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Powder Coating Differential Housings

rmcbama

Full Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
159
Loc.
Birmingham
I'm doing a frame-off on a 68 back to original and am having the frame powder coated. I'm thinking of coating the differentials, knuckles, and other smaller parts also. However, I'm not sure what kind of issues I'll get into like the machine surfaces on the knuckles and bearing areas on the housing. I've thought through different ways to tape it up but want to head off any headaches.

Anyone have any experience with this and any recommendations?
 

needabronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
6,411
Loc.
Prescott/Farmington
I would suggest you paint them with POR15 if this truck will ever be driven. If you plan to wheel it I would go one step lower and use a decent 'spray paint' so that you can easily repair trail damage and scratches... I know rattle can paint doesn't last, but try to repair powder coat and see how well it goes. POR can be fixed also but not easily.

I'm in the middle of a frame off on my rig and have thought long and hard about this myself. My 9" was POR'd about 2-3 years ago and has been dragged over lots of rocks and now looks like crap. The most repairable method to fix this is to either have the housing media blasted, grind/sand it all off, or rattle can it now, and fix the scratches in a few more years. My truck will not be a trailer queen/show car though. I'm shooting for a nice 10 footer, that is extra clean... It will be wheeled when done...
 

Bituman

Full Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
276
Loc.
Phoenix Mtn Preserve
Just finishing up a project similar to yours. Frame, cross members, traction bars, gas tanks, diff shields, lots of small parts, all powder coated. The company I used had some special masking tape that they used to keep the coating away from surfaces not suitable, check out the photo for examples. It's really not a problem at all.

I did not powder coat diff housings, steering linkage, or radius arms but instead used VHT roll bar and chassis paint, good stuff. My theory was that these parts would be more susceptible to rock chips and therefore I wanted a surface coating I could fix. Needabronco is right, you better be sure you have everything just the way you want it because I don't think you can change or otherwise fix powder coating.

Against my recommendation I have a friend that powder coated her mountain bike wheels a very stylish white to match her frame color. But the powder coating has held up amazingly well on the rocky trails of southern Arizona.

Bob
 

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TN1776

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
2,632
One thing about powder coating - it is tough. Much tougher than paint. Therefore it is a lot less susceptible to scratches and chips and won't need to be touched up as often. It will scratch and chip but it takes a lot more of a beating than paint and typically the damage is far less than the same surface in paint.

This being said, it really depends on your goals. If I was at a point where I knew I wasn't going to make any more changes on my frame I'd absolutely powder coat it. I just don't think I'll ever get there. I still regret not getting my axle housings done when they were out. My front bumper is in powder and has stayed in great shape through one season of wheeling. I will definitely do my rear bumper in powder at some point too.

And as for keeping it off of bearing surfaces and threads - any decent powder coater knows how to do this. They have plugs and masking techniques to keep the powder off of were it shouldn't be.
 

cmatthews7

Jr. Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
92
Loc.
Lake Placid
I took a rig down to nothing and powdercoated the transfer case housing, transmission housing, axles (tubes), oil pan, intake manifold, everything that could be, was. First, it is a pain to completely rid that gear of oil/grease. When it gets to the oven, it would "weap" oil, requiring recleaning and reheating. That being said, it held up well in Florida mud and brush (no rocks here) and looked good. The powder coater will plug any holes necessary and use tape on any surface that you tell him.
 

SoCal68Bronco

Sr. Member
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
387
Loc.
San Diego, CA.
I'm also in the process of a frame off. I'm using Eastwoods extreme chassis black on the frame, diffs and other misc. parts.
I've painted my shackes with it and it seems pretty tough and looks great!
 

scotts77

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
945
Loc.
Marietta, GA
I've thought through different ways to tape it up but want to head off any headaches.

Anyone have any experience with this and any recommendations?

As a powder coater myself I highly recommend it ;D
You shouldn't worry much about the prep, an experienced coater will handle all that for you. I would recommend pointing out the specific areas you want to remain free of powder to the coater. He should handle the rest.
 
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rmcbama

rmcbama

Full Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
159
Loc.
Birmingham
Thanks

Great input. I live in Louisiana and will be in mud when off road which will be some what limited.

The pics of the powder coated frame is exactly the look I'm going for. This will be an all original truck including wheels.
 

Steve83

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
8,981
Loc.
Memphis, TN, USA, Earth, Milky Way
It doesn't matter if a machined surface gets powdered. A pass or 3 with a razor scraper or cup brush will bring it back down to bare metal. And it'll have the added protection of a little residual PC in the pits/pores. I wish I hadn't taped mine.

.
 
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rmcbama

rmcbama

Full Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
159
Loc.
Birmingham
Inside Frame

How or did anyone do anything to the inside? I was planning on just pressure washing the inside, maybe using some rust preventer, and then powder coating whatever you can see.
 

Bituman

Full Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
276
Loc.
Phoenix Mtn Preserve
How or did anyone do anything to the inside? I was planning on just pressure washing the inside, maybe using some rust preventer, and then powder coating whatever you can see.

My experience was that the powder coater did the inside of the frame too. When I asked them how they did that they told me something like "there are enough holes so that they can easily get the powder coating up in there." As far as I can peek inside the frame rails, it looks like they indeed got up in there.

One thing I forgot to mention is you ought to spend a few extra bucks and have the powder coater clean the frame via sandblasting. I spent hours with a wire wheel, solvent, etc. to get my frame clean and even then it wasn't clean enough to be powdercoated. I think the place I went charged something like 50 $/hr for prep and it took them all of 20 minutes with a sand blaster to do that.

Bob
 

cmatthews7

Jr. Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
92
Loc.
Lake Placid
Sounds like there is a professional powder man on here, but definetly sandblast the frame (if you are powdercoating) and then I would recommend using a polishing wheel(layered sandpaper disc) on a grinder to smooth out any visible imperfections and will take 45 minutes or so. I know this sounds stupid, but even my frame done in flat black there were obvious spots I missed with the polishing wheel that really stuck out. Also, my powder man dipped mine in some zinc something (rust preventative) and then managed to really load the inside of the frame up with powder. I was pleased with mine.
 

Bronco73

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
2,989
Loc.
Cape Coral, FL
What is every one paying for the PC of say the frame, a price on axle housings and any other parts you have had done.

I've emailed a PC coating place local to me and they do the sandblasting but I haven't gotten into pricing and whay all they will do or not do, There are other PC places local to me as well and I will touch base with all of them to see who offers the best deal and who does the best work.
 
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rmcbama

rmcbama

Full Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
159
Loc.
Birmingham
Cost

I have a quote of $400 to sandblast and powder coat the frame. I don't have specific cost on the smaller parts but they said it would be $5-10 for blast and coat. I've seen a couple of frames they've done and they appear to do good work. I'm trying to get everything torn down and to them next Friday.
 
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