Air Tank Inside Coating Question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

NPilot1975 · 01-26-2006, 01:29 PM

I am boxing the frame on my truck and planning on running air suspension. I want to use the boxed frame rails as the air tanks. I am looking to see if anyone has an idea of how to coat the inside of the frame rails to keep them from rusting. Thanx

bigblockc10 · 01-26-2006, 01:43 PM

Hot Dip Galvanizing.
Just weld in some pipe tap bungs for drainage when plating then screw in a pipe plug.

NPilot1975 · 01-26-2006, 01:51 PM

You are the second person to suggest that. I am leaning that way. I am just going to have to make sure to put some good welds down.

Luvlegs · 01-26-2006, 01:52 PM

with plugs you can drain out any moisture too.

Fred T · 01-26-2006, 02:26 PM

Another option would be POR-15 enamel.

NPilot1975 · 01-27-2006, 12:55 AM

I thought about POR-15, but was wondering how much would burn off when I was welding or how to coat the inside once I weld it.

bigblockc10 · 01-27-2006, 01:41 PM

that is why I suggested Galvanizing do all your welding,pressure test,then galvanize.

I would think if your POR15'ed it then had to do any welding the paint would outgas and compromise the weld just a thought.

72MARIO · 01-27-2006, 02:11 PM

You can get weld thru primer too. Just so you know. Not sure if it's the thing to use there.

hgs_notes · 01-27-2006, 02:32 PM

As long as you keep it dry, it will last many years, coated or not coated. No air tank manufacturers for air compressors that I know of, coat the inside of the tanks, just put some small petcocks on the lowest point for easy draining and you should be fine.

HG

Fred T · 01-27-2006, 10:06 PM

With the POR-15 I would paint the inside after it was all together. Plug all but one hole, pour some in and plug that hole. Roll the tank around to cover everything and drain out the excess. Then remove all the plugs so it will dry.

NPilot1975 · 01-28-2006, 04:35 PM

Thanx HGS, that is the same thing my dad told me. I actually thought air tanks were coated. I may look into galvanizing, but will probably just add a drain and go with that.

Rollie396 · 01-30-2006, 01:51 AM

I'm not gonna bother with trying to coat the inside of my tanks.
If you do try it,keep in mind that POR15 is very picky when it comes to prep.It'll be real tough to properly prep inside the tank unless you do it before you weld the last cap on.Then you'll have the area of the closing weld open and it'll compromise the rest of the internal coating in the tank.When that happens,you'll have chunks of por clogging up you system.
Believe me I mulled over the same thing as you when I built mine and I finally decided to go without.
That being said,my tanks were severely overbuilt

.According to the engineer I talked to,they are good for around 1600psi!

hgs_notes · 01-30-2006, 10:16 AM

There is one way that you can build air tanks that will not corrode, that is to use aluminum or stainless, tig weld the joints with a purge through the tank during welding. There are other non-corrosive metals of course, but they are harder to come by and would be more expensive.

For you guys building your own tanks, consider that a vertical 80 gal. air compressor tank rated for 200 psi is about .165" thick using SA414 grade G steel. I think the tensile rating is around 80,000. The smaller the diameter of the tank reduces the required thickness to hold the same pressure. Using a schedule 40 pipe would likely hold over a 1000 psi with a decent weld for the pipe caps. Standard wall tubing would be a good choice and it has a better finish. I have ASME code books and a program that calculates this stuff.

HG

NPilot1975 · 01-30-2006, 10:42 AM

I am welding all the holes in the frame up and going to box it and use it as my air tanks (at least the center section, the ends would be too much with the front crossmember bolts, etc.) I don't see that the system will need any more than 200 psi. Right now I have bags on the back and have never put more than 95 psi in them.

01-26-2006, 01:29 PM	#1
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Air Tank Inside Coating Question I am boxing the frame on my truck and planning on running air suspension. I want to use the boxed frame rails as the air tanks. I am looking to see if anyone has an idea of how to coat the inside of the frame rails to keep them from rusting. Thanx __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story

01-26-2006, 01:43 PM	#2
bigblockc10 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Holland Pa. Posts: 76	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question Hot Dip Galvanizing. Just weld in some pipe tap bungs for drainage when plating then screw in a pipe plug. __________________ 1970 C10 Stepside (soon to be a 68 w/PS/PB/S&W back-half narrowed F**D 9inch w/Discs) 66 427/435 corvette motor (hopefully 871 Blower) 66 M21 4 speed (swapped in a built TH400) 31/16.5/15 Mickeys (soon to be 29.5X18.5X15 MT) 1972 C10 Stepside Pro-Street 1988 bed 3" Top Chop Custom Red Pearl paint w/overlapping Ghost Flames P/S P/W P/B P/DL P/door open Everything Shaved Frenched antenna 461CI BBC BDS Blower 1100 Dynoed HP TH400 Super Heavy Duty Full Back-Half Narrowed 12 Bolt 4:10

01-26-2006, 01:51 PM	#3
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question You are the second person to suggest that. I am leaning that way. I am just going to have to make sure to put some good welds down. __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story

01-26-2006, 01:52 PM	#4
Luvlegs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Virginia Posts: 1,537	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question with plugs you can drain out any moisture too. __________________ "A cat will almost always blink when hit between the eyes with a ball peen hammer" (you don't always have to state the obvious) Wear your PPE! You can eat with false teeth but you can't see with a false eye. 1959 Studebaker Silverhawk 350/400 1972 C10 L6 3OTT 2005 F350 - Built - whew!

