Outrigger Salvation?
Discussion
I have recently been looking for a TVR Chimaera after many many years of Tasmin/280i ownership. I already suffer from a recurring nightmare, where I'm sitting in my dream car, slam the door too hard and the outrigger falls off.
But, I would like peoples opinion on a possible suggested solution.
Could the void between the o/rigger tubing and car bodywork be filled/sealed with silicon rubber?
This could be achieved quite neatly using masking tape (if thought necessary as its hidden underneath anyway).
It should be possible to fully fill the gap just with a standard DIY hand dispenser (specially around the top/most vulnerable place) and hence prevent any future water ingress and corrosion occurring.
It might also help reduce any body rattles/shaking.
There must be a catch, but would welcome any relevant comments/experiences.
But, I would like peoples opinion on a possible suggested solution.
Could the void between the o/rigger tubing and car bodywork be filled/sealed with silicon rubber?
This could be achieved quite neatly using masking tape (if thought necessary as its hidden underneath anyway).
It should be possible to fully fill the gap just with a standard DIY hand dispenser (specially around the top/most vulnerable place) and hence prevent any future water ingress and corrosion occurring.
It might also help reduce any body rattles/shaking.
There must be a catch, but would welcome any relevant comments/experiences.
Unless it is done completely and perfectly, moisture will inevitably get trapped in there and do more harm than good. I seem to remember reading a thread about this before but the only one i can find is from the S forum:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Most cars went 10 - 15 yrs before the outriggers were shot, some more. My last car was still on originals after 17 yrs and weren't totally 'past it.' There are plenty of 20 y.o. cars on their originals too. There are cases of them needing changing earlier (much earlier some!) but undoubtedly received no proper cleaning or maintenance.
My point is that you need to view them almost as a service item. That said, if a new set are fitted and receive regular waxoyl coats as well as the underside of the car being kept free of saltwater and trapped mud and stones, they should last another 20 yrs or more. Yes I'm advocating not driving them when salt is on the roads. It's the only way I feel unless you wish to use one as your daily.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Most cars went 10 - 15 yrs before the outriggers were shot, some more. My last car was still on originals after 17 yrs and weren't totally 'past it.' There are plenty of 20 y.o. cars on their originals too. There are cases of them needing changing earlier (much earlier some!) but undoubtedly received no proper cleaning or maintenance.
My point is that you need to view them almost as a service item. That said, if a new set are fitted and receive regular waxoyl coats as well as the underside of the car being kept free of saltwater and trapped mud and stones, they should last another 20 yrs or more. Yes I'm advocating not driving them when salt is on the roads. It's the only way I feel unless you wish to use one as your daily.
I had the same idea Harry.
New outriggers then pump a suitable long lasting sealant up and around riggers and sealing it to the weather either side of tubing to body, you could actually coat the riggers in sealant if your a good mastic man but I'm not sure how effective that would be as stones will still create pin hole sized breaches and water ingress will still go on.
Pumping the right flexible sealant around the tops and sealing it off will create a non penetrating seal for sure,,, how long it will grip for is another question.
You also have to block off at the front and back, the plates the body mounts to are possibly the hardest to get a seal as you really can't see where your pumping the stuff. I'd over load it with mastic and use water/ washing up liquid and wooden tooling sticks to wipe excess away and it would look and be very water tight, getting the body off in future would be a mare.
Truth is most people would probably be put off by this window fixers fix,,, but it would work and some professional mastics are guaranteed for a min 10 years.
And as has been pointed out many outriggers are still in good nick so if they are coated with modern day standards they should last a long time without the need for mastic. It is a good idea though.
New outriggers then pump a suitable long lasting sealant up and around riggers and sealing it to the weather either side of tubing to body, you could actually coat the riggers in sealant if your a good mastic man but I'm not sure how effective that would be as stones will still create pin hole sized breaches and water ingress will still go on.
Pumping the right flexible sealant around the tops and sealing it off will create a non penetrating seal for sure,,, how long it will grip for is another question.
You also have to block off at the front and back, the plates the body mounts to are possibly the hardest to get a seal as you really can't see where your pumping the stuff. I'd over load it with mastic and use water/ washing up liquid and wooden tooling sticks to wipe excess away and it would look and be very water tight, getting the body off in future would be a mare.
Truth is most people would probably be put off by this window fixers fix,,, but it would work and some professional mastics are guaranteed for a min 10 years.
