Hey guys, so I really want to box my rear lca's- don't try to talk me out of it - but I'm worried about making a pocket for rust to start. So here's my plan.

I'll only lay metal down over the open end of the "U" channel. I figure I'll use 1/8th inch thick strip stock from Home Depot's hardware aisle. Then I'll remove the stock bushings & shells - I have ES poly ones waiting to be installed at home. After I'm done with the welding, I'll get a lonnng paint brush, and paint the inside of the welds with POR-15. Then I'll press the new bushings in.

I won't be boxing the extreme ends (front-facing and rear-facing) of the LCA.

I figure any water that collects in there (from condensation, etc) will fall out as soon as I start driving the car... almost how water pours out of some cars tailpipes when they drive forwards.

Think it's a good idea or not? I don't -have- to close in the front-facing and rear-facing ends to feel a benefit, right??

Thanks for all opinions!! Like I said I want to box 'em myself, yeah pre-boxed or tubular is cheap enough, but I'm one of those home-made kinda guys.

 

You got much more energy than I do Tom. If I had mine off long enough to do anything I would powder coat them with zinc rich primer.

Long as shipping wasn't more than $5-6 and you preped them well [ no rust, dirt and the metal/ welds as smooth as you want them{no prep work for me}]

I could do them for $20 including shipping.

Matt

 

If yours are rusted, why not just find a better pair in a junk yard? Those are made from thick enough metal that you should get many, many years of use out of them before the rust gets bad enough to weaken anything. I just pulled my stock LCAs off my IROC. Nearly 100k miles and 18 years old, and other than some mild surface rust they are like new. If you hit the insides with some POR 15, box them up completely tight so no crap can get up in there, they should last forever or close to it. If you leave the ends open, eventually some crap is going to work its way into there and trap moisture.

 

See, mine aren't rusted, but I don't want to create a spot (unprotected weld) for rust to form. I figure if I box the whole thing closed, that's a weld that I wasn't able to paint or protect.

Sure I could coat the insides with por-15 first, but I think the heat from the welding will bubble that stuff away, and expose bare metal. Same deal with the powercoating; I know that stuff won't hold up to molten metal!

I guess I could try a weld-thru primer, but I don't see how well those could work with MIG- I need some kind of electrical contact between the pieces to be able to strike an arc.

But you think condensation will still hang out inside? Even if I've given it the "ends" to drain from?

 

If the ends are open paint or coating after you have boxed them in would work. Long as the nozel can get inside.

Now if you are gonna put in the new polly and then seal them off. You could just drill and tap some pipe thread plugs into the suckers. Fill em up with por15 and wiggle it around.

[Everyone needs a few pipe thread taps and some plugs are pennies each.]

Put the LCA upside down on a table, "por" some por15 inside and then just weld the plate and and seal them up with the stuff inside. Should be far enough away and you should be just tacking.

Wacky idea, tap some zerk fittings into the sides of the bushing area for the squeak proof ride.

With them out of the car it should be easy to do it anything you you want to them. Now installed is a PITA to just weld. Shoot man pick of $20 more in steel and make your own


I did leave mine open for later or I'll replace them in a few years. The car is on a 5 year plan, last 5 more years, look nice for 5 more years [after I do some body work and paint] and then it either gets all new everything or sold. It would take about that long for any rust to even begin to affect the work.


Matt

 

I'm suprised a rust warrior like yourself Tom hasn't thought of using some sort of cavity wax!The sort you use with a special spray nozzle from your compressor.You can never use enough of this stuff on otherwise inaccesible boxings,channels for the ultimate in rust protection.Once applied this stuff should last many,many years.By the way DON'T spray it all over your car and workshop if you still have painting to do.Even a couple of wayward specks will cause horrendous fisheye!

 

I've never even heard of that! Cavity wax, eh? Sounds damn good to me! I like that i can spray it with the air compressor; I could smog the hell outta the inside of the control arm, maybe thru a hole/pipe plug like Gumby said. Thanks!!

 

Heres a link to a carbody supply shop in the U.S.http://chemicar.com/coating_cavitywax.html
To be honest you should be able to find this gear at any professional type car body supplies.These type of places carry far more professional stock and are much more knowledgable about their stuff than a diy type place.The stock is also usually a lot cheaper.Don't blame me though if you use so much of the stuff it slows the car down!
Ps.what you can't see on the pictures is that the nozzle actually has several holes around it and it BLASTS out in every direction,meaning you can be confident the wax reaches the deepest darkest recessess.Good luck Tom.

 

Tom, you can paint the outside of the LCA to protect the weld, and if no air and moisture can get to the inside, having an unprotected weld isn't going to matter... especially with the thickness of metal you're talking about. It's not like you're tigging a couple soda cans together... you're migging 12 gauge (or so) steel. The bead is going to be plenty thick enough to last far longer than any sheetmetal on your car. Your stock LCAs are bare metal and exposed to the elements, and apparently they are in good shape. You really think that after you weld that they are going to rot overnight? Paint up the outside after you weld it and I guarantee that it'll outlast the rest of your car, and probably your next one too.