Since I have the individual front suspension components removed from the SX/4, I decided now is the time to clean up the parts and try to paint them close to factory original colors. Does anybody have a listing for reference purposes?
It looks like most component on the hub should be cast iron except the disc brake shield which is black. The sway bar appears to be black as well as the coil springs. My question deals primarily with the upper and lower control arms. Were they painted black or natural steel? It looks to me like the lower was black and the upper was steel.
I think that some were left unpainted, but at their age and the scarcity of some parts I would sandblast, prime and paint them, then spray something like Rockerguard or bedliner on them. A rock taking a chip out of the paint can cause rust underneath. Unless it's going to be a museum piece, keep longevity in mind and paint the ever loving snot out of everything to protect it.
Plus black looks fantastic ;)
I plan on painting most parts with POR-15 after proper prep. Parts that were natural or some other color than black will then be top coated with a paint that duplicates the factory color. I'm not intending to make a museum piece but I do like trying to duplicate the original factory appearance.