BarneyZ

I'm considering chrome plating my rear sway bar but am concerned that flexing might cause the plating to crack and flake off. Obviously I don't know much about plating. What do you think?

Thanks!

Barney

glennhl

If you do chrome plate, make sure you get the bake done right after plate to eliminate hydrogen embrittlement or your 1 piece sway bar will become 2 pieces. I think the chrome might have a tendency to crack.

Gotcha

I had the rear bar on my C5 chromed by a local plating company. No problems at all and It looked good.

0JoshS

Instead of the chrome plating you should consider zinc plating. It is much less prone to flaking. Normal zinc plating doesn't quite have the luster that chrome does but you can do a acid zinc plating that is very good. The biggest thing you can do to ensure a good part turn out is to polish the bar prior to zinc plating.

BarneyZ

Thanks for your input! Any more thoughts out there?

Barney

Racer86

On most road racing cars, we use nickel plating. much safer on high stress suspension parts ,as you don't have to worry about Hydrogen imbrittelment with the chrome process, and the possibility of causing cracks

davekp78

Springs on many motorcycles are chrome plated, and hold up OK.

saplumr

I don't see the problem.

glennhl

Good point! Guess you don't need to worry about the chrome cracking. However, again, be sure to have the sway bar baked at temperature to drive off the Hydrogen after plating. If not, there is a chance the sway bar will break due to hydrogen embrittlement.

Red86Cfour

Bright nickel plating is also subject to hydrogen embrittlement. I use it on all my race car suspension pieces.

ground zero

How about powdercoated???

1fastLT

How about Jet-hot coating... they have the new silver luster (or what ever it's called) and it looks great...

Invisiguard

lol, you know your on a corvette forum when people want to chrome-plate their swaybars.