Do springplates need plating or painting?
 

I removed my springplates earlier today so that I could replace the old worn out bushings and upgrade my torsion bars. The bushings were removed and the springplates cleaned to a spotless clean condition with a wire wheel brush.

Are the springplates made out of a metal which will corrode if not protected somehow, either by plating or painting, or can I just install the plates as they are now on the car? The look pretty good.

I believe they should be either plated or painted.
The car MAY not be driven on too many rainy days, but it will be washed enough, or driven through enough water that it will find the nooks & crannies and start rusting or caroding away. (I'd think so anyway.)

I think that plating would be better. I just had mine yellow CAD plated about a 2 months ago. There are different thoughts about re-mounting the bushings, I chose to crazy glue mine (NEATRIX) to the spring plate. If you choose to plate, the bushes will glue right to it. If you choose to paint, the rotational stress on the bush and the glue will eventually pull the paint off (I believe) and allow moisture to get in there and start eating away....

Another thought... I'm not sure about other types of plating but I think it holds true... CAD plating makes a great primer. If you get it plated, then put on the bushes (glue 'em ??) then once they dry, you could mask off the bushes and paint over the plating. That way you'd still be protected even under the bushes and in the nooks & crannies..

Yellow zinc is a good substitute for cad. It's easier to find someone that will do zinc, and it is a far less toxic process. It's also cheaper. I just had mine done and they look great.
-Scott

If you're happy with the finish, you could just clear-coat them too. I'll bet a local body shop would do that cheap - they could hang them in the booth when they're clear-coating something else, wouldn't take 5 minutes.

Scott & Wavey both have good suggestions. I had mine yellow zinc coated and sprayed them with Rustoleum clear enamel. I don't know for sure how it will hold up, but at the time that was the best I could think of.

Most of the rattle-can paints will benefit from baking in an oven - maybe 250-300 degrees for 30-45 minutes? Really cures the paint and makes it tougher.

I own a sign company and we use TONS of Krylon spray paint, on all kinds of brackets, small pieces, even as a finish coat on some stuff. Their paints are loaded with pigment and they use really good carriers. Their satin black is as good as Wurths, at about 1/4 tp 1/3 the cost. They make a "dull aluminum" that looks like fresh cast and is really durable, but I haven't been able to find it for a while. Their clears are excellent too.

Wow, guys. Thanks for all the responses. Decisions, decisions...

yellow zinc--very cheap, looks great, very durable