FAQ - Powder coating torsion bars Your questions answered

When you need a heart, a brain, courage, or simply to find your way home, go to the Wizard of Oz.  If you have questions about Jaguar torsion bars, come to the people that supply more of them to Jaguar owners around the world than anyone else - Team CJ

A little torsion bar music while you read................

Of far more importance than the question of whether or not to powder coat a torsion bar, is the need for us all to maintain a sense of humour.

Dan Mooney
Team CJ

It seems that there has been a great deal of interest of late in powder coating torsion bars and coil springs - and what effect this has (if any) on the properties of the steel alloy from which the bars are constructed.

The bottom line is that powder coating Jaguar torsion bars will have zero effect on the properties of the bar. Zero, zip, nada, none. Of course we can only speak about our own products, but the following explanation of how Team CJ torsion bars are made may be of some use in any discussion on the subject.

In the first place, Team CJ Jaguar torsion bars are heat treated at around 1500 deg F. The precise temperature and duration of such treatment is calculated based upon the alloy used and the size of each given bar. At the conclusion of the heat treating process the bars are extremely 'hard' and almost brittle. They are then 'baked' at around 650 deg F for another extended, carefully calculated period. This process brings the bar (gradually) back down to the desired hardness for the Jaguar application.

Once the bars have been allowed to cool completely, they are dipped and treated with Phosphorus. The reason this is done is simply that it allows paint to bond with the outer surface very well. Once the Phosphorus has been wiped clean, the bar is powder coated and heated for a short period of time in an oven at less than 300 deg F. For the properties of the alloy to be altered in any way by the powder coating process, the bars would have to be baked for an extended period of time at temperatures in excess of (approximately) 650 deg F.

So, in a nutshell, powder coating Team CJ torsion bars does absolutely nothing to alter the properties of the alloy from which they are constructed. Of literally hundreds of sets of Team CJ torsion bars sold in the US and in Europe, we have had zero failures or warranty issues of any kind. Zero, zip, nada, none.

So why powder coat them at all? Well, the condition and integrity of the outer surface of the torsion bar is extremely important. Remember that 90% of the torsional properties of a torsion bar emanate from the outer 10% of its structure. Any rust pitting or damage at all will significantly effect the performance and durability of the bar. Most serious racers inspect bars before and after every race. The only reason they do not powder coat or paint their bars is that they need to be able to see the outer surface of the alloy. Recognizing that it is still of paramount importance that the bars are protected in some way, it is a fairly common practice amongst midget racers (for example) to cover their torsion bars with electrical tape before every race.

If you have any questions relating to the above information, or any other technical issues, feel free to contact me at techsupport@classicjaguar.com

Dan Mooney
Team CJ