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very, very seriously thinking about galvanizing my MJ...


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Comanche forever?

So I found out that one of my customers can hook me up with galvanizing services, I really want to ask him if he'd be able to do something as big as my cab/frame. But before I bother him I thought I'd ask around here to get some opinions. I know it would have to be stripped down to nothing, be pretty much free of dirt/rust/paint, and I'd have to be pretty well done with any welding to the chasis.

I can't see why this wouldn't be a great investment, as the truck is virtually rust free right now. What better way to preserve it?!

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I think it's a great idea but make sure whatever paint you're going to use will stick to zinc.

 

Also, the real troublesome locations are where you can't get to - inside the frame rails, between two pieces of spot welded metal, etc. The only way really to do a good job galvanizing those sections would be to hot-dip the whole truck as soon as it's welded together, as soon as any rust forms in those areas, it's all downhill...

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I myself think youll be throwing money out the window, for the cost and amount of work it will take to get it right... I don't think it'll be worth it. If its rust free already, then I don't see that you have a problem. And theres NO way, youll be able to get EVERYTHING as clean as it needs to be for this to work right... I'm talking inside of frame rails, innaccesible areas. Even if you have the whole thing sandblasted, youll never get all the sand out either which would screw up the galvanizing process too. And painting it.... Thats a whole other story. You be better off just doing time tested things to keep rust away. I'm not sure if your area uses much if any salt, but if they don't, You really don't need to go through all the trouble.

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This kind of thing is done in professional car restoration.

 

If you aren't going to get the unibody acid dipped first then don't bother.

 

Be aware that there are special procedures that should be followed when welding galvanized steel.

 

There is a order of operations also: do the acid dip, do whatever welding processes you need (repairs, unibody stiffeners, etc) then do the galvanizing.

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Thanks for the replies! To the questions as to weather I could get things clean enough, I think the acid dip is dessigned to take care of any residual rust/grease, and it sounds like this is a standard pre-dip step when galvanizing anything. I'd obviously need to get as much as possible off with sandblasting or whatever.

 

There is a order of operations also: do the acid dip, do whatever welding processes you need (repairs, unibody stiffeners, etc) then do the galvanizing.

I didn't realize this. Why exactly is this true? I was considering sandblasting, welding, acid dip, then galvanize... explain.

 

My real concern revolves around the cab being able to take the heat of the process and not warp or anything weird like that.

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Why exactly is this true? I was considering sandblasting, welding, acid dip, then galvanize... explain.

 

 

Do what needs doing to strip the metal and get it ready for welding. Do your welding. Once everything is done then galvanize.

 

You don't want to have to weld on freshly galvanized metal.

 

If you acid dip you don't need to do any sandblasting. The acid dip strips all paint, caulking, etc.

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thats funny cuz i was getting my nerf bars galvanized, then i decided to go with powdercoating.

i used to work with the galvi paint and it is good and bad.

i don't reccomend getting your whole truck done...it would cost more than 5 mjs! :nuts:

 

and i don't think that cj in the above pic is galvanized...i think its chromed out....it must be a thugs dd! :rotf:

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sounds like I need to call this guy and get some details about the process and what he is capable of in general. And it sounds like an acid dip would clear any and all surfaces of pretty much anything.

I'm wanting to do box tube rockers along with frame plating, tube fenders, and custom bumpers before all this happens, so I'll be done with all major welding prior to this, because I know how toxic welding galvanized metal can be.

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