Question for those who have restored chassis -Nuts and Bolts

[Robertjp]

What did you guys do regarding your nuts and bolts?

Im getting brassed off with seeing furred up bolts under there, even having done my rear wishbone bushes last year i look this year and they look just as bad.

I have been looking at the threads on here and some have painted them, others not. As you cant't use stainless on the wishbones / stressed members...i see they are either going to go rusty and you cant really stop it....or there must be a way round it?

I have thought of just painting the hex and bolt to the threaded section and stopping there, and then painting all the nuts and washers (guess stainless washers are ok though) separately with POR 15, and will happily do it if it means i dont have to replace them in 18 months time!

I worry if you paint the threads ... the bolts ain't ever coming off again without an angle grinder, particularly with Por 15 from what i have heard....could be a problem if you want to refurbish / replace shocks, do the bushes etc??

[spongy]

I am in the same boat sir am part way through mine at the mo,anyway she is in having new outriggers done and while she was up on the ramps i went down for a look.......and sure enough rusty bolts on the diff mounts.These were cleaned up and dipped in rust treatment.......but have still gone rusty.I think i will spray just the bolts with wax oil......i hate the stuff but hey got to try and see what will work.

[heightswitch]

You can nickel plate bolts for a longer lasting finish.
Stainless can be used in most places apart from high tnsile applications, IE suspension and propshaft etc.

Black bolts with coppersslip and then masked up and heads painted with Black work well.

N.

[Robertjp]

spongy said:

I am in the same boat sir am part way through mine at the mo,anyway she is in having new outriggers done and while she was up on the ramps i went down for a look.......and sure enough rusty bolts on the diff mounts.These were cleaned up and dipped in rust treatment.......but have still gone rusty.I think i will spray just the bolts with wax oil......i hate the stuff but hey got to try and see what will work.

Your thread is one that has got me some serious chassis envy!!!!

I had wondered what you had done regarding bolts. I have just been out and had a good clean up of the wishbones and upright on one of the rears and actually....the powdercoating is in excellent shape.

I really dont need to do much i dont think, things like the coating chipped off the ends of the upper wishbone .... Can you use Por 15 as a 'touch up' paint do you think?? I see not point in going round the whole of the chassis sanding down when it really doesn't need it....but then i would like it to look sparkly and white again

Anyway...i guess with regard to the bolts i may get them off one by one, wire brush, rust cure, metal etch and por 25 them...can't see way round it!

[Robertjp]

heightswitch said:

You can nickel plate bolts for a longer lasting finish.
Stainless can be used in most places apart from high tnsile applications, IE suspension and propshaft etc.

Black bolts with coppersslip and then masked up and heads painted with Black work well.

N.

Thanks for that - hadn't thought of nickel plating....will look into it.

[Basil Brush]

I'm looking at getting one of the zinc plating kits to redo some of the bits on my car. They come with different colour passivates so you could colour code the fasteners.

[spongy]

You may have issues if you paint the bolts bud as they are tight to get in anyway.I copper greased all mine so i know they are good on the hidden bits;).As to your question about the chips i would say that the por 15 would be fine to patch bits in.......this is really what i wanted to do......but got carried away.Glad to see my thread has got other people doing this as it is good fun when you get into it.You will probably find its the areas where the wishbones etc are fitted to the main chassis that look the worst.....mine was not really bad but i reckon if left for a couple more years i would be havinig issues.I am planning a body lift once we have moved.....and by then am hopeing a cerb chassis off the shelf will be an option,cos for 3 grand ish i think thats well worth the investment.......ste i have issues;)

[spongy]

Basil Brush said:

I'm looking at getting one of the zinc plating kits to redo some of the bits on my car. They come with different colour passivates so you could colour code the fasteners.

Thats right give me another thing to ponder over;)......must admit i did look at these ...trouble is how far do you go............I say all the feckin way

[Robertjp]

Spongy, would love to go over the whole lot with por whitecote, will see after a proper clean up and a patch in with por 25...its a right PITA though to go over perfectly good powder coat with sandpaper

right....off to Frosts.co.uk to look at plating kits......just how rust resistant in Nickel?...best look at that too....

[Robertjp]

Frosts look to be £120 ish for the full kit which is two modules...

