Gremlin
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 02:45 PM |
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Crome it!
Is it expensive to get things like wishbones and roll bar cromed?
EZy GreMLiN
"The only way to get rid of temptation is too give in to it..!"
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ned
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 03:02 PM |
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I don't know about cost, but i've heard its not a good idea as you can't see cracks in welds/tubes under the chrome....
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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andyps
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 03:23 PM |
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I think you would see cracks - surely the chrome would crack too - it is generally very brittle.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 03:23 PM |
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Also the chrome can cause cracks... it's very brittle, so the chrome plating cracks. These cracks then propagate into the steel base.
You could look at cadmium plating as an alternative. It's softer than chrome, so doesn't start cracks. Not quite as shiny, but still
nice to look at - available in silver or 'greeny-goldy' colours.
Cheaper, too!
cheers,
David
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splitrivet
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 03:54 PM |
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If your chroming tube such as roll bars etc best to take the tube first to a metal polishers where they can run it thru a machine to polish it, then
have it bent/welded etc after that get it plated .Otherwise it'd have to be polished by hand which is dearer than the chroming.
Take it from me, read the book bought the tee shirt.
Bob
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James
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 04:09 PM |
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I was told it's banned under the 750MC regs because of it hiding cracks. Cadmium/Nickel(?) is ok though.
..so I've heard...!
Cheers,
James
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 05:50 PM |
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I asked for a quote for a windscreen surround being chromed.
It was 200 quid.
obscene
atb
Steve
BTW
I dunt know how good it is, but you can by 'chrome' paint. Search on line.
atb
steve
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Gremlin
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| posted on 26/6/03 at 09:32 PM |
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Humm maybe not then.
EZy GreMLiN
"The only way to get rid of temptation is too give in to it..!"
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Rorty
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| posted on 27/6/03 at 12:31 AM |
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There are ways and means to getting a top quality chrome job done, but it would be very expensive. The finish can be de-embrittled, but the biggest
problem is getting the copper/nickel/chrome to adhere to any concave surfaces.
Have you ever looked at the inside of an old chromed bumper? They're usually quite rusty, simply because of the current used in the chroming
process leaps from one high spot to another, thus by-passing all the nooks and crannies.
By very careful placement of the anodes (or is it diodes...always confuse them) in the concave areas, a passable finish can be achieved. Imagine the
problems in and around some of the MIG welds! The wishbones would be best TIGged or brazed for really smooth joints.
Worst of all though, the wishbones would probably still rust anyway, unless you keep them coated in something like WD40 or Innox.
Cadmium plating with or without the gold irridated finish will suffer the same problems as chroming, as it too, is an electrolitic process.
As I say, it can be done, but the platers would really have to know what they're doing, and the extra work involved in eliminating missed
concave areas would make it prohibitively expensive for a low volume application.
If you're aiming to avoid painting/powder coating the items, there are various non-electrolitic finishes available; some can be done at home,
and others must be carried out by professionals, due to either poisonous/explosive gasses emitted.
Whatever finish you choose, will be relatively short lived due to the environment the wishbones inhabit.
As long as you don't plan any further welding to your 'bones, powder coating is probably the best finish.
Areas such as the lower shock mounts, can easily be damaged when assembling the shocks etc. If you do damage the powder coating, give it a squirt of
WD40 straight away, otherwise rust will soon get under the rest of the finish.
The outer ends of the 'bones, where the trackrod end's jam nut will abutt, is best masked before the 'bones are coated, otherwise
the jam nut can squirm on the powder coating, resulting in a loosened TRE!
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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kingr
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| posted on 27/6/03 at 08:01 AM |
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One word of caution regarding cadmium coating - don't weld anything with it on, the fumes are toxic and can cause very serious kidney
problems/failure. Don't want to seem alarmist, but it's better that you all know before rather than after.
Kingr
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