# Fiamma flip over door locks – Oxidising under paint?



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Hi I have 3 of the flip over type locks fitted and every one is corroding around the lock barrel with large blisters spreading and the paint flaking. They look very unsightly the worst is almost completely covered with the white oxidisation looking like giant acne.

I am having some body work done after an incident on the M6 (insurance) and thought that I might ask the chap to run the spray gun over them. I would take them off and rub down myself.

He said that although he would do it if I wanted that it would be very temporary. Once ally has reacted like that he said that there was no amount of preparation and primer that would stop it. What do you think? A new set of 3 would be about £110.

Dick


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

hold old are they Dick ?
They are Fiamma Safe Doors, if they are mounted through the side of the van they are standard type, if they are screwed into the door frame itself they are Safe Door Frames.

Unusual for them to be like that, might still be under warranty


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Thanks for the concern Nuke. It’s a 04 van and I’ve had it since 09 I suspect that the locks were fitted new (probably in Germany) so I imagine they are out of warranty. They are the grey bolt through the body type ones.

I was hoping for someone familiar with the properties of aluminum that would say whether I would in fact be wasting my time.

Dick


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

The chap at the body shop has already given you professional advice hasnt he?? :roll: :roll:


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> The chap at the body shop has already given you professional advice hasnt he?? :roll: :roll:


Thanks for your help Mr Plodd, I hope that you enjoy the rest of your day  . I have come across "experts" who have no idea of technological improvements made made for decades. I was wondering if a new treatment/primer had been developed?

Why the 2 rolling eyes?  one would have done.

Dick


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

If the alloy has been powder coated, moisture gets under the coating and causes it to 'rust' with the accompanying white powder.

What you need to do is to get the remaining coating off, rub down and fill the surface indentations, spray with a decent etching primer and then put a top coat on.

That works well for most alloys, but you have to keep the surface coatings intact.

On steel we shot blast and Zinc spray before powder coating, but it isn't as effective on aluminium alloys.

Peter


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*respray*

sanded off the oxide,primed em and sprayed em with several coats of ducato white paint....2 years later still good!

take a little time with the sanding and spray several thin coats with the covers laid flat..allow time to dry between coats

sue and andrew


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Sorrrry  

I would just point out that many modern cars (Audi in particular) have a lot of aluminium body components, (but not Fiamma type extra door locks to be fair) some of which require repairing/painting at bodyshops on occasions. (Note, no rolling eyes this time)


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I have a 4 or 5 year old lock and it has had the same symptons for a year or two.
If I leave it alone it doesn't look too bad as the paint is still hanging on!


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