Would you paint your Galv'd chassis? If so how?

[Drizz]

My chassis comes back from the Galvers on Wednesday and im undecided on whether to paint it or not?

If youd had youres done would you paint it or leave it for all to see?

Also what prep does it need to be able to paint it? I hear you cant just paint over Galv?

Thanks in advance....

[rtbarton]

I'd paint mine to make it less attractive to theives.

You need to etch prime galv before painting. B&Q do a primer suitable for galvanised steel.

[garymorris]

Drizz ,

I don't think I'd bother painting the whole chassis but would paint the rear crossmember to make it less desirable to thieves

To paint on galv you can use mordant solution also known as T wash , you apply it with a brush ,wait till galv turns black (few minutes) then wash off with water and then paint

Cheers

Gary

[mike4444244]

I painted mine because of the above and because I think it looks better black, as above you need to etch prime first

[Retroanaconda]

Ask the galv people what they recommend, but I think the general way about it is Mordant > Etch Primer > Topcoat(s).

[TravelTed]

I would paint mine as the galvanizing is a sacrificial coating, the paint will give an extra coat of protection as well. thinking of doing a 110 chassis upward build next year.

[Daan]

Dont think you need, look at the barriers down the motorway, they never rust. If the stealing thing bothers you, then maybe. However, it makes the car more specific, so in a way less attractive to thieves.

Daan

[CwazyWabbit]

My guess is if they are stealing it for parts the chassis is one bit they don't want anyway

[dailysleaze]

I would paint mine as the galvanizing is a sacrificial coating, the paint will give an extra coat of protection as well. thinking of doing a 110 chassis upward build next year.

I'd do it for this reason alone. The attractiveness to thieves is another, plus black looks better than silver for a chassis I think.

Does anyone know how the chassis is painted in the factory? This is a photo from a 2010 vehicle I saw at Billing. It's not gloss, but it's not matt.... Satin? Powder coated?

[tacr2man]

I have just rebuilt a 90 galv chassis and bulkhead, and various brackets, didnt paint anything, not needed with galv , did a galv chassis on an 88 back in 79 thats still running about good as gold . If you paint that can hide corrosion under the paint . As for thieves I think other factors are bigger JMHO

[UdderlyOffroad]

I've painted mine purely for the less-attractive-to-thieves reasons, not for any form of protection. And this was mainly because it's sat on my drive being built, as opposed to locked in a shed. If I had the luxury of being able to accommodate the chassis undercover, the only thing to be treated to paint would've been the rear x-member!

Galvanising may be a sacrificial coating, but it should nevertheless last the lifetime of the truck.

I used 'Hammerite Direct to Galvanized' paint - does exactly what it says on the tin, sticks like s*** to a blanket. Treat your brushes as sacrificial...

My guess is if they are stealing it for parts the chassis is one bit they don't want anyway

True, but have you seen the price of scrap? And how easy is it is to 'delete' the chassis number from a chassis?

[G4FUJ]

I'll have to buy a tin of that Hammerite when my 90 comes home from the rebuild...

Cheers,

[CwazyWabbit]

.......

True, but have you seen the price of scrap? And how easy is it is to 'delete' the chassis number from a chassis?

Good point but whether it were galvanised or not they'd get that money, also a ground off chassis number on a galv'd chassis would be far harder to disguise if you were trying to sell the vehicle on.

[tacr2man]

There is nothing to say how many times and places you can stamp the VIN

[CwazyWabbit]

There is nothing to say how many times and places you can stamp the VIN

Very good point and something I might do actually, a nice cheap security measure

[garymorris]

Galvanising may be a sacrificial coating, but it should nevertheless last the lifetime of the truck.

That's it , you'll get 70 microns minimum at the galvanizers and it decays at about 1 micron a year ,obviously not if you live at the coast and back your truck in to the sea everyday to launch your yacht

[rtbarton]

It might be worthwhile blasting some waxoyl &c inside the box section, as you don't know how good the galvanising is where you can't see it. Especially on an old chassis that's be galvanised.

[Diablo]

Richards told me that the mordant way is the best, though someone else told me that he's been using this stuff for a decade without trouble, so I'm tempted to use it:

http://www.rourkes.co.uk/cgi-bin/shop/shop.cgi?&c=paint.htm

[jules]

As said above I use T wash for painting ontop of galve steelwork on buildings to hide the grabe grayness it goes.I'm not a fan of the galve look on the cross member it should be black nothing to do with rust prevention or thives other then they know it will be very quick and easy to strip, but it looks old IMHO