you do the work yourself, you'll save a ton of time and money. And you'll be able to do parts like these, where a commercial coater will tell you it can't be done.

Note, if you spray the parts with a rust converter first - like POR-15 - the powder will not stick. On new parts, there's no need for it, anyway.

[FF33rod]

Thanks guys, that's helpful.
For the Eastwood paint, what primer would you recommend? I have picked up a couple of cans of the hot rod satin black on your recommendation Ken, just anticipating I'll have to touch up the chassis in spots at some point.

Bob, I have the powder coat kit from Eastwood along with their small oven. I could do a couple of the parts in that oven but the larger upper control arm won't fit. If I go this route, how do I get the blue rubber boot (that's shown in the picture above) back on? Seems like there's some metal wire or something that's holding it. Thanks for the tip on the powder coating not adhering to POR.

Steve

[NAZ]

Steve, I used Eastwood's Chassis Black primer.

[Bob Cowan]

I put a standard kitchen oven in my garage for this. I bought it second hand for a few bux.

Most boots are just pushed on, with no retainer. If yours has a wire retainer, just cut it off. You can re-install with safety wire.

[NAZ]

Steve, before you cut that "wire" make sure it's not a spiral lock -- a spring retainer that wraps around the boot with overlapping ends.

[duff33]

If you use the chassis paint from eastwood do not use acetone to clean the painted surface. About a couple of weeks after I had painted mine I wiped them down with acetone to clean them and just wiped off the paint

[FF33rod]

Steve, before you cut that "wire" make sure it's not a spiral lock -- a spring retainer that wraps around the boot with overlapping ends.

Good call, thank you. I took a closer look at these last night and indeed they were spiral retainers. Difficult to pick up with my aging eyes :)

[OnlyAndy]

I had all the same concerns as everybody is making on this thread. Wanted the durability of powder coat and spoke to F5 a couple times about this. THEY SAID,,, ok to powder coat as long as the grease was cleaned out very well. I used solvents and compressed air several times and really, not much came out. And the boots came off, yes, spiral wire wraps. Powder coat guy said No Problem. They came out super, bright silver, installed on 33' and all greased up. Not near go kart yet but all seems very well.

[JOP33]

I had all the same concerns as everybody is making on this thread. Wanted the durability of powder coat and spoke to F5 a couple times about this. THEY SAID,,, ok to powder coat as long as the grease was cleaned out very well. I used solvents and compressed air several times and really, not much came out. And the boots came off, yes, spiral wire wraps. Powder coat guy said No Problem. They came out super, bright silver, installed on 33' and all greased up. Not near go kart yet but all seems very well.

I agree with statement as well. I was advised by powder coater to leave in solvent for a day or two and then dry with air as much as possible. Mine also turned out good and I have had no as of yet.

[FF33rod]

So pretty happy with the results.
Took off the boots that were already installed, getting the spiral clips back on should be interesting.
Scuffed up the metal, got rid of as much welding splatter as I could, used some of the eastwood tape to mask off the balljoint stuff, used tinfoil to protect the larger areas and went for it...
Used the Prismatic Powders "super chrome", very chrome like - better than the similar Eastwood product that I had bought a month or two ago. Need to add the clear coat yet....
98808 98806 98807

[NAZ]

Wow, that "chrome" PC came out great! The chrome my powder coater uses is junk -- he never could get it to work right. Wanted to do my firewall with it but had to settle for a silver finish. Of course this is the same guy who said he has to sand blast the parts are the PC will never stick.

[HVACMAN]

Wow, that "chrome" PC came out great! The chrome my powder coater uses is junk -- he never could get it to work right. Wanted to do my firewall with it but had to settle for a silver finish. Of course this is the same guy who said he has to sand blast the parts are the PC will never stick.

My powder coater didn't recommend the chrome either. He said it tarnishes pretty bad in our climate here. I went with the silver too.

[FF33rod]

My powder coater didn't recommend the chrome either. He said it tarnishes pretty bad in our climate here. I went with the silver too.

I guess that's why they recommend to put a clear over top of it. I did that step today. Will see how it holds up, if all else fails I'll powder coat them satin black some time down the road.

[Bob Cowan]

For exposed tubes like that, I would consider some 3M shield for the leading edge. For a simple tube, it would be pretty easy to install yourself. Or maybe spray on some Plasti-Dip.

[Arrowhead]

The chrome or even silver powder coats are made up of aluminum particles so unless you clear coat, it will turn grey over time as the aluminum oxidizes. I always sandblast before powdercoat as it give a much better and uniform surface for the powder coat to bond to (I do that for paint on hard parts too). It will also rough up edges and nooks and crannies better around welds that are difficult to sand. I've never found a secondary film required to protect a properly prepared and applied power coat, it's extremely durable. I think that is why the FFR powercoated frames had issues at one time as they were not being sandblasted but cleaned and then some kind of primer applied before PC (from my vague memory anyway).

I used brake cleaner and compressed air to remove any grease before powder coating my control arms and had no issues.

[JOP33]

In addition to what has already been stated, any laser cut parts need to have the oxidation removed off all the cut edges as the paint (or even powder) will start to flake off. This can be done with some green or red scotchbrite.

[Chris C]

I had my control arms powdered. Did anyone else have grease squeeze out the back side of the ball joints when you lubed them? I was not expecting that.

[FF33rod]

In addition to what has already been stated, any laser cut parts need to have the oxidation removed off all the cut edges as the paint (or even powder) will start to flake off. This can be done with some green or red scotchbrite.

Yeah, good point, I have been doing this already as it seemed somewhat intuitive - the dark colour tipped me off to something being on the surface other than bare metal - but it's good to mention it.

[Kiwi Dave]

https://www.eastwood.com/2k-aero-spray-rat-rod-satin-black-47968.html

I used this, for the 35 pu, it matched the satin finish exactly. Be sure to primer coat.

Ken

This stuff looks like the best alternative to powder coating. When did you get your kit? I just picked mine up and this Rat Rod color looks like the current powder coating FFR is using but I am not 100% sure - it is not gloss like the chassis we had at the build school.

Great advice here - thanks all!

Cheers

Dave

[FF33rod]

Ken

This stuff looks like the best alternative to powder coating. When did you get your kit? I just picked mine up and this Rat Rod color looks like the current powder coating FFR is using but I am not 100% sure - it is not gloss like the chassis we had at the build school.


I'm #1104 and have the satin black powder coat as well. You are correct, the Rat Rod black from Eastwood is an excellent match - advice from the forum here. Also, if you want a powder coat to match, then check out Prismatic Powder "Silk Satin Black", again advice from the forum here I believe and it's pretty much perfect.

[NAZ]

FFR must have changed their PC spec as mine is shinny like my heinie and Eastwood's Gloss Chassis Black is a perfect match. So for those of you that have the "gloss" black powder coating version and want touch up paint you won't go wrong with Eastwood's Chassis Black in gloss.

[Kiwi Dave]

FFR must have changed their PC spec as mine is shinny like my heinie and Eastwood's Gloss Chassis Black is a perfect match. So for those of you that have the "gloss" black powder coating version and want touch up paint you won't go wrong with Eastwood's Chassis Black in gloss.

Yes, they have changed their spec and they are easily identified. Thank you NAZ and F33Rod - just the information I needed!

Cheers

Dave

[Joe390]

Eastwood 2K Chassis Black, gloss