Sponsored

Are you concerned about galvanic corrosion?

Cookie Monster

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2017
Threads
7
Messages
111
Reaction score
275
Location
Northern Virginia
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ocean Blue JLURT
Vehicle Showcase
1
So I have my new jl wrangler, and want to start modding it. Do we need to be careful what metals we attach and where. I believe the JKs had an issue where the aluminum hinges contacting the steel doors caused corrosion. I believe the fix was an insulating sheet between the two dissimilar metals.

From what I read this is called galvanic corrosion. I am certainly no where near an expert, so some metallurgist may come in and say there is nothing to be concerned with. Or maybe having a bunch more aluminum on these JLs we need to pay attention to what mods we put where. Is stainless to aluminum better than steel to aluminum?

Examples:
1: Can I put the doorless mirrors that attach to the windshield hinge if they are stainless? I don't know what metal that hinge is.

2: There are powder coated steel brackets that you can hang your door on the wall of your garage. Is the inside of that door window channel aluminum, or is there some sort of plastic insert in the channel that would insulate the bracket from the aluminum door?

I assume there are several other cases where we attach a steel mod to an aluminum body part. Anyone concerned or is paint/powder coating enough insulation?

Thanks for the help!
Sponsored

 

Infected

Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
20
Reaction score
64
Location
15026
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Rubicon
I'm more than concerned. this is happening on all of the hinge brackets

20190820_154635.jpg
 

Infected

Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
20
Reaction score
64
Location
15026
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Rubicon
I have a hard time believing it's already starting to corrode. Looks more like a defect in the paint.
No this is just happening. I wash it weekly and it wasn't always there. that picture isn't even the worst one. I'm going to the dealership tomorrow. I don't really want them to repaint the doors because they are aluminum. I also had a ceramic coating done, so that's ruined too.
 

Sgt Beavis

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rick and Miyako
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Threads
60
Messages
1,186
Reaction score
1,612
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
Wrangler JL Unlimited Sport S
Occupation
The Man, The Myth, The Legend. In my own mind.
Vehicle Showcase
5
Back in the day I was a UH-1H Huey Crewchief. One time, we got some new, custom made, sound proofing blankets for the interior. My unit at the time was a VIP transport unit in Camp Zama Japan. These sound blankets were made of a suede like material and dyed a light blue.

That dye caused corrosion all over the walls of our Hueys. The sheetmetal guys were busy for months making repairs. It’s amazing what small detail can cause corrosion on aluminum.
 

Sponsored

ppfingsten

Member
First Name
Paul
Joined
Feb 9, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
19
Reaction score
5
Location
Oahu
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL Unlimited Sport S
Mine are all corroding like the above photos. I have to talk to the dealer and see if they will even do anything. You’d think Jeep would figure this crap out. Absolute BS to have these issues on a $40K vehicle.
 

four low

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
3,112
Reaction score
3,670
Location
central New York
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL
I use Zinc anode on my vehicles in the Salt Belt. The zinc will corrode first ( hence the term, "sacrificial metal"). Dissimilar metals, with moisture, salt, electrical currents, will corrode, especially over time, as the coatings meant to separate them are compromised by wear, chafing, and ravages of time. Zincs are used in the Marine industry, to protect dissimilar metals from the highly corrosive salt water, electrical interactions.
Your electrical system benefits, corroded grounds are a real PIA, as we all know...
 

JeepCares

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2018
Threads
15
Messages
5,093
Reaction score
2,568
Location
Auburn Hills, MI
Vehicle(s)
JL
Mine are all corroding like the above photos. I have to talk to the dealer and see if they will even do anything. You’d think Jeep would figure this crap out. Absolute BS to have these issues on a $40K vehicle.
Hi ppfingsten,

I sincerely regret to hear of the paint concern you are experiencing. If you are in need of an additional layer of assistance while you work with your dealer, we'd be happy to help. Our team is just a PM away.

