Quote: Dave - All the Tie Rod sleeves I have seem to be zinc-phos plated....but I have heard of some possibly bare.
Hi Jim! I know that many parts have coatings such as phosphate, etc.... I classify those as "bare" metal because they do not really provide a barrier of protection from moisture or oxidation. Ferrous metals are very prone to oxidation with the exception of some stainless metals. (Steel must contain a minimum of 10% chromium to be considered stainless steel. ) The tie rod in the picture still maintains its original factory finish. We did not bead blast or aggressively remove any rust from them. Every piece of metal on the Valiant was treated with chemicals to remove oxidation. We then treated the parts with the RPM.
