Classic Alfa Forums

given the present restrictions and not being able to get to a blaster I’m going to dip my suspension components and spray with zinc rich undercoat and chassis paint which leaves me with the problem of getting off a mix of what looks like ancient powder coat and old paint on top. Over the counter paint stripper is proving as effective as water and I was going to take the blow torch to it (all non metal components removed) unless anyone has a better idea or highlights an issue with blow torches and suspension bits. Many thanks

Blow torch is probably your best bet . Paint striper is crap these days . Just don't get the component your working on to hot

If the parts are steel why not try caustic soda ......carefully.

So I’ve spent the time between coats of electrox in the engine bay (that’s 2 hours) cleaning off half the 50% of the finish that remains on one control arm. The really infuriating thing is where the old powder coat hasn’t failed the metal underneath is perfect - like it’s just out of the press shop.

I’ll tell you what though - for all their reputation for bad build - I’d take a sud over my MX5 NA any day. The engineering of the sud is really elegant compared to the Mazda - the sud is simpler and better for it and the quality of the fixtures and fittings is better in the sud too.

junior wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 7:04 pm If the parts are steel why not try caustic soda ......carefully.

Never used caustic soda before. I’ll probably stick with the heat for now although I’ll need some more butane.

Try a caustic soda dip......cheap and easy.
You will need a suitable "bath"

A rectangular washing up bowl may be too small for the suspension components.......something a bit bigger.....maybe a swing bin?

PS
Fasten a length of wire on to lift them out!

There are no "paint strippers" available over the counter that will strip a powder coat. The best we have in the UK is probably Langolds, way better than even the original nitromors of old, but still useless against a powder coat I'm afraid.

Across the pond, use "Aircraft Stripper", proper nasty stuff, on our banned import list due to its contents and our HSE so unavailable sadly, which is a big shame,

YouTube it, its impressive stuff that we could could certainly make use of.

I think, if I recall correctly, the activated ingredient required to manage powder coating, is a higher methanol content than regular paint strippers, but could be wrong, and as it's not commercially available anyway, kind of a mute point.

You could try a combination of heat first to open it up and soften it, then Langolds to lift it?

Might be worth a try if you've got a bit to do?

And the method that worked was heat with a wire brush moving vigorously directly behind it. I reckon there is a whole 7 seconds work time before it starts to smear and then goes like glass. Ideally this is a job for two as you can use the torch to blow the powder off too but I can only call upon the kids and at 8 and 11 I don’t trust them with the kettle let alone a blow torch near my arms. To be fair I only had a limited amount of caustic soda an mr muscle in the house.