How would you paint this?

[I Lean]

Let's say a guy booger-welded together a control arm. This control arm is 12ga steel in box form, with speed holes. How would the aforementioned guy successfully paint such an item? If I'd thought better, I'd just have made it solid, no speed holes, and not worry about the insides. BUT, here we are. I'm pretty sure powdercoat won't get inside very well, I'm pretty sure spray paint won't either, and I don't think I can reach inside with a brush very effectively. (it's 3/4" wide inside) Any way to dip it in something? Some other process I'm not thinking of?

 

[Kevin B.]

Dunk it in tool dip.

Or more realistically, sleeve the speed holes?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Zinc or galv then paint what you can see with black or other. That way it is in fact 100% protected against corrosion but more aesthetic than zinc or galv.

 

[Jesser04]

Kevin's idea gets my vote.

 

[Chevycrew]

Have it chromed! haha

 

[Kiel]

spray it down with wd 40 every couple days.

 

[blznnp]

I agree with Kurt, I would have a galvanizer do it, that way the inside is fully covered and portected. then either paint or have it powder coated.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Does the galvanizing process make it tougher for paint to stick to it?

 

[blznnp]

We never had a problem with paint or powder coat on galvanize

 

[Herzog]

I'd sleeve the holes so they didn't fill up with gunk, dirt and sand anyways.

 

[I Lean]

I actually thought of galvanizing, in fact this entire project was originally planned to be that way--but I've since decided against it, so I made the bushing sleeves fit the bushings. (I'd need to oversize them to account for the 4-6 thousandths of thickness hot-dip galv adds) I didn't think about the zinc plating rather than hot-dip, that may be an option. Anyone have stuff they want done, that we can put together? It's cheaper in quantity.

Tool dip, I'm not convinced would really be a good "seal" long term. I'm thinking the smallest scratch would allow it all to start peeling, or rusting underneath. Plus it would take a large quantity of dip to be large enough to submerge this thing.

Sleeving the holes is a really good idea, and would make the painting easy. I'm not at all sure I can find tube or pipe to sleeve it with though, since the holes aren't necessarily any "standard" size...they're just whatever fit.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

This for your rig?

 

[MikeGyver]

Blend the welds off with a fiber sanding disc for your angle grinder and it'll clean up nicely. Just don't take the whole weld off.

 

[Deleted member 12904]

SO I have stuff galvanized for work half a dozen times a year and its super expensive and every place I have found has a 200lb minimum so even if you take 20lbs in it costs the same as 200lbs. Plus I have yet to find a place that will prep them so I have to have them sandblasted before I drop them off. Galvanizing is great but may not be economically feasible for such a small project.

If anyone else has had different experiences I would love to hear where you go. I don't really care for the place we have do our galvanizing currently.

 

[MikeGyver]

Stick a spray paint can's nozzle in the holes and press it from the other side, and spin the can. lol
it's just a control arm... the inside of a control arm. It's going to fill with mud and water anyways so who cares if you get paint runs. Don't forget to drill drain holes either.

you could even release the aerosol propellant from a can then cut it open and pour the paint in to completely cover/seal the innerds, then just drain out the excess.

98 cent paint job.

After that you can spend as much as you want making the outside look as good as you want.

 

[STAG]

If it was me, (which it is not*) I would weld in little slugs of tubing into the speed holes so they don't just become mud traps.

 

[I Lean]

This for your rig?

Yes. Kinda...for a little trail trailer I'll hopefully make use of--since there's no cargo room in a TJ with 4 people.

Blend the welds off with a fiber sanding disc for your angle grinder and it'll clean up nicely. Just don't take the whole weld off.

I was planning on that, since I'm not happy at all with how my welding went that day. Later the same day, I did what I was hoping to do on this control arm (on the axle brackets)...always takes me some time to get back into welding.

Stick a spray paint can's nozzle in the holes and press it from the other side, and spin the can. lol
it's just a control arm... the inside of a control arm. It's going to fill with mud and water anyways so who cares if you get paint runs. Don't forget to drill drain holes either.

you could even release the aerosol propellant from a can then cut it open and pour the paint in to completely cover/seal the innerds, then just drain out the excess.

98 cent paint job.

After that you can spend as much as you want making the outside look as good as you want.

Good ideas, and I may use one or more of them. :greg:

If it was me, (which it is not*) I would weld in little slugs of tubing into the speed holes so they don't just become mud traps.

I totally agree....any ideas about my previous answer below?

Sleeving the holes is a really good idea, and would make the painting easy. I'm not at all sure I can find tube or pipe to sleeve it with though, since the holes aren't necessarily any "standard" size...they're just whatever fit.

 

[bobdog]

What purpose do the speed holes serve? Purely cosmetic?

 

[I Lean]

What purpose do the speed holes serve? Purely cosmetic?

Not at all, they also allow debris to collect inside. And make the whole thing a little lighter....until it fills with mud.

 

[Rock Taco]

Redrill the holes to the size tubing you have and weld in said tubing.