I had the same thoughts on the surface prep and took a reasonably extreme route to fix it before fitment :
But for anyone wondering about there Steeda kit, note my comments at the top of the next post when questioned on my actions from a user who lives in a nicer environment (than the U.K.) :I have already posted these pictures elsewhere, but they might as well go in here to add to the cars story
Time to work on the Steeda stuffAs supplied, appears to be very little surface prep prior to coating :
Confirmed after a chemical strip :
Some nice fabrication work though :
Straight from the chemical bath :
After dressing / blunting all the sharp edges / removing weld spatter / smoothing some of the welds etc :
Standard - a nice rust starter, even with good coating :
After some brazing (done in the front room ...) :
Dressed up :
Coated in RAL3020 (traffic red). I used 3020 as it’s a proper red, I have used it before on other auto projects and as I know the reference, I can easily match it in future :
WD
WDI wouldn't let my shenanigans put you off
A) I think you live in a warmer more salt free environment that I do.
B) I doubt it, but even if the coating on the set you got was worse than mine, a quick spray with Waxoyl or even something similar to the black crap that ford throw on the underside of the euro's would protect them.
C) Even if they start to corrode, they are made from reasonably thick wall tubing so it would take a long time and a lot of corrosion to start to effect them structurally.
D) If you wanted to do a future refurb / colour code them / bling them up a bit, just take them to your local alloy wheel refurbishment place (which is who did the stripping and coating for me).
You also need to consider that I was kind of hoping my coating wasn't great so I had the excuse to change the colour and I also have the mindset that if I am bothering doing a job, I will do it to the best of my ability - hence the additional dressing up work and brazing etc.
Mine are finished now, ready to be put back in their box until I fit them (they are last on the list of the suspension jobs).
I put some Waxoyl in the tubes before refitting the caps and flatted back the lining on the boss where it clamps so it doesn't crack the edges when torqued up.
Thick gauge large diameter stainless washers on order for all the mounting locations.
I took the opportunity to put them up against the lime and it's fair to say the red really pop's (@Justin also mentioned this with his red bits)
If viewed at the same angle / in the same light, the red is very similar to the red on the 5.0 dot (which is a little more red than the orangey red of the Brembo print on the front callipers).
The iPhone was kind to me and allowed me to capture the colour accurately (unlike what it does to the lime ...lol), naturel light / no direct sun :
Naturel light / with some direct sun :
WD
