Front end overhaul - what finish for the hubs?

[chrismorse]

I have been admiring the suspension rebuilds, learning a lot.

I am sandblasting & por-15ing the struts, A arms & carrera front bar, doing the ER rubber front a arm bushings, HD bilsteins, new bearings, trying to zinc pate the calipers and hardware and pondring the best finish for the front hubs.

Just tonight, i have removed the front top strut mounts, planning on gong witht he ER "Sport" rubber replacements, and installing the new er bushings in POr 15 and POR chasis second coated bearing mounts.

So, I am sneaking up on the front hub rebuild, curious about what finish is best for the aluminum hubs. I have blasted the hubs fairly clean and will do what ever cleaning is needed and am at a bit of a loss at to the best, ( brake fluid resistand finsih, hopeing for a black, heat emitting finish).

I have 4 new Zimmerman zinc coate rotors, which I am thinking about dipping in Caswell's Black Chromate finish.

Once again, i am out there in trreratory i am unfamiliar with and hopeing for a bit of help.


thanks,
chris

[Porboynz]

I left my alloy hubs with the bead blasted finish, still OK after 12 months. I recomend you investigate some sort of UV coating for the PO15 on the struts, mine faded fairly quickly, not a lot of UV under there but they lost the original gloss.

[Tidybuoy]

Long ago when I was doing the brakes on my 944 I was researching factory finish for the rotor hats. You mention the hubs and mine are not finished - just aluminum. But the rotor hats...the factory color is gray primer with a light mist of silver.

Here's a couple of pictures of my rotor hats after painting:

[chrismorse]

Originally Posted by Porboynz

I left my alloy hubs with the bead blasted finish, still OK after 12 months. I recomend you investigate some sort of UV coating for the PO15 on the struts, mine faded fairly quickly, not a lot of UV under there but they lost the original gloss.

Thanks Porboynz,

The same outfit that makes the por 15 also makes a compatible "Chasis paint" that is UV resistant. It is very thick paint and is so thick it barely flows. Not at all like the Por 15 which levles out beautifully. I had to keep telling myself we aren't going for pretty we want durability.

chris

[chrismorse]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

Long ago when I was doing the brakes on my 944 I was researching factory finish for the rotor hats. You mention the hubs and mine are not finished - just aluminum. But the rotor hats...the factory color is gray primer with a light mist of silver.

Here's a couple of pictures of my rotor hats after painting:

Thanks Tidybuoy,

I was hopeing for some magic coating that resists both brake fluid and brake cleaner.

Nice looking wheels and discs.

chris

[Craig_D]

Sounds like a good setup. I left my hubs a la natural, after cleaning with WD40, wire brushes and the like. The hubs wont be visible once the rotors and wheel are mounted.

Also, I have the Zimmerman stock vented Carrera fronts and SC rears and will leave the grey finish that came with them. The instructions on the discs say not to clean the coating off, and just to install them. Although I'll probably hit the rotor faces with alcohol before putting the pads into the calipers...just to keep any contaminants off the pads.

So, I'm going natural for both the rotors and the hubs.

[micheloaks]

I have myself just got to this point in my front & rear suspension, steering rebuild...Just a thought any value in applying Gibbs or a similar to the hubs?