prep before powder coating

[cryzko]

hi,
well, i have a projects car that i'm rebuilding the rear end right now and i have a few questions.
1. what type of coating should i use i.e. epoxy, urethane?
2. what should the prep work be, cleaning with thinner, etc...
3. should i build a booth to spray in.....
4. hows the flexibilty if i want to coat leaf springs?

the parts are for the rear suspension of a 77' vette. i decided to do the parts yself since the shops wanted an arm and a leg to do them...... any help would be appreciated

thanks
cryzko

[Hemi-T]

I would use a standard polyester powder for suspension parts. Prep by degreasing parts completely (I like Brake-Kleen), then sand blast agressively, blow dust off with clean compressed air, and powder coat. I apply the powder in my garage. Just make sure the air is still (no wind). I'm not sure if it's a good idea to powder coat leaf springs or not. Curing the powder at 400* for 15-20 minutes may affect the spring in a negative way. I would ask a spring expert just to make sure. As far as flexibility and good wear characteristics, powder coat would work fine on a leaf spring. A teflon spring liner would make it very smooth, and keep the finish pretty. Hope this helps.

Hemi-T