914-6 front hubs. When removing all the brake dust, found
several spots where whatever coating has been compromised
and the aluminum started getting eaten.

Can this be welded up? These don't look anodized, what did
they do to the surface to protect?
Click to view attachment

I believe they're magnesium.

They're aluminum and they're anodized.

We've done a pair for a customer. Not worth worrying about IMO but, the process would be:

1. De-Anodize
2. Remove blemish with media of your choice. I'd use glass or walnut.
3. Re-anodize.
4. Write a check.

Mine have been welded in a couple of spots, and epoxied in another, by the PO. I assume corrosion was his problem as well.

I prefer Eric's solution rather than the heat of a welding, especially since that piece is one huge sink, but there have been no problems and they run true.

Well it sounds like I'm just going to be keeping these in the basement for
backups, then. I like the idea of epoxy to keep any more of this from
happening while stored.

For those folks new to metals and don't know, regardless of the fix, proper surface-prep is always the key to happiness. True for all materials actually... and humans as well.

The oxidized aluminum has to be completely gone for the repair to be "permanent", and Eric's solution is the best one in the "permanent" category. Mine has been fine for the 17 years I've owned the car. The PO had installed those '79 Bilstein struts ~ 5 years earlier than that if I remember clearly. So epoxy seems to work fine.

Frankly I'm a little surprised at it's durability in such a high heat and vibration environment. If it were my epoxy solution I'd mix in some aluminum powder into the epoxy to try and match the expansion / contraction rates with the hub.

Good luck

I blasted and JB weld in the small pits on mine.




BTW JB weld must have metal in it, it's magnetic when you first mix it up try putting a magnet near it.

I agree completely. But any time I epoxy a thing I try to make sure it's mixed with a finely ground powder of the same material. It may not matter in this case, and I wouldn't worry about bi-metallic corrosion embedded in the epoxy. But the expansion rate will be closer if it's aluminum... Hmmm.

Does JBWeld have an aluminum version? I don't use it that often.

Mark,

I have a mill, and a sandblasting cabinet you are welcome to use if you get inspired to DIY this.

Rich