Why Don't Armor Fabricators Offer Hot-Dipped Galvanizing?

Pretty much all fabricators of armor offer powder coat. Powder coat looks good until you scuff it, and then the steel oxidizes. It is my understanding that a galvanized coating on steel is much more durable, and will re-heal to some extent for light scuffs. It can be painted as well for aesthetics, although the paint might scuff off a bit easier than powder coat. So why isn't galvanizing an option from fabricators?

I am picking up uncoated sliders in a few weeks and am thinking of dropping them off at a hot-dip galvanizing shop on the way home. Any reason not to?

 

My experience is architectural rather than vehicle finishes, but in my experience it is less durable than powder coat. The other issue is that the dipping process is hard with large pieces. The advantage to hot dip is that it is better for general weather resistance, but is typically used in areas where wear as not common.

 

Zinc metallizing http://www.zincnation.com/itWorks.html

This is who I’m using to do my sliders. http://www.flamespray.us/our-work/

 

Same here mine are getting galvanized right now. It's big in the Land Rover community

 

Dipping process is NOT hard for larger items if you take it to the right place.

I used to drop off 30ft pieces.

 

Hot dip galvanizing is just a thicker zinc coating that is dipped into molten zinc vs electroplating. Problem is it is very hard to paint after. You need special primers or else paint doesn’t stick.

Since the zinc (galvanize) is a sacrificial coating when you do damage any paint applied you allow the zinc to oxidize and then the paint and primer will flake off.

 

Exactly this place had a tonnage minimum lol. But they charged me $200 with a prep, dip and clean up. Don't have them back yet

 

Hot dip galv will make them last forever. Bolt holes will get smaller after coating, though, so make a note of that. You also can't weld anything to galvanizing.

 

I have weld on sliders, I'll be grinding the ends off so I can weld the frame plates on. Will post pics in a few weeks.

 

The point of armor on a truck is to use it and that normally means damage to the coating. If you damage a small area of the galvanizing it can lead to pealing rust ext and it's a lot harder to touch up. On things like sliders you need to have drain and vent holes in the tube to allow the liquid to drain out of the tube and hot gas to escape. If the tube lacks the proper holes the air trapped in will expand and possibly cause a failure in the tube. I wouldn't use it on my truck.

Just my .02 as a structural steel detailer who works a lot with galvanized steel.

 

Thanks for the replies. Looking into painting it, it appears you can prep it to take paint, but I could see over time once the paint is breached and the zinc in the vicinty starts oxidizing, that the paint might flake.

If you dont paint and leave it raw, that might make more sense. This photo of sliders on a defender doesn't look bad. https://binged.it/2Snkp1C Zinc might go fairly well with the Cement paint color on my truck.

I am worried about the build up around holes, especially if there are small drain holes, but I wouldn't think sliders would have small drain holes. Might need to give RCI a call to see what the tolerances are on holes in the sliders.

 

I opted for primer galv, and from my understanding they hang the product being dipped in the zinc. I did in deed drill holes before sending them out. Have provided the link to where mine are being done. They offer a variety of options, but ill be USING these and wanted to keep that at bay for as long as possible.

http://www.duncangalvanizing.com/primergalv

 

Why not coat them with bed liner ???

 

That stuff peels off like dead skin

 

What about hi temp ceramic coating like what they use on headers and exhaust???

 

This is the second post mentioning "high temperatures". What are you guys driving through that is causing "hot gasses" to eminate from rock sliders? What am I missing?

 

My reference to temperature is to the galvanizing process and not the sliders in use.

 

On my Drag Race car i use it on the top of the pistons and skirts also on the headers !!!! . Also my Tacoma I have a Hi temp Alumna coated header . Had all this done from Jet Hot coatings

 

I see. I thought people were driving around in volcanos.

 

My Tri Y shorty header for my 3RZ 4cyl from Doug's Headers . Has a high temp ceramic coating inside and out from Jet hot coatings

This header has been on my truck for 2 years and 10k miles and still looks brand new !!!