Well today I picked up all my plate steel for my arms front and rear. As I was leaving the manager came out and was talking to me about the aplication for the arms. When I told him he looked at the arms and said to make sure I dont burn off the powdercoating that is on there. He proceded to tell me that it will weaken the welded areas and also the tubing.

Now I had gone through this about 2 months ago when a powder coat company burned off the old powder from my aluminum work. Yes I know there is a big differance between the aluminum and the steel in my suspention. however after having to have all new sheet metal made for my car, I dont want to run into problems with the front and rear arms later. He was telling me most of the racers he deals with that run trophy trucks and dessert cars dont powdercoat anything to ensure maximum strength. I thought it was for simplicity when shiat breaks and getting it welded back fast...

does anyone know if there is truth to the temps used in powdercoating or burning it off that it might weaken the tubing or welds. I did not think it was a big deal since the temp only gets up to about 500 degrees

B.S.

most racers dont powder coat there chassis or arms because it is easyer to check for cracks

^^true. my roommates family doesnt powder their top alcohol funny car chassis for the same reason.

doesnt it add a few pounds to a car also??

I am not worried about the weight just dont want to weaken the suspention at all.

I don't have an answer for you but Gordon gets all of his TT's and sand cars powdered at Embee. As long as they have a way of passing inspection, they can powdercoat the cars.

Well he may drive a little more agressive then me, not to mention mine is not set up for the desert at all, I am thinking they will be just fine, however i am thinking of just stripping them with chemicals instead of taking the chance with the higher heat to burth the powder coating off...then I can have them re-coated

I may be wrong but some people do heat/strees relief on chassis and or components after welding to make them stronger. Wether or not this is necessary is irrelivent but the fact that when it's done the temp is around 1200 degrees, (doing so has a positive effect on metal), I don't see how 500 degrees for powder coat will effect it, besides,..everyone powdercoats there sh*t,..well, not everyone, but majority of the cars you see for fun over race purposes are powdercoat or chrome. From what i've been told, chrome is the coating that will negatively effect suspension and drive components......

Yea I know about crome and what people say. although i have never had any probs with it weakening the parts i have had cromed, however they have all been MC (harley) parts, alot less abuse on a HD but a whole lotta

It looks good and all that but here in the Central Valley of Ca. I still go to the ocean for the dunes there in the off season, and the salty air and sand makes for a long clean up time afterword and you still get some rust.

You should be fine.

I could be wrong, but I believe that 500 degrees is enough to screw up heat treated (Hardened) chrome molly steel. I think it will make it softer. If it's just mild steel, I wouldn't worry about it at all. 500 degrees may also have an effect on heat treated aluminum as well.

Look at it this way, Rust will have a greater effect on strength than Powder Coating will.

I say run it.

Cut through all the crap. Call a heat treater and ask him specifically your question.

500 deg is enough heat to affect the part, but, it depends on the time it's at that temp. I believe that it's infrared heat and really doens't "bake" at that temp for hours. And also how he hangs or supports the part.

Carl

500deg is not enough heat to hurt the metal unless you soak it for a long time and then stick it in water. Cant find anything in my metals books.

Years of actual experience...coat it, run it and have fun.

WELL THANKS TO ALL WITH YOUR INPUT. TO THE HEAT IT IS...