Keeping suspension arms unpainted raw steel

[99sh]

I'm rebuilding my FB from the bottoms up and currently stripping the paint from all suspension arms. I'm thinking of leaving the suspension arms bare steel without any paint or powder coating. The car is always in dry weather and can keep an eye out for any surface rust or anything unusual.

Any ill effects doing so? I have some stainless steel paint (Seymore MRO SS) I purchased if needed. But any overspray from brake cleaners or other chemicals will smudge the paint and remove it. I'd rather not deal with that if I dont have to.

Thoughts?

Arax

[JLind]

Nickel plate it and be done with it!

James

[patman]

There is no direct detriment to bare steel.

However, I have an awful hard time believing that it won't rust, regardless of your climate or how you store the car. If you use proper automotive paint brake clean or other normal chemicals should not damage it once cured.

[ChristopherBernard]

You might also try waxing the steel.
I've used a butchers wax on many metals and it provides some protection without obscuring any of the surface.

[ianashdown]

Team Penske always used to, and may still, use bare steel wishbones, highly polished. It works in the maintenance cycle of an IndyCar, but will require very regular maintenance.

Most other CART teams used black keyphos finish, Penske cars always had polished suspension. It was one thing that made Penske cars look good.

Ian
SoCal

[Neil_Roberts]

Do what the off road racers do. Clear furniture lacquer and a brush.

[socaljeff3798]

You may want to look at Ceramic coating.
This is a thin film coating that has a high corrosion resistance and great durability.

www.RaceKote.com

Jeff

[Steve Davis]

Gun bluing is an easy to apply coating that should provide some minimal protection without much effort.

[Rick Kirchner]

Unfortunately Steve, Bluing is just decorative. I've used it on steel parts before and I have an old blue shotgun. if you touch a blued surface you get a rusted fingerprint.

It works on guns because they tend to be heavily oiled.

San Jose? that's dry but what atmospheric moisture you have is salt fog. The most economical and durable method these days would be hand polishing up to about 1000 grit, and then electroless nickel. Not as bright as electroplated nickel but a lot more corrosion resistant.

[S Lathrop]

You may want to look at Ceramic coating.
This is a thin film coating that has a high corrosion resistance and great durability.

www.RaceKote.com

Jeff

Sorry to discourage this type of coating. It makes any repair to the part nearly impossible because removing the coating is marginal at best.

Bare or nickel are the best. Down side of nickel is corrosion on the inside of the parts.

[99sh]

Great input, thanks guys! Sounds like I need to stick to my original plan and have these painted to play it safe. I don't want to spend any more money getting them coated professionally.

The Seymour MRO paint I purchased (rattle can) claims to have some stainless steel particulates in it. It does appear that way when you're spraying with some fine pieces coming out.

[romoman]

If you want the bare look, go with the clear lacquer as mentioned above. It makes crack check really easy. Another option from the offroaders is Steel-It. It'll give you the bare steel look with great corrosion resistance.

[99sh]

Can someone confirm that Penetrol will not come off with fuel or brake cleaner?

[lch Racing]

Watching NHRA today they showed the building of their cars using a substance called Steel black that they just rubbed on.

Google shows:
https://www.epi.com/black-oxide/stee...nsta-blak-333/

Not sure if they referred to that specific product but seems simple and able fix scratches as they occur?
Food for thought.
Larry

[Steve Demeter]

If you want to keep them bare, just apply WD frequently.

PITA but it does work

[na94]

My own preference is for black oxide.

[HayesCages]

I wipe 3-in-one oil on our bare suspension parts.

[john f]

http://www.sharkhide.com/index.html

john f

[xmazdatracy]

Bikes come clear over bare steel quite a bit. Looks great in the beginning and after a few seasons starts to look horrible. I would go bare and keep it oiled, if anything starts to rust hit it with some ss pads and re-apply oil. looks cool and its light weight easy to check for cracks and repair is cheaper and quicker looks better after repairs... blah blah blah...

[Matt Clark]

There is the old Gibbs oil option. Lots of people say it works well on bare steel & magnesium, I want to try it on some things. A poor mans version is a ATF & Laquer Thinner mix that is out there too.

http://www.roadsters.com/gibbs/

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/vi...528188&start=0

[HayesCages]

I noticed that we racers are last on the Gibb's list.

[jdp526]

I am using the Gibbs oil on the magnesium and alum parts, like, steering rack, transaxle and covers. It does seem to last for many months before recoat is needed to slow oxidation of parts.

[mmi16]

Sorry to discourage this type of coating. It makes any repair to the part nearly impossible because removing the coating is marginal at best.

Bare or nickel are the best. Down side of nickel is corrosion on the inside of the parts.

Who repairs suspension arms? If they get damaged in any way, I no longer trust their integrity and onto the scrap heap they go!

[HayesCages]

A "desperate spare"

[xmazdatracy]

Who repairs suspension arms? If they get damaged in any way, I no longer trust their integrity and onto the scrap heap they go!

please consider me next time you trow out something expensive out.

[Chris Livengood]

please consider me next time you trow out something expensive out.

repair
transitive verb
1 a : to restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken : fix <repair a shoe>
b : to restore to a sound or healthy state : renew <repair his strength>
2 : to make good : compensate for : remedy <repair a gap in my reading>
intransitive verb
: to make repairs
synonyms see mend


Indeed, it seems repairs are adequately satisfactory. The issue of course is when the repair is either not adequate or not satisfactory or both. For the cars I have raced we have managed excel at adequate and satisfactory though.

[Purple Frog]

The picture in post #25 looks oh so much like DaveW thinking about what SCCA has done to formula car racing.

About 18 years ago I remember one of our Apexspeeders finishing a regional race with a piece of concrete rebar welded down one leg of an A-arm to reinforce a "kink" in the aero tubing. and it wasn't me.