Steeda Powder Coating Methods

Steeda's parts stand out proud in Steeda blue or grey powder coat and some people have asked me for some more information about Steeda’s powder coat process, so I have asked the factory and put together this laymans guide. (Because it was interesting and not because I had no idea myself! Honest!) Its not as simple as just chucking the parts in the oven after giving them a quick spray with the powder coating gun! Not that I thought that....

Step 1. We manufacture our parts in our Valdosta, Georgia, USA factory.

Step 2. The parts are prepped post manufacture. This can include alcohol based wipe downs to remove excess grease or dirt, as well as removing any weld splatter or surface rust if needed.

Step 3. Sandblasting the parts to remove any further surface contaminants plus it helps "rough up" areas that tend to be problematic when taking powder and allows the powder to bond better to the material

Step 4. We use a two-stage cleaning system that uses a high powered degreaser for cleaning the metals, followed by a layer of Iron Phosphate. The Iron Phosphate is the secret. It etches the metal and enlarges the pores, allowing for an excellent bond. This system leaves a thin film on the metal that acts as a corrosion inhibitor.

Step 5. The parts are then pre-heated in an oven to burn off any excess chemicals etc

Step 6. The parts are then cooled down prior to powder coating.

Step 7. Parts are carefully powder coated.

Step 8. The powder coated parts are baked in the oven and left to cure.

Now note that this process is not “fixed” and as usual we at Steeda are constantly looking to improve the quality and durability and performance of our parts. For example some recent changes listed by Candace and Scott include: Changing our lasered parts to being cut with nitrogen instead of oxygen, and changing degreasers to a stronger formula… it’s a constantly and rolling programme.

In 2021 when we deployed our improved phosphate treatment system, we had the powder coating given an industry standard 750 hour Salt Spray Test, carried out by TCI Powder Coating to the ASTM B117 Standards. The Steeda coat passed with flying colours earning a 9/10 grade.

As Scott our head of manufacturing said: “I asked our contact “how much better” is our powder-coating using several new processes. He stated “it’s at least 10 times better”. In the test we got a rating of 9. Ingersoll Rand requires a rating of 6! That’s phenomenal news.”

One thing to remember though, so however effective our powder coatings, life under cars is HARD! Just one fast drive down a gravel road can be the equivalent of spraying your car parts and the coatings with shotgun pellets, not just salt water! So we do recommend taking care of your parts as part of your routine maintenance, and touching up any chips with paint etc to maintain a seal against the environment. The same with any adjustable parts. Regular cleaning and lubrication is essential to maintain adjustability.

TCI TEST REPORT - CLICK HERE