Chassis Wax Oil Yes or No?
Discussion
I have used some different type of waxoyl just to treat the top of the outrigger tubes as you can't get to these easily. The stuff I used doesn't stay sticky when dry, but still stays supple like waxoyl. I'll dig out the name later and let you know if interested.
I haven't used it on the rest of the chassis as every year I check it, and I like my chassis clean.
I haven't used it on the rest of the chassis as every year I check it, and I like my chassis clean.
pac1uk said:
Does covering the Chassis with Wax Oil add any protection or does it just hide problems?
I would like get the underneath steamed cleaned, taking off all the Wax Oil and years of crap. I am sure it would make it easier to inspect and maintain.
Waxoil on clean non rusty metal is good and will repel water and protect. It will not stop rust that already exists though, although it may help slow it down a little.I would like get the underneath steamed cleaned, taking off all the Wax Oil and years of crap. I am sure it would make it easier to inspect and maintain.
1. If you can restore the chassis/ full body-off, then do it.
2. If you can do a three inch lift and paint with POR15, do it.
3. If you cannot do any of these, Waxoil will most definitely help protect the chassis, but must be done regularly.
4. Waxoil has been used to cover-up problem areas. It won;t repair rust, but will prevent it from getting worse if regularly treated.
2. If you can do a three inch lift and paint with POR15, do it.
3. If you cannot do any of these, Waxoil will most definitely help protect the chassis, but must be done regularly.
4. Waxoil has been used to cover-up problem areas. It won;t repair rust, but will prevent it from getting worse if regularly treated.
The angle plates off the chassis/outriggers that the body sits on only have small drainage holes and seem to be the areas where most corrosion originates. Waxoyl + the built up debris/dust it attracts like a magnet just seems to accelerate problems by trapping water IMHO.
It's spawn of the devil stuff IMO.
It's spawn of the devil stuff IMO.
A 4ft waxoil spray tube can be inserted in finger size holes above outer corners of outrigger frames in wheel arch to soak the non visible top of outrigger tubes. I use waxoil diluted with 50% white spirit to aid any rust penetration. Need loads of old newspaper on floor to catch the drips indicating a good soaking job.
These holes are then best blanked off to prevent ingress of salty road wash and dirt.
These holes are then best blanked off to prevent ingress of salty road wash and dirt.
Edited by EGB on Tuesday 16th July 13:29
chj said:
Having recently seen an untreated chassis on a '98 car on a ramp that had failed its mot, I'd definitely rather have waxoyl than not. I think a thorough annual treatment of the clear stuff works well, but por may be better.
98/99 cars are the worst though, isn't that the year the chassis company "retired" and it was brought in house.... without the appropriate experience :-)chj said:
Having recently seen an untreated chassis on a '98 car on a ramp that had failed its mot, I'd definitely rather have waxoyl than not. I think a thorough annual treatment of the clear stuff works well, but por may be better.
The 97 & 98 cars with the white powder coated chassis are often the worst corroding chassis of any TVR.I've seen old Wedges that are 10 years older with way more miles on them sporting far better chassis.
Back on topic, I think deep down we all really know the answer to the Waxoyl question.
Waxoyl is used when the owner cant afford to deal with the problem properly.
It's a way of putting the owners mind at rest, or at least making him feel like he's doing something to help.
The truth is if we had the money, we would all be sending our cars off for a full body off restoration.
So we should try a little harder to be honest with ourselves about this stuff.
Is it a miracle cure or even an extender of chassis life, or is it just a cheap quick way to make us feel like we're at least doing something to help?
Waxoyl makes working on your car a nasty business, and it hides what you would be way better off seeing.
Denial is a terrible thing but we all know the real answer to the eternal "shall I Waxoyl it" question.
The answer is if your the kind of person that sweeps the inevitable under the carpet, Waxoyl is your best friend.
If you want the chassis corrosion problem put to bed for many years, the only real solution is a body off restoration.
Do'nt live in denial getting that horrible stuff in your hair every time you work on your car
If you plan to keep the car, you're far better off saving up to get the chassis restored properly.
Personally never rated Waxoyl myself bit of a DIY quality product & never came out highly when tested over the years 
I prefer Dinitrol inj wax personally much more viscous and is a Volvo approved trade product ideal for all those hard to reach area's 
only downside like all these oily/wax type products is it does attract the dirt and is no substitute for treating and painting any shabby area's 1st 
7 years down the line from when I spent a week of evenings my POR15 treated chassis with Dinitrol in the hard to reach area's is still going strong with no signs of breaching/flaking/corrosion it will be at least that again before I will be needing outrigger attention IMO shame it looks like the inside of a plant/commercial fitter work-van though 
I prefer Dinitrol inj wax personally much more viscous and is a Volvo approved trade product ideal for all those hard to reach area's only downside like all these oily/wax type products is it does attract the dirt and is no substitute for treating and painting any shabby area's 1st 7 years down the line from when I spent a week of evenings my POR15 treated chassis with Dinitrol in the hard to reach area's is still going strong with no signs of breaching/flaking/corrosion it will be at least that again before I will be needing outrigger attention IMO shame it looks like the inside of a plant/commercial fitter work-van though Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 16th July 14:35
Sardonicus said:
shame it looks like the inside of a plant/commercial fitter work-van though
Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 16th July 14:35
Mine had been Waxoyled from birth.
