Replating Galvanised roof racks

[UpTheCreek]

I have a full roof length galvanised steel rack on my Series 3 stage 1. Has a BrownChurch of London badge on it. It's pretty dulled and has stains and paint all over it, some minor isolated rust.
Does anyone know whether it can be succesfully etch primed and powder coated, or is re-galvanising the only option. In either case, any recommended platers/coaters in Vancouver or Sunshine Coast, or is it not worth the cost?
Thanks

[DaveB]

Galvanizing is cheap. In fact, it's quite likely that your entire roof rack won't add up to the minimum charge. Last time I got some done, it was a front and rear heavy duty bumper, four rock sliders, and lots of smaller bits and pieces and the total was $327 including tax.

So when you're getting ready, post your intentions and you'll have a number of others that will be happy to add their items to your order which will spread your costs. I for one have a bumper needing a dip at the moment...

Silver City on Annacis Island seems to be the most popular galvanizers for our club members.

cheers, Dave

[Bill E.]

Hey Dave,
You know that I'm all about the galvanizing but I think Martin is asking if powder coating over the galvanizing is an option, didn't you try this with bad results?
Bill

[DaveB]

Yes, rereading there is a question in there about powdercoating and etch primer...

My experience is I purchased a gallon of special industrial etch primer for treatment of galvanized surfaces before painting. Bill is correct, it was a bad experience. The etch primer didn't stick well to the galvanized surface, and the final paint stuck even less to the etch primer. And now it is all slowly flaking off to the shiney galvanized surface -- which I should have left alone in the first place.

As far as powder coating OVER etch primer, I don't know if or how well that will work. On my project, the bumpers of my D2, the whole reason for starting down the road of galvanizing the bumpers was to deal with an inferior powder coating job in the first place. Hindsight being 20/20, I would next time simply galvanize and leave it as a galvanized finish.

Dave

[UpTheCreek]

Thanks Dave and Bill,

I'll try Silver City for a price, and will post a notice if I need to fill a certain space. Sounds more reliable than the powder coat on etch primer option.

[TDLightweight]

I have a few pieces that I could put in with your rack and reduce your price with. If I remember correctly Silver city charges a $1 per pound and the minimum charge is $100.00

I would like to get my military roll bar done as well as some other bits. My truck is in the Horseshoe Bay area.

Brodie

[unimogfever]

Use por15 "metal-ready" first, then por15. that's what I'm planning to do on some of my galvanized parts. will see if it works.

http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/metalreadyreg.pdf

[red90]

Use por15 "metal-ready" first, then por15. that's what I'm planning to do on some of my galvanized parts. will see if it works.

http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/metalreadyreg.pdf

Metal ready is phosphoric acid and Zinc phosphate. It is good for neutralizing the rust. It is not really a strong etching primer.

I would not hold out a lot of hope. It is very hard to get POR-15 to stay stuck to anything. It is very hard to get anything to stay stuck to galvanizing.