Galv. Rear Crossmember Installed!

Well folks, I made the jump and joined the ranks of the galvanized with my new, freshly forged/cast rear crossmember!

Took the mechy a while, but I think he did a good job of it.

Some issues:

The galv. process saw that there were no threads for the towing array to be mounted onto (the part were the bolts go up into a captive bolt). He had to tap new threads.

The sender pipe off the fuel tank was partly blocked by the new crossmember. Mechy had to make some adjustments to make it fit ok (took some minor bending at the fuel tank pipe area).
The old crossmember failed the MOT (which I was expecting anyway) so I timed it just right in getting the new one to him. That being said, only the 'bumper' section was the fail, the rest was in excellent condition for its age. The Mechy was tempted to keep more of it and cut the galv. crossmember to weld a smaller unit on that way. In the end though the entire lot was used. (It would have meant the wiring loom would have been messed about with a lot has a shorter section been applied.)

So happy days, one less thing to worry about, not sure whether to paint it, you have to sand the galv. down to 'key' the etch primer onto it which I was surprised at. The natural look isn't too bad, I might keep it like that.

How about you folks? Any similar tales with fitting your replacement crossmembers?

BuzzLand said:

freshly forged/cast rear crossmember!

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?? what??

Cheers

neilly said:

?? what??

Cheers

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I was being a bit quirky. Not sure if they are cast or forged, probably the former I expect.

won't the steel plate be rolled for a large casting and then welded up?

I left mine natural, looks good, goes more grey with time.
Just normal welded plate and then galvanised.

Etch primer and respray black would be my suggestion

A crossmember won't be cast!! That would be insanely heavy and not very strong!
Is having it galvanised a good idea? Assuming the rest isn't, won't that encourage rot in the rest?
Welding galv is great fun! I hope suitable precautions were taken

Run it as is for the winter and by next summer it will be dull and easier to paint, of course certain people may assume its got a full galv chassis and nick it!

I just slapped some cheap red primer and cheap chassis black on top, 3 odd years later it is still looking okay.

Thanks for this, mine is rotting at the 'tips' and will be getting the am a treatment soon. I'll be painting mine, the front bumper is black after all..
Where'd you get the cross member from?
Cheers

You don’t “sand” Galv to key it !!!
Use an etch fluid before prime and paint. Or etch primer.

meego said:

You don’t “sand” Galv to key it !!!
Use an etch fluid before prime and paint. Or etch primer.

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That's what I said, but according to mechanical man it is a better job if it's done this way, then the etch primer, then a normal primer then the base coats. Hmmmm.

kermit_rr said:

Is having it galvanised a good idea? Assuming the rest isn't, won't that encourage rot in the rest?

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I've no idea why there would be any 'encouragement' of rot by having galv. As long as the welding and prep work is good, the rot will be eliminated and it's good as gold.

Turktowner said:

Thanks for this, mine is rotting at the 'tips' and will be getting the am a treatment soon. I'll be painting mine, the front bumper is black after all..
Where'd you get the cross member from?
Cheers

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Oliver Turner from InsideOut4x4.

BuzzLand said:

That's what I said, but according to mechanical man it is a better job if it's done this way, then the etch primer, then a normal primer then the base coats. Hmmmm.

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Etching is an industry standard application prior to painting galvanised surfaces. I have never heard of sanding a galv coating. I’ll stick my neck out here and say your guys advice is wrong.

meego said:

Etching is an industry standard application prior to painting galvanised surfaces. I have never heard of sanding a galv coating. I’ll stick my neck out here and say your guys advice is wrong.

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And if you want old school, you t-wash, and then zinc prime rather than etch.

dag019 said:

And if you want old school, you t-wash, and then zinc prime rather than etch.

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Yep. I used to make and fit miles of bow top fencing when I was a Blacksmith for the council. The painters got paid their bonus per coat, including the t-wash. The t-wash was claimed but was never done as who would know it wasn’t ?
You knew a wee while later when all the top coat fell off

BuzzLand said:

I've no idea why there would be any 'encouragement' of rot by having galv. As long as the welding and prep work is good, the rot will be eliminated and it's good as gold.

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I would hazard a guess the man is thinking of sacrificial zinc anodes on boats.