Chassis Maintenance

[s5tvr]

I'm not scare-mongering here, but don't think that when you take your car in to a TVR specialist for chassis maintenance work that they are going to sort it out properly in the day or so they spend working on it.

I did exactly that this time last year and I have no qualms about the work the TVR specialist carried out on the car, but it's not the same as doing it yourself. Sorting the chassis out is not a small 1 or 2 day job.

I decided this year that I would get the car up on stilts and have a good poke around underneath (phnarr phnarr !). What did I find ? - well at first I became quite alarmed as the more I cajoled the powder-coating with one implement or another the more it just simply came away - including some of the bits treated by the TVR specialist a little more than a year ago !. On the plus side I'm now really relieved as all my "poking" has revealed the chassis to actually be in excellent condition (mines a 98 Chim) i.e only very light corrosion that gentle rubbing with a bit of sandpaper soon brought back to shiny bare-metal.

I've spent a about a week just getting the more exposed parts of the chassis to the point where I can treat it with Frost's bare metal prep and POR 15. Next I will Hammerite (a bit of overkill perhaps) and then waxoyl.

It's a dirty, back-breaking task, but the satisfaction is knowing that the job has been done properly and will last for years and for that peace of mind there is no substitute.

Make it your next winter project and you won't regret it.

[Top Chimp]

s5tvr,I am covered in crap from spending all of last week (work for myself), and it will take all of this week, (came in a 9.00pm tonight) to degrease,scrape , rust treat,paint 2 coats,get rid of overpaint then waxoyl, oh and yes and remove, how could i forget 4000 cable ties and then have to use needle nose pillers to get them back on whilst working upside down.I also use yacht epoxy resin on the outriggers/mounts.
It is a nasty job on the axle stands, but i no it will be worth it when finished.
Like you said there is no way you can do this in a day.I'll post you a photo when its done between the cans of THANK GOD IT FINISHED beers.

The chassis though is very good and just flakey, the car has not been used in all weathers, but if left it would go down hill .

>> Edited by Top Chimp on Monday 13th February 23:25

>> Edited by Top Chimp on Monday 13th February 23:29

[s5tvr]

Top Chimp said:

between the cans of THANK GOD IT FINISHED beers and if left it would go down hill.

Spot on - you will have earned a good drink. The other thing I forgot to mention, is that if you use Hammerite it says on the tin that it takes around 6 weeks to cure properly.

[gf350]

I've just spent 3 days solid doing the bits behind the front wheels and halfway down the outriggers. Very nasty job but there’s a real feeling of satisfaction when it’s done properly.
I used some poly x sanding disks in an electric drill to get to the visible bits, sand paper for the rest.
Then coated it all in kurust for good measure then hammerite. I used a spray can of hammerite with the type of nozzle from a can of wd40 to do the tops of the outriggers.
I was thinking of lashings of under seal (which contains waxoyl) to protect it when it’s all dry.
Mine wasn't too bad, it’s a '98, 25000 miles, mainly dry use and waxoyled.
I wouldn't have wanted to leave it for too long though.
Just got the rear bit of the outriggers to do and a couple of other bits.
Whilst lying under the car covered in cr@p I did wonder why TVR don’t galvanise the chassis, still part of the joys of ownership I suppose.

[tvrbob]

gf350 said:

I used some poly x sanding disks in an electric drill to get to the visible bits, sand paper for the rest. Then coated it all in kurust for good measure then hammerite. I used a spray can of hammerite with the type of nozzle from a can of wd40 to do the tops of the outriggers.

This is the method I used last winter. Very hard to be confident that the tops of the outriggers are done. I used a long bristled brush to ease the waxoil onto the outrigger tops. Give the wishbones special attention, they are a known weak point.

gf350 said:

I was thinking of lashings of under seal (which contains waxoyl) to protect it when it’s all dry.

I opted not to do this and today I'm glad I didn't. I am able to examine the chassis to see if and when I should rework it. I doubt I'd be able to see enough of it if it were covered in black goop.

gf350 said:

I did wonder why TVR don’t galvanise the chassis

Apparently the process can twist the frame.

>> Edited by tvrbob on Tuesday 14th February 07:45

>> Edited by tvrbob on Tuesday 14th February 12:09

[chevtrev]

Maybe TVR only did hot weather testing.
Even the early 90's chassis's here are totaly rust free.

[gf350]

tvrbob said:

This is the method I used last winter. Very hard to be confident that the tops of the outriggers are done. I used a long bristled brush to ease the waxoil onto the outrigger tops.

You can thread a piece of sand paper over the top of most of it, get to it that way. I think if your prepared to spend a fair bit of time on it then there won't be any rust there. I used the same process on my 350i a few years ago. I later stripped the rear wishbones again to do a better paint job and they looked like new metal not 17 years old!!
The hammerite spray and kurust is definately coating the tops, I just put some cardboard on the floor to catch the excess.

tvrbob said:

Give the wishbones special attention, they are a known week point.

I just had new wishbones fitted as they wern't that expensive then covered them in waxoil, That was a year and a half ago and they are still rust free.

gf350 said:

I did wonder why TVR don’t galvanise the chassis

tvrbob said:

Apparently the process can twist the frame.

Yes, I heard this also, although lots of kit cars, lotus' etc manage to drive in a straight line, there is also at least one 350i with a galvanised chassis. If for instance Fiat, can galvanise one of their wings without distorting it I would imagine a chassis would survive the same process.

>> Edited by tvrbob on Tuesday 14th February 07:45

[Top Chimp]

Why i am under doing the chassis a thought i would grease the propshaft,steering rack e.t.c. So even with a fexi hose and the exhaust pan removed how do you get to the 1st U.J ? ., Or is it just the stupid angle I am at. Borg Warner T5 with GKN diff.

[gf350]

tvrbob said:

gf350 said: I used some poly x sanding disks in an electric drill to get to the visible bits, sand paper for the rest. Then coated it all in kurust for good measure then hammerite. I used a spray can of hammerite with the type of nozzle from a can of wd40 to do the tops of the outriggers. This is the method I used last winter. Very hard to be confident that the tops of the outriggers are done. I used a long bristled brush to ease the waxoil onto the outrigger tops. Give the wishbones special attention, they are a known weak point. gf350 said: I was thinking of lashings of under seal (which contains waxoyl) to protect it when it’s all dry. I opted not to do this and today I'm glad I didn't. I am able to examine the chassis to see if and when I should rework it. I doubt I'd be able to see enough of it if it were covered in black goop.

Your absolutely right, I'd only done the front section at this point, the back of the outriggers is a lot trickier plus the seatbelt mount gets in the way.
I'm using waxoil too.
Thanks tvrbob.