And as has been pointed out many outriggers are still in good nick so if they are coated with modern day standards they should last a long time without the need for mastic. It is a good idea though.
mk1fan said:
I'd rather drill some holes in the chassis. Tap them. The pour in a little oil. Plug hole with bolt. Should stop them rooting from the inside out. Then treat and touch up the chassis as required.
Probably too late for my '94 on original outriggers now, but I quite like this idea. 
I used a mini camera to look along the tops of the outriggers and all seems good. Also used a long thin screwdriver with the tip bent to try and push down to see if the rust/metal was intact. Plenty of solid resistance so happy for now.
The history folder shows the chassis as being treated regularly which must have helped. Plus being an early car, if the reports of better factory protection are true, the coating has worked.
But, drilling into the outrigger would also let me see the true state internally using the camera. Shall I? Shan't I?
Classic Chim said:
I'm sure you've got some thread cutting equipment in that box of yours 
Good idea too
You're a bad influence on me. Encourage me to spend my dosh on every little mod and rolling about on the drive working 25 hours a day on the car. As it happens I have a big box of taps.....;)Good idea too
N7GTX said:
You're a bad influence on me. Encourage me to spend my dosh on every little mod and rolling about on the drive working 25 hours a day on the car. As it happens I have a big box of taps.....;)
Bit of mastic on the threads,bolt will stay dry in there no bother. I'm sure you could go imperial for nostalgic effect
Leave it until after the great day
Great inspection hatch if nowt else
My first thought to this is very interesting and worth considering. My 94 car has always had a yearly scrape, clean up and waxoil which has helped preserve them so far, but have decided to have them replaced anyway for peace of mind..
Was considering that after replacement the whole channel area in the body that the outrigger runs in could be sealed with that structural foam that builders and window fitters use to fill cavities, thus only leaving unprotected the bottom part of the tube which could be inspected and maintained.
But after looking at where the rot is most common, behind and in front of the wheels I think that a splash and mud flaprrotector is all that is required, this is the area that all the road debris collects in and if not cleaned out will be the biggest cause of the rot
May change my mind once the outriggers are removed and the full extent of any rot will be revealed.
My main concern if I did fill the channel with foam, would be loss of value if I decided to sell, because I would be concerned if looking to buy with this done. The structural foam would be an ideal way of hiding problems, and would probably allow for the odd situation that the body would be supporting the chassis.
Andy
Was considering that after replacement the whole channel area in the body that the outrigger runs in could be sealed with that structural foam that builders and window fitters use to fill cavities, thus only leaving unprotected the bottom part of the tube which could be inspected and maintained.
But after looking at where the rot is most common, behind and in front of the wheels I think that a splash and mud flaprrotector is all that is required, this is the area that all the road debris collects in and if not cleaned out will be the biggest cause of the rot
May change my mind once the outriggers are removed and the full extent of any rot will be revealed.
My main concern if I did fill the channel with foam, would be loss of value if I decided to sell, because I would be concerned if looking to buy with this done. The structural foam would be an ideal way of hiding problems, and would probably allow for the odd situation that the body would be supporting the chassis.
Andy
mk1fan said:
I'd rather drill some holes in the chassis. Tap them. The pour in a little oil. Plug hole with bolt. Should stop them rooting from the inside out. Then treat and touch up the chassis as required.
Nice idea but in our experience they do not rust from the inside. The only time there is rusting inside the tube is when there is already a rust hole somewhere else in the tube.Steve
BeastMaster said:
I think that a splash and mud flaprrotector is all that is required, this is the area that all the road debris collects in and if not cleaned out will be the biggest cause of the rot.
Andy
This is what I did 4 years ago (8000 miles) after having my full body off to paint chassis (epoxy paint) and replace outriggers. Andy
I simply used a piece of rubber cut to shape and held with cable ties and sealant. It seems to have done the job stopping stones and mud getting trapped between the body and outrigger It also allows it to "breathe" by not not trapping any moisture.
When I refurbed the chassis on my 88 S1 I laid Denso tape over the top surface of the newly coated outriggers (basically grease impregnated cloth tape that utility companies used to wrap around steel pies before burying them in the ground - available from builders merchants. Tip - make sure to wear disposable gloves and overalls )
)This is how I have protected outriggers for the past 5 years. Cable ties & sikaflex are the order of the day. I'm sure I heard that a chassis with silver powder coat may provide better protection than the white for some reason. I'm still on original outriggers at 23 years, hope they keep going for a few more.
http://thumbsnap.com/x3C0Bqbs
http://thumbsnap.com/nrs2J3lJ
http://thumbsnap.com/x3C0Bqbs
http://thumbsnap.com/nrs2J3lJ
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