zinc plating

[CitroenCrazy]

Ok, this one's a bit off the wall, even for me, but the expertise on this forum is boundless........

My Xantia is with Rob Moss to have some rust in the sills cut out & new metal welded in.
I've been thinking about the best way of protecting the new metal. My experience is that nothing encourages rust on mild steel more than MIG welding it.

So far, I think the two best options are either brush electro-plating with zinc or hot zinc spraying. Whether there's anyone who would do this on a car, at an affordable rate, I'm not sure. Any experience or advice out there ?

TIA, as ever.

[lexi]

Keep it rust free meanwhile, then use 2K epoxy primer. It needs decent temps. You can get Jotun brush on stuff. Then finish with whatever......stonechip and paint. I spray Bodyline cavity wax inside seams . It is made by Dinitrol and far better than Waxoyl.

[addo]

I would presume the patches are from "zinc annealed" steel anyhow. And there's been a generous loading of weld-through primer applied beforehand. Beyond that, proper 2K outside and cavity wax applied inside (sprayed in hot, into heated cavities).

[citronut]

if you just stop the air getting at the metal this is plenty good enough,

besides tin worm usually attack from inside box sections and between two or more layers of metal overlapping each other, these points are usually unprotected from condensation and trapped water,

if you look at a sales brochure for the XM and all the different rust protection/metal treatments on various panels,
and from what i have read the XM rusts just like most cars of its day

[1997V6]

I used Bilt Hamber products to restore/protect my Ford Puma, back in 2009/10, so far, so good.
One of the products you may be interested in is their "Electrox", I used the 400ml aerosol.
"A cured film of electrox is a true zinc-rich coating containing in excess of 90% pure zinc":
http://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-treatments/electrox" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also do a "Electrox Patch Repair Kit", if you already have rust present:
http://www.bilthamber.com/electrox-patch-repair-kit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dnsey]

I've used a quality zinc aerosol coating before now to protect steel racking in a commercial darkroom - a pretty corrosive environment. It did a decent job of keeping the steel rust-free for a few years.
The essential thing with any electrolytic protection like this is not to allow the smallest pinhole, or corrosion will start there almost instantly, and spread rapidly.

[Stickyfinger]

water/phosphate (with a tiny amount of washing up liquid to wet) mix, apply by scrubbing it on with a scotch pad, let it dry, then rub down with very fine dry scotch pad and prime with a two pack etch primer immediately. Allow to dry without heat. Even if only a thin coat, always always top off your primer with a topcoat, never leave it exposed.

There is no reason to apply a zinc primer, it is not required if all the corrosion is removed. Under the car it is worse as it is thicker than standard primer and weakens the paint when impacted.
A good standard primer and top coat, no better.....a friend swears by rubber arch "trim", he fills the strips with waxoil and then applies the trim.
He does this every spring having removed them when parking up for winter and to be fair he has less chips than me ....eg...none (mine are a mess)

Agree about the insides, a good wax sprayed hot onto a hot panel......fan heaters are great if left on for 1 hour in a garage.