Suspension Components - Powder coat or Paint ?

[ramjam2005]

I will soon be leaving my part time job and before I go I'm hope to use their 10 ton press to replace the Track Control arm ball joints.

Just asking what others have done for top coat when refurbishing the suspension parts ? Obviously powder coating is a hard finish but a costly overhead whilst the cheaper option is prep and hand paint/spray.

With regards to hand finishing , what brand to be recommended and process followed ? Most of my components have surface rust or some pitting on heavier items. I cleaned up the track control arms with a wire wheel as a test and applied a coat of black rust converter paint but probably sand that back and apply a zinc rich etch primer before a chosen top coat.

I know there are a number of options available in the market such as Frosts / Eastwood or POR15 etc. Also should I go for full Gloss or Satin ? ( probably more a personal taste/choice on that).

Cheers
Ray

[wilf]

I have used POR15 in the past- pretty indestructible IMHO.

[jbuckl]

I would advise a plated finish before paint or final finish.

Alternatively use phosphoric acid to give a protection before final finish.

have seen powder coat very short lived on un prepared surfaces.

[richardthestag]

have seen powder coat very short lived on un prepared surfaces.

#1990s-TVR-sportscars

+1 on POR15, except it is very expensive

Satin finish every single time for me.

I like this stuff

https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/em121-epoxy-rust-proofing-paint/

[mike@thenook]

Hi Ray,

I've used Hamerite on mine with pretty good results having cleaned up with a wire wheel first and aplied Jenolite rust prevention first.

I also now use Lanoguard each year to keep the rust away, works a treat for me and is pretty cost effective.

Cheers

[flying farmer]

#1990s-TVR-sportscars

+1 on POR15, except it is very expensive

Satin finish every single time for me.

I like this stuff

https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/em121-epoxy-rust-proofing-paint/

I use that as well, though I have found it works better sprayed.

I painted the chassis of my TR with this stuff 4 or 5 years ago and found despite 3 coats microscopic air bubbles let rust staining come to the surface though it doesn't peel off and is very resistant to abrasion and stone chips.

I spray painted the underside of my Toledo with it a couple of years ago and it is a far better finish without the rust staining issue.

If I finally get round to doing the bodywork on my TR this year I might just clean the chassis off and give it a couple of sprayed coats, i am certainly not going to try to remove the good paint as it sticks like sh*t to a blanket.
The chassis was sand blasted before painting which left a lot of pits in the metal which I suspect held the air bubbles when brushed over. When sprayed the paint gets straight into the bottom of the pits.