This one...
http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-electroplating/b...
and this one...
http://www.frost.co.uk/common-plating-module.html

There is also this place which is on ebay too apparently...£80 for the kit...

http://www.gaterosplating.co.uk/Nickel-Plating-Kit...

but this one has no power supply, have to use your own battery and battery charge

and its only microns thick so no clearance issues....

Edited by Robertjp on Saturday 3rd March 22:16

Edited by Robertjp on Saturday 3rd March 22:16

[spongy]

Saturday night and what are we doing......what makes it really sad is this is how its always been for me ,even when i was strutting my stuff out there my head was still under a bonnet.I would stick with the frosts one bud that lot looks cool in my book.Trouble is will it stop with nuts a bolts......i doubt it sir.

[spongy]

Wonder how big the buckets can get

[Basil Brush]

I've just ordered one of the Gateros Ultimate zinc nickel kits. Saturday night well spent!

[whitewolf]

I'm not sure it they do a mail service but I ordered 40 high tenstile bolt, 40 New nylon nuts and 80 washer for my Taimar.

Nuts and washer were galvanized and all in all came to £20.

A company in Doncaster called Bapps bolts.

All in 1/2 unf.

Next best was £40 plus vat.. big difference.

[VARLEYHYD]

Robertjp said:

Thanks for that - hadn't thought of nickel plating....will look into it.

Factory finish was zinc & gold Passivate for bolts and nuts zinc & clear Passivate on T cars
It's not expensive to replace the lot.
Chassis & suspension bolts are about £100, but key us getting correct sizes & grade.
I have a list of all sizes somewhere if you mail me.

Better still is nickel as said, but it's not the correct factory colour, and make sure it is done correctly as can leave the bolts brittle!

Another option would be eletro-less nickel, really durable with road salt but again not the ideal colour.
Galvanised bolts are incorrect finish & not strong enough (probably not available in TVR sizes anyway)

G

Edited by VARLEYHYD on Sunday 4th March 08:42

Edited by VARLEYHYD on Sunday 4th March 19:01

[scotty_d]

Use Allen cap stainless 316 bolts where you can there high tensile being allen caps. Most being a strength of 12.9 when the standard bolt are only 8.8 IIRC ???

I am using a good few of them on the Cerb and did it on my Chim when i re-built everything on the under side of that.

I just bought a SH bolt kit for the cerb this time to save on costs. I just give every bolt head a little smear of copper slip and that should stop them corroding as quickly and I could just do this every service to keep on top of them.

But i feel your pain i hate rust!!!!!!

And i hate wheeler dealer when they re-build a car using the old bolts it really winds me up lol.



A good site here for bolts

http://www.boltmeup.com/index.asp

Edited by scotty_d on Sunday 4th March 08:54

[spongy]

Lol,dont get me started on wheeler dealers.......some of the things they leave wind me up,but as i have been told before its only telly.Mark evans now he would never use old bolts..........the rich git;)

[Robertjp]

Thanks for the help and advice so far, Graham, YHM thankyou.

Not yet convinced on the nickel plating it can be a bit hit and miss...but sounds like a good option if you get the hang of it. There is also a place in Birmingham that does do electroless nickel plating but not sure whether they would do one - offs.

I have been using a fastener company by me that are very good but its not actually occured to me to ask them if they can source galvanized bolts...doh. i will ask them on next visit - hopefully taking along a full list to price up.

[Robertjp]

scotty_d said:

Use Allen cap stainless 316 bolts where you can there high tensile being allen caps. Most being a strength of 12.9 when the standard bolt are only 8.8 IIRC ???

I am using a good few of them on the Cerb and did it on my Chim when i re-built everything on the under side of that.

I just bought a SH bolt kit for the cerb this time to save on costs. I just give every bolt head a little smear of copper slip and that should stop them corroding as quickly and I could just do this every service to keep on top of them.

But i feel your pain i hate rust!!!!!!

And i hate wheeler dealer when they re-build a car using the old bolts it really winds me up lol.



A good site here for bolts

http://www.boltmeup.com/index.asp

Edited by scotty_d on Sunday 4th March 08:54

Can you even get 12.9 stainless? i can see 8.8 on the site above...but not 12.9 stainless? Im not sure whats used TBH so will await Graham's help!!!

Thanks for the help though...

[Robertjp]

Steve Heath seats are as was out of the factory by the looks of things? Zinc coated? Want to improve on this of possible...