When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello everybody!
I'm pulling the drive and half shafts for a u-joint replacement, as well as the differential. While I have the out, I thought I would clean them up and paint or powder coat them. The car is a driver, so while I wouldn't object to pretty, the main reason is to protect them from rust. So on to the questions...
Paint or powder coat or something else?
If I'm going to paint them, is it best to do them with the u-joints out, or with them in along with the flange?
If its out, do I just use tape to protect the area where the u-joints are installed?
Is it (paint or powder) going to affect the shafts balance?
The differential
How do I protect the moving areas (where the various axles join the diff body)? I'm not going to disassemble it. I don't have the confidence I would get it back together the right way.
If I get it powder coated would the heat hurt the internals?
Is there anything else I should know? If it wasn't obvious this is my first time doing anything like this.
FYI....Include all your questions in the first thread you started.
It will be easier for you and us to keep track of your situation and provide accurate advice.
Take pics of the specific area you are working on......
MAINLY BEFORE YOU DISASSEMBLE SOMETHING/WHILE YOU ARE DISASSEMBLING/AND PICS OF PARTS LAID OUT/TAKE NOTES-REMINDERS ALSO.
The above pics will help you reassemble components correctly.
Since I am a rookie I cannot advise you, but experienced members will be along this afternoon to give advice on powdercoating Do's and Don'ts.
FYI....Include all your questions in the first thread you started.
It will be easier for you and us to keep track of your situation and provide accurate advice.
Take pics of the specific area you are working on......
MAINLY BEFORE YOU DISASSEMBLE SOMETHING/WHILE YOU ARE DISASSEMBLING/AND PICS OF PARTS LAID OUT/TAKE NOTES-REMINDERS ALSO.
The above pics will help you reassemble components correctly.
Since I am a rookie I cannot advise you, but experienced members will be along this afternoon to give advice on powdercoating Do's and Don'ts.
Thanks. I thought the questions might get some answers if they weren't buried, hence the second thread.
Powder coat loves a sand blasted surface. So does primer and paint. I would remove the u-joints in either case. A good powder coater won't coat a assembled half shaft.
Powder or paint won't affect balance.
If you chose powder the areas where the u-joints press into needs to be taped with high temp tape.
You can't powder coat an assembly. You can paint it.
Powder is going to be a lot more expensive. Our powder coat shop has a minimum charge and it goes up from there.
I would go with Eastwood chassis paint.
I went the powder coat route. Silver. And I’m very happy with it. But as was said, all internals have to be removed for powder coat. So that’s a lot more work than just replacing the u joints. So unless you plan on gutting the differential, then a coat of paint will have to do. In my case, I had the whole thing rebuilt. New bearings, new bushings, new seals, new shims new universals…. All new. Cost $1500 all in. But I essentially have a new differential and half shafts now. And they will never rust again.
Since you have the diff out, and that is a hard part to remove, I would inspect the seals for leaks and the half-shaft stubs for movement in/out. Depending on mileage and the answer to the two inspections above, it may be the time to rebuild it.
But beware this is only the beginning of the "while I am in there" disease!
I don't have a sand blaster unfortunately, and I don't think that one is in the budget. I'm probably going to go with paint then, at least for the differential. I'll check out Eastwood, I've heard good things...
Originally Posted by vette68
I went the powder coat route...
I actually bought a new differential already, so I will likely go the paint route. For the old one I will probably just clean it up as try and sell it.
Originally Posted by Mr D.
I use Seymour Cast Blast for anything that is cast iron.
I'll check it out, thanks!
Originally Posted by leigh1322
Since you have the diff out...
I think I've already succumbed to the disease. I had vague plans of putting a high HP motor in the car "eventually". When my rear end started making noise and the damn car wants to walk out of the lane all the time I started investigating trailing arm options, and with that more HP goal, then it went from rebuild to upgrade. So then the u-joint failed, and since I was rebuilding that, here came the new diff for "more HP". I don't think my wife would have let me buy the car if she knew about the disease progression.
Thank you for the answers everyone! As a newb I appreciate all of the advice.
Drive/Half Shaft and Diff protection question