So because I is lazy & in denial, when I got hold of the car I put it into these people:
http://www.chassisclean.co.uk/
They steam cleaned it extremely thoroughly, then de-watered & dried it properly for 12 hours with compressed air then heater fans mounted in their drying pit.
Which allowed me to see the Waxoyl had actually done it's job.
They then used a phosphate rust converter on any small local areas of surface oxidisation (mostly around some of the welds).
This was followed by a two stage Dinitrol treatment.
Dinitrol 3125 wax, followed by Dinitrol 4941 which is like a fluid underseal.
Very comprehensive, and probably extended the chassis life by another 5 years or more.
For £350 that works out at £70 a year on chassis treatment, I'd say that's reasonable value for what it is.
It may do it's job but I hate the stuff!!!!
All my tools get covered in it, it goes in your hair when you're under the car, well basically it gets every where.
It sticks to the chassis amazingly well, but it also sticks to everything else like loose monkey ship.
I now dream of a lovely clean painted or CORRECTLY powder coated chassis, when the body eventually comes off & it gets done properly I never want to see Waxoyl or Dinitrol on it ever again.
Fekin stuff, applied properly a good product like Dinitrol will definitely help extend the chassis life, badly applied though & you could easily be trapping water.
Chassis Clean did a good job on my car, but I must admit I absolutely hate that dirty sticky muck on my car
It wont get it next time, just a pressure wash every 12 months and a touch up with Por15 if I ever see a chip.
As the car came to me.
It had been Waxoyled all its life.
This is what it looked like after the steam clean, to me it seemed clear the Waxoyl had done its job.
This is the first of two coatings, the Dinitrol 3125 is a wax that penetrates into the areas you cant see.
The Dinitrol 3125 works great but apparently it can wash off after sustained spray from the tyres. So Chassis Clean then add a second sealing layer of Dinitrol 4941. This stuff is somewhere between a wax & an underseal.
It seals in the Dinitrol 3125 & offers good impact resistance from stone chips & other damage.
The whole treatment is self healing and very effective, but it's just not nice when have you work on the car.
Definitely a quality treatment
But you need to accept it's filthy stuff
Clearly not a problem for those of you who outsource your TVR maintenance though
It had been Waxoyled all its life.
This is what it looked like after the steam clean, to me it seemed clear the Waxoyl had done its job.
This is the first of two coatings, the Dinitrol 3125 is a wax that penetrates into the areas you cant see.
The Dinitrol 3125 works great but apparently it can wash off after sustained spray from the tyres. So Chassis Clean then add a second sealing layer of Dinitrol 4941. This stuff is somewhere between a wax & an underseal.
It seals in the Dinitrol 3125 & offers good impact resistance from stone chips & other damage.
The whole treatment is self healing and very effective, but it's just not nice when have you work on the car.
Definitely a quality treatment
But you need to accept it's filthy stuff
Clearly not a problem for those of you who outsource your TVR maintenance though
glow worm said:
Each to their own... I like a nice clean painted chassis, it's hard work to maintain but the way I prefer it.
Agreed 
Way better, but you need to start with a pristine chassis then keeping on top of the maintenance is a pain.
But there's nothing like a nice clean chassis
Did I really just say that
chj said:
^
Reassuring to see that waxoyl does seem to do its job. Thanks.
This is the very problem.Reassuring to see that waxoyl does seem to do its job. Thanks.
A car waxoyled from new, or not long after, will offer some protection, as some of the pics in the above post show.
The thing is at the first sign on any rust on the chassis, your local TVR dealer would suggest "A full waxoyl treatment sir" and she will be as good as new.............wrong, it puts off, sometimes for quite a few years, the inevitable.
Once the powder coat has been chipped etc, water can spread underneath the coating and cause havoc.
Also all the welds rust, as TVR never bothered to clean them properly in the first place.
Take it from one who has witnessed this first hand!
All tvr cars at some time in the future will need chassis work.The factory powder coating was c
p and even when scourced out, in the latter years,it still was not brilliant.Powder coating nowadays as come a long way and is far superior than when TVR attempted it, but from a personal choice its International 2 pack paint all the way.
If its good enough for industry, and especially the oil and chemical industry, then thats good enough for me.
Also with the inevitable stone chips its only the top one or two layers that get damaged. Put enough coats of paint on and your metal chassis should never be exposed again.
Touch ups once a year or so, or more frequent in the usual areas [wheelarch etc]and your chassis should outlive you!
A work colleague wants a griff and my advice was Buy one that has had at the minimum outrigger replacement, but better still a full body chassis repair.
Also told him to buy a Chimaera, but hey its not his fault he has no class.
Any that have been waxoyled need a thorough inspection....As do they all really.
Personally I prefer a clean chassis without waxoil and the like, white is also a good colour as you can see very quickly any areas that show the early signs of corrosion, a periodic view of the chassis, say every 6 months, is enough to detect any areas of chipped paintwork and will not be established enough to be a problem.
My front under arch without any horrible waxoil:-
The rear arch in the same condition:-
I cleaned up my chassis in January and 3500 miles later, it looks just as good!
My front under arch without any horrible waxoil:-
The rear arch in the same condition:-
I cleaned up my chassis in January and 3500 miles later, it looks just as good!
ChimpOnGas said:
glow worm said:
Each to their own... I like a nice clean painted chassis, it's hard work to maintain but the way I prefer it.
Agreed Way better, but you need to start with a pristine chassis then keeping on top of the maintenance is a pain.
But there's nothing like a nice clean chassis
Did I really just say that
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