What to paint the wishbones with?

What to paint the wishbones with?

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zed4

Original Poster:

7,248 posts

222 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
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Hi,

I’m going to be removing the wishbones soon to fit new bushes and ball joints, so I’m thinking of painting them too. I have a company who can prepare and hot zinc spray them to ensure they’re well protected, but I’m not sure how to finish them.

Any recommendations? I’m after something very hard and tough, which won’t get chipped from stones. I was thinking of having my local wheel specialist powdercoat them, but I wonder how hard wearing it will be. It’s also difficult to touch up if they do get chipped.

The other option is to paint them by hand. I was thinking of using a hard yacht topside paint, something like the International Toplac or Perfection 2-pack, both are available in white. The advantage of using one of these is I can buy them easily and cheaply (work in the marine trade) and I can touch up any chips in the future. But I don’t really know how tough and durable it is. I’m sure I remember someone on here using it before...

Any help?

Dan

zed4

Original Poster:

7,248 posts

222 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
Ah, I found the thread now... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Still interested to hear of other experiences though.

SteveSPG

2,120 posts

202 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
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if they're off powder coat them. if it chips just touch up with normal paint...

DAVEY DEE

647 posts

154 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
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Por 15 seems a popular choice.I used it myself.

zed4

Original Poster:

7,248 posts

222 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
I should mention that the zinc plating will prevent the wishbones from rusting, so the paint is more for aesthetics. I would like the original white colour too.

s p a c e m a n

10,776 posts

148 months

Wednesday 13th August 2014
quotequote all
I did mine with rustbuster epoxy mastic along with the chassis and have yet to find a stonechip on the wishbones.. can't see the chassis because I coated that with dynax biggrin

sonnylad

1,158 posts

225 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
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zed4 said:
I should mention that the zinc plating will prevent the wishbones from rusting, so the paint is more for aesthetics. I would like the original white colour too.
If it's as good as the zinc coated nuts bolts and washers i have seen in the past then i would not rely on them lasting long without a good topcoat

Byker28i

59,555 posts

217 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
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I've done mine with POR two part top coat in white. Dries very hard and so far seems to be denying the stone chips and weather.
From experience, make sure you have enough in the corners as it's easy to coat lightly there.

zed4

Original Poster:

7,248 posts

222 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
I’ve been emailing lots of coating and painting companies for their advice. One company in particular has been very helpful and they’re recommended a belt and braces, done for life solution for my wishbones. They will blast and prep, then hot zinc coat and finally apply two coats of International Intercure 99 epoxy coating which is then baked in an oven. They can do most colours and say it’s an industrial strength finish which will withstand most chips.

The paint will provide a very hard coating and just in case, the zinc coating is there to further protect against any possible corrosion.

I am thinking I might go down this route. I like the International products and it’s easy to touch up by hand if the finish does ever get damaged. Price wise, I’m going to be looking at around £320.00 plus VAT to blast, prep, zinc coat and then paint with Intercure 99, which I think is reasonable.

It’s going to be a fairly costly project, around £350 for Powerflex bushes (managed to get a full set, brand new from someone who had sold their TVR and had these spare for a very good price), £384 for painting and coating and £140 or so for 4x front ball joints, but it will be worth it in the end.

s6boy

1,623 posts

225 months

Friday 15th August 2014
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Sounds like a good price, presumably for all wishbones?

Who are you hoping to use and what turn around do they quote please?

zed4

Original Poster:

7,248 posts

222 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
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s6boy said:
Sounds like a good price, presumably for all wishbones?

Who are you hoping to use and what turn around do they quote please?
Oops, sorry I didn't come back to you sooner. Yes, for all 8 wishbones. It was from a company called Ripblast.

I've actually just had another quote back from RFI Screening, they've quoted £134.40 (£112 exc VAT) to prepr and zinc coat all 8 wishbones. They don't do painting, but they recommend I hand paint them with some good 2 pack paint. That's going to be a very cheap way of doing it.

s6boy

1,623 posts

225 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
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Even better, just looked up where they are and only about 30 mins from me, you can pick up some sausages at the same time (if you're not local Braughing sausages are very good). Thanks for sharing your research I may well drop over and have a look at their set up.

Kitchski

6,515 posts

231 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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zed4 said:
I should mention that the zinc plating will prevent the wishbones from rusting, so the paint is more for aesthetics. I would like the original white colour too.
It's not zinc plating Dan, that's something different (and as pointed out, wouldn't be much use on a chassis or wishbones!)
The thermal spraying is about 80% as effective as galvanising, with 100% less risk factor - there's no risk at all of distortion or anything, as the zinc is heated locally as opposed to a massive tank of the stuff that consumes the entire chassis!

It's not a complete barrier, but combined with powdercoating/two-pack poly/epoxy etc, it's a pretty formidable barrier.