 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > To Galvanise or not to Galvanise |
 
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| Shroppy Member Since: 25 Feb 2016 Location: Shropshire Posts: 868   
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I'm beginning to compile a list of parts I intend to send for galvanising as part of my 130 build and, would appreciate any input on good or bad experiences with specific parts. I appreciate much of this depends on the galvanising company itself rather than the parts.
So far my considerations are as follows; Galv - Bulkhead, braced along the fixing points. - B post assemblies, I've sent a pair for galv in the past with good success. - Bulkhead brackets - Seatbox trays - Any body brackets Maybe Galv - Suspension components such as crows feet and A-frame arms - likely overkill given the thickness of the steel but I dislike rust and paint doesn't last forever. Don't Galv - Trailing arms, radius arms and anything that has a large thread or needs bushes pressed in as I don't really want to go down the route of buying reamers etc. Thanks in advance. 1985 127 V8 Build Thread Series 2 109" Series 1 80" |
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8th Jun 2020 2:13pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1886 
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To take your list:
Galv - Bulkhead, braced along the fixing points. - yep - I had mine done. I don't think it was braced at all, and apart from some minor warping along the flat face on the inside it's been fine - and has lasted many years without even the paint bubbling. Delighted I did this. - B post assemblies, I've sent a pair for galv in the past with good success. Yep, again, I had a set of these done last year. Great for peace of mind and getting as close as possible to the 'fit and forget' position. - Bulkhead brackets - wish I had done these - Seatbox trays - mine are aluminium from YRM. - Any body brackets - I had the rear tub cappings done about 14 years ago and they've been great. I think if I was doing a full rebuild I'd definitely get anything underbody like that done. Tub/chassis brackets etc Maybe Galv - Suspension components such as crows feet and A-frame arms - likely overkill given the thickness of the steel but I dislike rust and paint doesn't last forever. I bought A frame arms already galved - like you say, it's peace of mind and rust does draw the eye even if it's not going to cause any problems. Don't Galv - Trailing arms, radius arms and anything that has a large thread or needs bushes pressed in as I don't really want to go down the route of buying reamers etc. To be honest ,this was the main reason for posting. I needed to replace my front radius arms recently, so was going to have to buy a set somewhere anyway. I saw that YRM were selling them galvanised, so I thought it would be rude not to. I've since primed and painted them so they don't stand out, and fitted superpro polybushes without any trouble at all. I don't know how they're managing to get round the reaming/threading question but I thought the price was pretty reasonable considering the effort or hassle that might be involved otherwise. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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8th Jun 2020 3:03pm |
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will comfortably bend the arms so don't think it'll have an issue with a bit of excess galv.
| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1854  
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Many years ago when we were sending fire engine water tanks for galvanising, internal threads were 'masked' with something akin to fire cement, but external threads were left and a quick warm up with the oxy-acetalene and a rub with a wire brush removed excess galv, but still left a surface coating.
Just be careful flicking the hot galv about, back in the day us lowly apprentices were expendable and a few burns were seen as character building..... Keith |
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8th Jun 2020 3:34pm |
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| Shroppy Member Since: 25 Feb 2016 Location: Shropshire Posts: 868
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Some great responses here thanks guys! Good point re the press, the other half's dad has a suitable one albeit not as impressive as yours Sako!
If I remember correctly, the trailing and radius arms have the same thread so I'm happy enough to be a tap to clean the threads up if need be, might even have one in the box somewhere. I think I'll press ahead and get all the suspension arms/linkages blasted and sent for galvanising then re-assess when I'm at the rolling chassis stage and have the bulkhead ready to be dipped. I have just ordered another 5 litres of suitable epoxy primer after all 
I know the later style trailing arms are double wall tube, I wonder how they would fare in the tank? the YRM ones do appear to be drilled but the hole size can't be sufficient to vent properly surely?  Click image to enlarge 1985 127 V8 Build Thread Series 2 109" Series 1 80" |
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8th Jun 2020 8:48pm |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1240 
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When I've dropped up stuff with my mate's trailer company for galvanising (get it at cost and no minimum order, 4 day turnaround so no brainer) he's always recommended 8mm minimum hole for venting. Ed
82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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8th Jun 2020 8:54pm |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3542  
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My galvanizers will not accept any closed section steel without venting holes. The risk of explosion from expanding trapped fluids is too high. I always put a minimum of 2 vent holes, one at each end, such that zinc/air can enter and escape from one hole to the other. I had success with smaller vent holes, I think smallest I did was about 6mm, but it also depends on the enclosed volume.
I like to galvanize my parts. I do not do anything to tapped holes and studs that I have taps / dies to clean out later, although I am always afraid that I might cross thread the tap/die and cut off the steel, and leaving the zinc for threads!! But so far never happened. For threads that I do not have taps for, I just fit a bolt, making sure that the other end is just flush with the nut so that you do not have zinc coated threads on the bolt that need to undo through the nut. Then I just apply some heat from a simple blow lamp to soften the zinc while undoing the bolt. Recently done the wheel arch liners. Unfortunately the way the galvanizers hanged the parts caused some zinc to pool, leaving a bit of an unsightly finish, as when molten metal cools and solidifies, it contracts quite a bit. Have not mounted them yet to see if they distorted or not. But the liners were already galvanized by Landrover. Never done a bulkhead, nor heavy suspension components, although the crows feet I zinc plated at home. Click image to enlarge 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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9th Jun 2020 7:35am |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1240
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Should possibly clarify, you can get away with smaller holes but anything less than 8mm was found to be a bit dodgy as to whether it would block up.
Another thing is make sure you don't have any paint on the parts. Yes they dip them but that only really attacks rust. If you have paint on them there's usually a large surcharge because they'll have to replace some of the tanks afterwards. Ed 82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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9th Jun 2020 7:39am |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1240
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When I did my series bulkhead they also recommended putting a hole in the corner of the foot well because depending on how they hung it it might mean galv pooling in the corner. Ed
82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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9th Jun 2020 7:40am |
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| doublea Member Since: 12 Jul 2011 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 495  
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These!
Click image to enlarge Current Steeds: 2015 110 UW in Grasmere Green 2003 BMW F650 the Hack 2000 Elise 1992 Ducati 888 (no longer in bits, yahoo) 1990 TDR 250 (in bits again) 1988 TDR 250 (no longer in bits) and for sale |
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10th Jun 2020 11:40pm |
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