Paint or powder coat steering knuckles?? (3 Viewers)

[Kernal]

I bead blasted my steering knuckles today to get off years of corrosion. Now I need to decide whether to paint them or powder coat them. I asked Duplicolor's tech line which of their paint was best for that area and they said that their Engine Enamel would hold up best to all the chemicals the paint might come in contact with in that area. Any thoughts out there on how powder coat would hold up to brake dust, brake fluid, etc??

 

[Joe_E]

Eastwood has some good alternatives to powder coating if you choose to paint them.

Automotive Repair Tools, Automotive Accessories, Auto Body Tools - Eastwood Company

 

[Kernal]

Decide to powder coat everything gloss black, also went ahead and bead blasted my hubs, amazing how much better they look after doing that, not that anyone except me will ever see them. Doing it mostly for corrosion protection, will post up some photos once their done. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Waorani]

I powder coated mine in satin black. Maybe if I ever get a chance to work on it again I'll get more pics posted.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

I media blasted mine and then hit them with 2 lite coats of self etching primer, then several coats of Rustoleum primer and then the "Rustoleum Professional" spray in black.

 

[Kernal]

I struck out. I bead blasted my parts and took them to the same guy who did my valve cover, got the steering knuckles, trunnion caps, drive flanges, the exposed rim of the spindles, and hubs powder coated gloss black, and it all looked real good at first. But the guys doing it must have done something wrong as the coating chips very easily and is also easily affected by solvents (they told me it would hardly be affected by anything except brake fluid). While holding the top coated trunnion caps in my hand for a few minutes as I cleaned up the bare metal part that slides into the knuckle and trunnion bearings I noticed that the coating was softening, just from the heat of my hand. After talking to another powder coating company it sounds like they didn't heat cure the pieces properly after spraying the powder on. In hindsight I'm now wishing I had just bead blasted and hit them with some engine enamel and called it good.

 

[webelk6]

I struck out. I bead blasted my parts and took them to the same guy who did my valve cover, got the steering knuckles, trunnion caps, drive flanges, the exposed rim of the spindles, and hubs powder coated gloss black, and it all looked real good at first. But the guys doing it must have done something wrong as the coating chips very easily and is also easily affected by solvents (they told me it would hardly be affected by anything except brake fluid). While holding the top coated trunnion caps in my hand for a few minutes as I cleaned up the bare metal part that slides into the knuckle and trunnion bearings I noticed that the coating was softening, just from the heat of my hand. After talking to another powder coating company it sounds like they didn't heat cure the pieces properly after spraying the powder on. In hindsight I'm now wishing I had just bead blasted and hit them with some engine enamel and called it good.

Powdercoater f'd up. No doubt.
Personally after powdercoating gobs of parts, any part to do with running gears, etc., I would not powdercoat. Plenty of companies make great products for the DIY'er.

 

[redbone]

I struck out. I bead blasted my parts and took them to the same guy who did my valve cover, got the steering knuckles, trunnion caps, drive flanges, the exposed rim of the spindles, and hubs powder coated gloss black, and it all looked real good at first. But the guys doing it must have done something wrong as the coating chips very easily and is also easily affected by solvents (they told me it would hardly be affected by anything except brake fluid). While holding the top coated trunnion caps in my hand for a few minutes as I cleaned up the bare metal part that slides into the knuckle and trunnion bearings I noticed that the coating was softening, just from the heat of my hand. After talking to another powder coating company it sounds like they didn't heat cure the pieces properly after spraying the powder on. In hindsight I'm now wishing I had just bead blasted and hit them with some engine enamel and called it good.

Sounds like a free do over or refund!<><

 

[BigMudders]

I'd go Eastwood too