Are steel attachments damaged by anodizing?

[coyoteg]

I have a motorcycle clutch basket that has high strength steel pressed and riveted into the aluminum. There is no way I can remove the steel bushing and gear.

Will the anodizing process damage the steel? That is, can the battery acid bath damage the surface of the steel to the point where an oil seal will not work properly or gear teeth are damaged?

Thanks

Ken

[destroyer125]

If you attempt to anodize those parts, your going to get a piece of massively pitted aluminum with no steel in sight. Sulfuric acid rapidly eats ferriorous metals, even faster when a current is passing through the part.

[coyoteg]

Ok. I cannot anodize the basket with the steel attachment.

However, why would the aluminum be "massively pitted"? Cheap aluminum or a reaction to having the steel in the bath with aluminum?

There are a total of three pieces that make up the clutch. Two are aluminum only. Would these two pieces be ok in the battery acid bath?

Thanks

Ken

[sswee]

It's a combination of the material mix and electricity.

Now ask destroyer125 how he knows. lol

The two pieces that are aluminum only should be alright. The main problem with them is they are probably cast and will be very difficult due to the material mixture.
SS

[coyoteg]

Thanks for the information. I've decided to just power coat with lollypop red after polishing the cast aluminum. I have powder coating equipment. No need to purchase anodizing equipment yet.

[destroyer125]

Great way for removing stripped screws from aluminum though. Like stripping nickel

The steel dissolved in the tank gets sucked into the pores of the aluminum, the reaction in the pore damages the metal, and a tiny crater forms