Thread: Galvanising a Tdi bulkead

Furphys at Shepparton do galvanising. Cost is based largely on weight of what comes out. I have had some jobs done there recently. Largely Wolf rims. Better than painting them. A fair bit of work getting existing paint off with paint stripper. Caustic and acid baths prior to galvanising can take off a bit of paint esp blue primer on new steel and surface rust but sometimes other cleaning such as sandblasting is desirable.


Having noticed ads from places in UK selling galvanised Land Rover chassis, asked bloke at Furphys galvanisers if they would do such a thing. Answer was basically no. Common problem with thin flat section is distortion of steel at temperature hot enough for zinc to be liquid. With some jobs, a bit of distortion is acceptable. There are ways it can be reduced, eg by adding braces, stays, etc which are cut off later. Also with some variations of techniques for items prone to distortion.


You may be aware that any enclosed hollow sections need holes drilled in them (eg quarter inch) to allow pickle to run in - and drain out when item is lifted out of "kettle". Some items may also need some additional holes
to put wire to hang them from through. Also, for some applications filing, grinding or sanding is desirable after galvanising to tidy up rough spots. Also, of interest. I tried getting some wheel nuts galvanised. Note thickness of zinc makes them a tighter fit in spanner socket. To keep gal out of threads, filling with silastic a couple of days before - allowing it to set proved satisfactory.


Probably you should talk to experienced galvanisers at Furphys . Maybe take bulkhead along for them to look at before you spend time and money cleaning and repairing it. From where you are located, most likely much more easily arranged than dealing with a galvaniser in Melbourne.

Galvanising costs between $1-2 per kg galvanised weight. So 50-100 for a bulkhead. You need to get it sandblasted and repaired first though - the galvanisers don't do that.

You may have better luck than me, but I've found all the galvanisers in Melbourne won't do my series 3 firewall. There is a galvaniser up Corowa way that will, and has done for a member here recently with good results. I'll probably take mine up there as they are helpful and know what they are doing with them.

I tried years ago to find someone to galvanise a 2A bulkhead, but none would guarantee it wouldn't warp. They said the same with the chassis.

Jeff

Originally Posted by Jeff

I tried years ago to find someone to galvanise a 2A bulkhead, but none would guarantee it wouldn't warp. They said the same with the chassis.

Jeff

No galvaniser will guarantee any part won't warp...

I hope the shooting emoticon is referring to yourself?

heat = normalizing steel = movement

is always going to cause some issues.

it is relatively easy to bring a firewall back in to shape if it moves, once you start bolting it up

a defender firewall is way thinner in places than a 2a firewall in my experience. i have done rust repairs to a few and some spots are as thin as a coke can.

don't forget you really need to enlarge holes and openings by .5mm as well if you want things to fit after being dipped, as well.

I have a spare bulkhead that I plan to put through with my next lot of galvanising. Before doing so, I'll get a length of inch square tube and bolt it through the chassis mount holes so that it doesn't warp along that length; I'll also have to weld some tabs onto another length of tube to hold the top fast too. There's also the ribs on the engine side of the footwells - they'll need some holes drilled in them - and captive nuts for the brackets that hold the front door stays; I'll put sacrificial bolts into them so that they are only just protruding out the other side of the thread. I can understand the attraction of a gal bulkhead and I'm pretty happy galvanising most things, but if I only had one I wouldn't risk it.

I go to Galvatech in Padstow (who did all of the Perentie chassis for the trivia nuts). I can't imagine them ever turning a job back, but if it warps it's your own stupid fault for giving it to them in the first place; which is an arrangement I'm perfectly fine with.

Originally Posted by Dervish

... There's also the ribs on the engine side of the footwells - they'll need some holes drilled in them -

No they don't. I didn't do that on any of the firewalls I have galvanised.

Originally Posted by Dervish

...
I'll put sacrificial bolts into them so that they are only just protruding out the other side of the thread.

Don't do that - others have done that and regretted it - have a search on here.