I see. I understand. And what colors do the jackets wear? Lemme guess...black and safety yellow.

 

Correct....lol


side note, your lucky that retaining ring stayed on that bolt...

 

That was my first thought. If it had come off the rig would have been parked until MC sent me a new one. That woulda sucked.

 

Pretty close to it. Actually navy (or black depending on sport) and gold. So the gold on the arms fit nicely with my navy jk!

sent from my work leash

 

I read somewhere several months ago that MC suggested if you live in a seaside town, which I do, it is a good idea to add a coat of paint for protection from the salt air. The color was a no-brainer for me. Navy and gold sounds an awful lot like my Mountaineers, as my wife is from WV.

 

yeah it appears to just be a cheap yellowzinc coating, wich is better than zinc, but will still rust. I cant believe they dont powdercoat them, hell or at least even paint them.

 

I 100% agree with that! And since they are made to order, a chioce of color would be awesome.

 

It is zinc chromate plating not just yellow tinted zinc. This plating is used on several touch corrosion applications due to it's resistance. Plating is a FAR superior practice for corrosion protection as opposed to powder coat. The slightest pin-hole will allow rust to begin with a coated part where a plated part is dipped and the materials surface itself is chemically altered. Even if there was a scratch or pin-hole the zinc will work as a sacrificial agent and allow the steel to retain its integrity. (this is why hot water tanks have a zinc rod in them).

All this said, I'm not a fan of the look and will likely paint mine.

 

Trust me a zinc plated part will rust hellafast and a yellowzinc coated part (zinc chromate) will rust aswell. It does last way longer, but will still rust. In most areas its not noticable and will be really noticable in salty areas. I know how theyre processed and the coatings are applied. Powdercoat will rust when it scratched or got holes as you said but the coating itself holds up to salt and stuff better. Also water heaters rods are usually aluminum or magnesium on the outer portion if I recall, but thats not at all my expertise. But all coatings will rust when beat on, best way to avoid that part is go aluminum arms. Even stainless is not the best option when salt is eating at stuff.

 

Good info, jna. So a coat of paint over the zinc chromate is just an added bonus and does not affect the rust-resistance of the undercoat, yet provides excellent backup if the paint is chipped?