Powder Coating a Torsion Beam

Powder Coating a Torsion Beam

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XAF

Original Poster:

131 posts

209 months

Friday 13th March 2015
quotequote all
I'm thinking of powder coating the rear torsion beam on my Ford Puma, however, I've heard that the heat involved during the powder coat process could take out the 'spring' from the beam and or alter the properties of the original heat treated metal. Is this true or should I be more worried about simple things like the fact the powder coating could crack if the beam does 'twist'

ShiningWit

10,203 posts

127 months

Friday 13th March 2015
quotequote all
I'd be reading up on how powder coating is totally useless for suspension components and go from there.....

XAF

Original Poster:

131 posts

209 months

Friday 13th March 2015
quotequote all
ShiningWit said:
I'd be reading up on how powder coating is totally useless for suspension components and go from there.....
That bad?

ShiningWit

10,203 posts

127 months

Friday 13th March 2015
quotequote all
XAF said:
ShiningWit said:
I'd be reading up on how powder coating is totally useless for suspension components and go from there.....
That bad?
It depends what you want and what you are building for, show queen or useable car?

PC is ok for some stuff, but not for chassis parts on a daily road car, it's rubbish. It's very brittle and that area gets loads of stones thrown at it constantly, one chip and it starts to rust, it creeps under the thick layer without you knowing, the PC comes loose, this harbours water (and salt) so it doesn't dry out, just stay wet and more rust gets under.
First you know about it is when you tear off a few square inches of still intact PC and find a load of rust....

For those kind of parts start with liquid de-rust or blast it clean. Build up some coats in order of: Etch primer, normal primer, top coat. If longevity is more important than aesthetics and you want ultimate protection then spray it finally with anti stone chip, it will stretch with the twist of the ARB.

There's some old saying about something that was hard work being worth having, powder coating isn't hard work, it's piss easy and covers up all sorts - that's why people use it.

To answer your initial question I doubt the powder coating curing temp at 200'c will affect an ARB which will be from EN24T or similar, this needs tempering at the very least at 250 + for a while before much happens, but it will probably shell off after the bar twists.

XAF

Original Poster:

131 posts

209 months

Friday 13th March 2015
quotequote all
O
ShiningWit said:
It depends what you want and what you are building for, show queen or useable car?

PC is ok for some stuff, but not for chassis parts on a daily road car, it's rubbish. It's very brittle and that area gets loads of stones thrown at it constantly, one chip and it starts to rust, it creeps under the thick layer without you knowing, the PC comes loose, this harbours water (and salt) so it doesn't dry out, just stay wet and more rust gets under.
First you know about it is when you tear off a few square inches of still intact PC and find a load of rust....

For those kind of parts start with liquid de-rust or blast it clean. Build up some coats in order of: Etch primer, normal primer, top coat. If longevity is more important than aesthetics and you want ultimate protection then spray it finally with anti stone chip, it will stretch with the twist of the ARB.

There's some old saying about something that was hard work being worth having, powder coating isn't hard work, it's piss easy and covers up all sorts - that's why people use it.

To answer your initial question I doubt the powder coating curing temp at 200'c will affect an ARB which will be from EN24T or similar, this needs tempering at the very least at 250 + for a while before much happens, but it will probably shell off after the bar twists.
Cheers for that, really useful and stuff I'd not thought of. Whilst it's not going to be a show queen, it's not a daily driver. Want it as good underneath as on top and thinking now that shotblast and proper painting is the way to go.