Worth saving? - Suspension arms...
 

Hi all, a year or 2 back I bought a rear subframe complete with upper and lower suspension arms. I'd intended on cleaning up the subframe to swap at some point but never got round to it. Finally yesterday I had a few minutes spare so removed the arms and gave one of them a bit of a clean up. They still seem solid to me, no holes and cleaned up not too bad for with only 5 mins with a wire brush on a drill.
So is it worth the effort to clean them both up and repaint them? If so, what's the best treatment for any remaining rust I can't reach, and then best paint to use before coating them in waxoyl or similar?

Also the lower arms seem in good condition, except the rubber in the bush at the end, is this bush replaceable?

https://i.imgur.com/lhPms2Fl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IOD4Qxzl.jpg

Why not ?
They cost £80 + each new.

Get them shot blasted and painted ;)

Brian :D

That was sort of my thinking, but I don't know how much refurbishing them would cost.

after shot blasting what paint finish would you use? I'm sure I read somewhere that powder coating isn't the best for these.

Also is there a way to tell if they are original MGR arms or not? I only actually bought the subframe, but when I went to collect he'd left the arms on it. No idea of the age of the car it came off, but it had 2 rear broken springs, as the ends are still stuck in the arms.

They're in a lot better condition that the ones on mine! I'd keep them, a local place could probably grit blast them for you (once everything opens again...)

You've got a couple of choices, powder coating is reasonably hard wearing or you could paint them in a heavy duty stone chip like u-pol raptor paint but you may struggle to get inside.

I'd get them blasted first then you can asses the condition

Shot blast, treat with kurust then give them a few coats of red oxide primer before a couple of top coats of paint.

They should last a while if treated like that.

Give them a good poke with a screw driver to make sure you do not poke through the metal. If you do not poke through then as others have said, shot blast and paint.
I use por 15 to paint but it is expensive. I am not sure if the bush at the end of the arm could take the heat needed for powder coating.

I have my arms off and they are in better condition but starting to rust. I will be shot blasting and painting.

I don't think the bush is replaceable

macafee2

Powder coating is not the way forward with these, shot blast, then Kurust followed by a couple of coats of Bonda primer, finally two to three coats of chassis black, not forgetting the insides.

Before fitting, make sure they are liberally dosed inside with cavity wax.

I shaped some washers to prevent bush damage, subsequent arms didn't get the same treatment.

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/a...1&d=1587148326

First coat of Kurust to neutralise any corrosion.

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/a...1&d=1587148377.

There won't be any requirement to poke those with a screwdriver, the pictures tell the story ;)

Brian :D

Thanks all, I gave them a tap with welding hammer to make sure there wasn't any hidden holes and they seemed solid enough. I'll get on to looking for a local shot blaster once this lockdown is over.

MB - How do you get to paint the insides of the arms? is there a special nozzle I need to buy that goes inside, or is it just spray liberally and hope it reaches all areas?

No desperate rush, but I'm hoping to get it done so I can swap them while my current arms are still ok, and them give them the same treatment to keep for future.

Nope, I paint as far inside as I can with angled paint brushes, and this is the messy part of the job Derrick, I thin the paint, block off the holes in the arm with a combination of masking tape and plasticine, and swill it around inside...........

It's effective, do the inside before painting the final coats on the outside though ;)

Brian :D