Mark
Jeep Social Care Specialist
 

mreloc

Well-Known Member
First Name
ME
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Threads
15
Messages
140
Reaction score
64
Location
Los Angeles
Vehicle(s)
2020 Sahara Altitude; VWGTI
I use Zinc anode on my vehicles in the Salt Belt. The zinc will corrode first ( hence the term, "sacrificial metal"). Dissimilar metals, with moisture, salt, electrical currents, will corrode, especially over time, as the coatings meant to separate them are compromised by wear, chafing, and ravages of time. Zincs are used in the Marine industry, to protect dissimilar metals from the highly corrosive salt water, electrical interactions.
Your electrical system benefits, corroded grounds are a real PIA, as we all know...
How do you use a zinc anode on a Jeep? Just clamp it on somewhere? How often do you have to replace it?
 

ChimpanZed

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aaron
Joined
Sep 19, 2019
Threads
23
Messages
236
Reaction score
404
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2020 Unlimited Rubicon
I use Zinc anode on my vehicles in the Salt Belt. The zinc will corrode first ( hence the term, "sacrificial metal"). Dissimilar metals, with moisture, salt, electrical currents, will corrode, especially over time, as the coatings meant to separate them are compromised by wear, chafing, and ravages of time. Zincs are used in the Marine industry, to protect dissimilar metals from the highly corrosive salt water, electrical interactions.
Your electrical system benefits, corroded grounds are a real PIA, as we all know...
Zinc anodes work in marine applications as the salt water completes the circuit. On a car a galvanic anode does nothing.
 

Sponsored

Toycrusher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2019
Threads
19
Messages
1,412
Reaction score
2,070
Location
Texas
Vehicle(s)
JLUR
Zinc anodes work in marine applications as the salt water completes the circuit. On a car a galvanic anode does nothing.
I'm afraid this is true. For the best protection only stainless fasteners should contact aluminum. But even then, it just slows down the process.

The only fix is to move to the desert...
 

Redneck_Jedi

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Threads
26
Messages
928
Reaction score
1,132
Location
Currently Roaming
Vehicle(s)
2019 Jeep Wrangler Sport S 2 Dr.
Vehicle Showcase
1
No this is just happening. I wash it weekly and it wasn't always there. that picture isn't even the worst one. I'm going to the dealership tomorrow. I don't really want them to repaint the doors because they are aluminum. I also had a ceramic coating done, so that's ruined too.
I was wondering how the repair went with the Dealer. I noticed the same problem on mine a of couple weeks ago (just shy of one my one year ownership anniversary). Im planning to bring it in after the holidays.

IMG_20191116_104920_hdr_kindlephoto-42343114.jpg
 

Kraty1

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Aug 21, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
609
Reaction score
671
Location
Batavia IL
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL
Occupation
Sales & Marketing
I also have the paint bubbling in my doors/hinges and will have it addressed at my next service.
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
9
Reaction score
9
Location
TX
Vehicle(s)
JT
eries_of_Common_Metals_Scale_of_Nobility_Cathodic_Anodic_Reactance_of_Metals_Corrosion_of_Metals.png



I'm not sure that if stainless fasteners were used that it'll help the aluminum in this case... Automotive sheetmetal manufactured out of aluminum usually goes through some sort of alodine dip process, and this actually looks like a failure of the alodine dip process that is then causing some sort of reaction with the primer layer of paint. Aluminum doesn't really expand or become porous or produce an offgassing byproduct when its oxidizing when compared against steel where when oxidizing (rusting) it'll expand and become somewhat porous.

001-Nobility_Cathodic_Anodic_Reactance_of_Metals_Corrosion_of_Metals.png
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
9
Reaction score
9
Location
TX
Vehicle(s)
JT
I also have the paint bubbling in my doors/hinges and will have it addressed at my next service.
I should also clarify my post to say that if you're attempting a repair, I'd recommend unbolting the hinge so that the paint or lack thereof probably underneath the hinge could be sanded and repainted, instead of just sanding and painting the hinge as is.

If I had to hazard a guess on what happened: during assembly, the hinge is probably already attached to the door and then painted over, so its anyone's guess whats underneath or more likely that there are contaminates trapped underneath the hinge, such as solution/acid left over from the passivation bath process or something. Then because its a recessed area and the hinge is never removed prior to painting for alignment reasons, whatever's there is now stuck underneath the paint.

If one hinge is unbolted/repaired at a time, you can probably avoid having to realign the door afterwards, but whomever is doing warranty work will probably not care either way.
Sponsored

 
 



Top