Galvanizing bulkhead - tips and tricks

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Frosted

Frosted

Active Member
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156
Location
North of london
I want to galvanize my bulkhead and wondered if anyone had recommendations of a company in Hertfordshire or in East Anglia.

Also wanted to ask for any tips or tricks to keep it from bending etc or general info I should be aware of.

Many thanks
 
Frosted said:
I want to galvanize my bulkhead and wondered if anyone had recommendations of a company in Hertfordshire or in East Anglia.

Also wanted to ask for any tips or tricks to keep it from bending etc or general info I should be aware of.

Many thanks
Click to expand...
It's largely recommended to bolt a bar between the two out rigger bolt holes, though I have read people saying they have galvanised one without doing that and it's not warped. You may want to weld some square bar to the bottom of the footwell plates to stop them rippling. I've got a galvanised bulkhead on my 90, but didn't do it myself. @aaronmorris is about to do his own or may have done it by now, can't remember :oops: He's been off the radar a bit, but still pops on quite often. He may be able to add a few thoughts.
 
As Al203 has said, I have had a couple done now, I don't use any bracing at all to stop it warping and they have fitted with zero issues thus far.
Warping on top of the footwells is the most I have had.

I use Worksop galvanising generally, miles away from you but are part of the Wedge group.
They have plants all over the country, if you google them they may be a plant close by to you.
 
Current bulkhead about ready for paint when I get time.

image.jpeg
 
Yep, East Anglian Galvanising just up the A1 from you in Sawtry (south of Peterborough).

I have posted and replied to several threads about this from when they did mine, if you do a search for galvanising under my name (Litch) you should find loads of info.
If you are interested I still have the box-section that fits between the mounting points, you are quite welcome to it (for a very modest sum).


I would appear to currently be unable to upload photos from Photobucket and don't know if the photos on the old threads will still be visible.
 
Thanks for replies, I did speak East Anglian, and I'm going to do the rear capping and wheel arch liners and door sills at the same time can do up to 50kg for 90 quid inc vat seems like a good price just gotta weigh everything.
 
The bulkhead has some odd aluminium rivets which appear to not be attached to anything unless its inside.

Can someone shed some light on whether I can remove them as I will be galvanizing this week.

Thanks
 
Unlikely they will be holding anything in place on the inside and if they are aluminium they will melt anyway so get rid.

Did you sort out a bracing bar for the bottom of the bulkhead?
 
Litch said:
Unlikely they will be holding anything in place on the inside and if they are aluminium they will melt anyway so get rid.

Did you sort out a bracing bar for the bottom of the bulkhead?
Click to expand...

I dont think I will use one to be honest, more worried about where the venting holes at the corners should be drilled I want them on the inside of the cabin.
 
Your call, hope it all goes well.
I braced the bottom mounts with a length of steel box-section not only to keep the bulkhead from twisting but also to give them somewhere to attach the wires for dipping.
 
Litch said:
Your call, hope it all goes well.
I braced the bottom mounts with a length of steel box-section not only to keep the bulkhead from twisting but also to give them somewhere to attach the wires for dipping.
Click to expand...

Where it attaches to the feet did it stop the galv getting in?
 
Just had mine done and then painted with 'raptor' so should last longer than me! Took mine to a local galvanising firm (Ellesmere Port, Cheshire) and had no issues with warping although I bolted a piece of aluminium angle along the bottom edge. I took some advice from a local fabricator we use at work who suggests to get a good 'clean' finish take it on a Friday afternoon so it'll be one of the first few jobs done the following week after they clean the galvanising tanks out at the weekend! The only thing I forgot was to take the fly screens out.

Part of a long term rebuild of my old '92 200TDI that we've had since new. Bulkhead and chassis being replaced and will gradually do the rest of the body work.
 

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Birdbrain said:
Just had mine done and then painted with 'raptor' so should last longer than me! Took mine to a local galvanising firm (Ellesmere Port, Cheshire) and had no issues with warping although I bolted a piece of aluminium angle along the bottom edge. I took some advice from a local fabricator we use at work who suggests to get a good 'clean' finish take it on a Friday afternoon so it'll be one of the first few jobs done the following week after they clean the galvanising tanks out at the weekend! The only thing I forgot was to take the fly screens out.

Part of a long term rebuild of my old '92 200TDI that we've had since new. Bulkhead and chassis being replaced and will gradually do the rest of the body work.
Click to expand...

Did you have any loss of zinc where bolts connected angle to bulkhead? In my head if i use a angle through the feet i will not any zinc into the hole of the bracket or where the angle butts up to the side. Can you explain how you over came this.

Looks really nice!
 
Tightened mine up tight, it is a solid steel sleeve and I did not consider that missing the internal surface or face of the sleeve with zinc was going to pose a problem. There is no passageway between the sleeve and the bulkhead proper. I used washers with a diameter just over the size of the hole between the box-section and the mountings so the missing area is minimal. As I said, my bulkhead came back as straight as a die and yes, I removed my flyscreens before I sent it off!
When fitted to the vehicle those bottom fixings are assembled with copious amounts of grease & Waxoyl and I have never even had one go rusty on me.
 
I bought mine already done from Ashtree and it was galved cleanly through the outrigger bolt holes. Have a look at Aaron's post above , he's done two himself with no bracing and no warping issues other than the thin footwell plates. I suspect the warping worry is perpetuated by companies charging £900+ for one. Like I paid :rolleyes:
 
@A1203 I think you are describing the strengthening channels in the original footwells that are not in the replacements and thus people weld on square tubing on to the underside.

I do not have that as I used 2 mm thick steel sheets for my footwells which is super strong.(I hope)
 
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