Re: [DMCForum] galvanising chassis

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxxxxx>]

John,

I remember reading about a guy in the UK who galvanized a
frame.  I bet one of the guys in the DOC-UK could tell you
about it.

After having a boat trailer, I am not a big fan of
galvanizing anymore.  It wears away like the zinc plated
stuff in the engine compartment.  But of course not using
your car to load/unload boats into salt water would prevent
much of that.  ;-)

Painting over galvanized could preserve it, and that would
make probably the toughest finish you can get for rust-prone
steel.

I considered having a stainless steel frame powder coated
but decided against it because it wouldn't do much to
preserve the stainless and it would mostly add weight &
hassle.

Back to galvanizing, those boxed-in sections could be a
problem.  I had a utility trailer galvanized and watched
them do it.  First they dipped it in a vat that turned the
metal black.  I suppose this was the flux.  Then they dipped
it in a molten zinc vat.  When it came out, the previously
smooth sheet metal parts were all wrinkled.  But it was a
utility trailer, so I didn't care.  Years later the trailer
still rusted away because the galvanizing didn't stick (or
get inside?) of the closed-in sections of hollow box-tubing.

If you decide to galvanize your frame, check the DML
archives.  I think I remember Knut G having it done or
someone close to him.  They discussed clogging the threaded
holes so that the galvanizing wouldn't clog/obstruct them.

I would not trust the flux-dip to remove rust.  And I
wouldn't expect galvanizing to stick to anything but clean
bare metal.  As with most projects like this, it is all
about preparation.

Walt

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