What finish for a front beam!

[gninnam]

Chaps (and chappesses),
Got a beam last weekend from VolksHeaven (nice people and good prices) and managed to get it sandblasted
at work today.
Now looks like this (no pics of before!!):

Wondering how to treat it before it goes on the van?
What do the rest of the team recommend :?:

 

[Haveacamper]

havent fitted mine yet, but i would say powder coat it. no need to primer it

 

[Loxy]

Just weld in some adjusters, turn them right down then fit it 8)

 

[gninnam]

Just weld in some adjusters, turn them right down then fit it 8)

Useful as usual :lol:

Not going the lowered route (well, not yet anyway)! :wink:

 

[Haveacamper]

if my wheels dont fit after i upgrade to porsche brakes i may be selling my red beam lol

 

[rustydiver]

Replaiced mine a few months ago. Just gave mine a good clen a few coats of red oxide and loads of coats of black smooth hamerite on top.

 

[gninnam]

Thanks rusty!

Thinking of etch primer and hammerite or perhaps rustbullit or something similar!!!

Redoxide - is it to inhibit rust?

 

[Guest]

Wondering how to treat it before it goes on the van?
What do the rest of the team recommend :?:

Whack 2 inches of each side and fit new end plates, weld some adjusters in, and Bob's your mother's brother!

 

[easy]

A good powdercoat finish is always good, or just rustbullit the badboy 8)

 

[Loxy]

I painted mine with rust bullet & it didnt appear to stick that well - did a pretty good job at cleaning it up first as well. Will probably powder coat it at some point.

 

[strongy]

slightley of subject but can you only powder coat ot to bare metal?can you go over pannel sealent?

 

[giraffeinbath]

I stripped the paint of a lowered beam that I picked up a couple of months back, thought it looked kind of cool raw so I'm going to use clear POR 15 and keep it shiny, seems a shame to cover it in black splodge again when it looks so cool without paint.
When I swap it I may take the paint of the trailing arms and clear lacquer them as well......I really must get out more :roll:

 

[rustydiver]

Thanks rusty!

Redoxide - is it to inhibit rust?

The modern version of red lead paint. without the lead in it. I believe it helps to inhibit the rust. Was suggested by a mate so i slapped it on to offer more protection to the beam.

 

[kempy]

Just weld in some adjusters, turn them right down then fit it 8)

Useful as usual :lol:

Not going the lowered route (well, not yet anyway)! :wink:

If you are thinking of lowering at a later stage fit some adjusters now while it's off. ( you don't want to take off again once fitted )
If you want to keep stock height just don't turn them.

As for paint I'd go down the powder route. Black is a common colour for coaters and should cost no more than £40 which wouldn't be much more than you buying your own paint and doing & far better finish.

 

[gninnam]

Cheers for responses :wink:

Went for several treatments in the end.
Used the POR15 stuff I had left over, using the etching stuff first - so as to ruffen' up the good steel (read no
surface rust!!), then
went over with the black rust prevention stuff (only had enough for one coat) then topped off with around 4 coats
of the Hammerite Metal ready (the hammerd metal look).
Once on the van, will then douse it in waxoyl or something similar

Pics of the finished unit - hopefully going back on the van in the next few weeks

Cheers