01-26-2006, 02:26 PM	#5
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question Another option would be POR-15 enamel. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

01-27-2006, 12:55 AM	#6
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question I thought about POR-15, but was wondering how much would burn off when I was welding or how to coat the inside once I weld it. __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story

01-27-2006, 01:41 PM	#7
bigblockc10 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Holland Pa. Posts: 76	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question that is why I suggested Galvanizing do all your welding,pressure test,then galvanize. I would think if your POR15'ed it then had to do any welding the paint would outgas and compromise the weld just a thought. __________________ 1970 C10 Stepside (soon to be a 68 w/PS/PB/S&W back-half narrowed F**D 9inch w/Discs) 66 427/435 corvette motor (hopefully 871 Blower) 66 M21 4 speed (swapped in a built TH400) 31/16.5/15 Mickeys (soon to be 29.5X18.5X15 MT) 1972 C10 Stepside Pro-Street 1988 bed 3" Top Chop Custom Red Pearl paint w/overlapping Ghost Flames P/S P/W P/B P/DL P/door open Everything Shaved Frenched antenna 461CI BBC BDS Blower 1100 Dynoed HP TH400 Super Heavy Duty Full Back-Half Narrowed 12 Bolt 4:10

01-27-2006, 02:11 PM	#8
72MARIO Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Huntsville Ontario Canada Posts: 4,051	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question You can get weld thru primer too. Just so you know. Not sure if it's the thing to use there. __________________ 1968 Suburban numbers matching all original truck now equipped with 6.0/4L80 on Accuair http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=625017 1967 C/20 6.0/4L80 Roofing Truck 1990 V2500 Suburban "Plow Truck" 2005 TAHOE DD

01-27-2006, 02:32 PM	#9
hgs_notes GEARHEAD Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: MN Posts: 6,126	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question As long as you keep it dry, it will last many years, coated or not coated. No air tank manufacturers for air compressors that I know of, coat the inside of the tanks, just put some small petcocks on the lowest point for easy draining and you should be fine. HG __________________ If no one knows what you're doing, they can't tell you you're doing it wrong HG's Dream Car Build - Shelby Cobra Kit Build your own adjustable track bar 71 Long Fleet C/10 72 Jimmy 4x4 (Junkyard Jimmy) HG's Plow Truck '78 K35 Dually Bigass Farm Truck HG's thread of miscellaneous stuff

01-27-2006, 10:06 PM	#10
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question With the POR-15 I would paint the inside after it was all together. Plug all but one hole, pour some in and plug that hole. Roll the tank around to cover everything and drain out the excess. Then remove all the plugs so it will dry. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

01-28-2006, 04:35 PM	#11
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question Thanx HGS, that is the same thing my dad told me. I actually thought air tanks were coated. I may look into galvanizing, but will probably just add a drain and go with that. __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story

01-30-2006, 01:51 AM	#12
Rollie396 someday it will be done! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lloydminster,AB. Canada Posts: 1,620	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question I'm not gonna bother with trying to coat the inside of my tanks. If you do try it,keep in mind that POR15 is very picky when it comes to prep.It'll be real tough to properly prep inside the tank unless you do it before you weld the last cap on.Then you'll have the area of the closing weld open and it'll compromise the rest of the internal coating in the tank.When that happens,you'll have chunks of por clogging up you system. Believe me I mulled over the same thing as you when I built mine and I finally decided to go without. That being said,my tanks were severely overbuilt .According to the engineer I talked to,they are good for around 1600psi! __________________ '72 C-10 Proud owner of a million new and used pieces that used to be and will once again be(god willing) a testament to the term "they don't build em like that anymore. '80 LWB 2wd beater '67 GMC long fleet (cab donor) '66 long step (parked till it's turn comes around) '65 short step (parts truck that will donate it's bed and possibly frame to the '66) '06 Grand Prix wife's car (she hardly lets me touch it) my pics

01-30-2006, 10:16 AM	#13
hgs_notes GEARHEAD Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: MN Posts: 6,126	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question There is one way that you can build air tanks that will not corrode, that is to use aluminum or stainless, tig weld the joints with a purge through the tank during welding. There are other non-corrosive metals of course, but they are harder to come by and would be more expensive. For you guys building your own tanks, consider that a vertical 80 gal. air compressor tank rated for 200 psi is about .165" thick using SA414 grade G steel. I think the tensile rating is around 80,000. The smaller the diameter of the tank reduces the required thickness to hold the same pressure. Using a schedule 40 pipe would likely hold over a 1000 psi with a decent weld for the pipe caps. Standard wall tubing would be a good choice and it has a better finish. I have ASME code books and a program that calculates this stuff. HG __________________ If no one knows what you're doing, they can't tell you you're doing it wrong HG's Dream Car Build - Shelby Cobra Kit Build your own adjustable track bar 71 Long Fleet C/10 72 Jimmy 4x4 (Junkyard Jimmy) HG's Plow Truck '78 K35 Dually Bigass Farm Truck HG's thread of miscellaneous stuff Last edited by hgs_notes; 01-30-2006 at 10:17 AM.

01-30-2006, 10:42 AM	#14
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Re: Air Tank Inside Coating Question I am welding all the holes in the frame up and going to box it and use it as my air tanks (at least the center section, the ends would be too much with the front crossmember bolts, etc.) I don't see that the system will need any more than 200 psi. Right now I have bags on the back and have never put more than 95 psi in them. __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story



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