I have some leafs and some coils that I want to use. I'd like to have them powdercoated, but the shop says they will have to blast them first. They claim its no problem and doesn't affect the springs, but I'm a little leary. Will sandblasting affect the temper at all? I've seen what it can do to sheetmetal if done incorrectly.
Simple sandblasting will not affect the tremper of the average spring. Shot blasting with heavy shot under high pressure MIGHT affect temper if it was exposed to direct blast for a prolonged period of time. Frank
It's a matter of heat vs. m***. Sheet metal heats up quickly enough to warp. By the time you put enough heat into a spring to hurt it, you'll be long done with the blasting. Beyond that, powder coating requires an hour or so at 375 to 400 degrees. Even that is not enough to hurt your springs. You may have noticed many aftermarket springs are powder coated, particularly coils.
I have bought spring that were powdercoated, too. I have heard chroming will make them brittle, though.
might want to make sure the leaf springs are dis***embled before blasting. yeah, I'd worry more about the heat from baking on the powdercoat than from sandblasting. btw, what's wrong with the special spring coating I use?
I think the BRITTLE part refers to "hydrogen embritlement." During the chrome plating process; HYDROGEN gets into the spring. (or anything else) This can cause the part(s) to fail. But if the chromed parts are baked in an oven for a short time after the chrome is applied; this "drives out" the HYDROGEN and reduces the chance of breakage.
I prefer the semi-gloss black. but that is my prefered brand. I've done a bunch. A real PITA...each leaf has six sides!!! It takes forever to do.
The shop is right. Won't affect them at all. I've had many set done and poweder smokes regular paint hands down.
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