Chassis protection - again!!!
Chassis protection - again!!!
Author
Discussion

pbrettle

Original Poster:

3,280 posts

305 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Chaps / Chapesses,

All this talk of rotting chassis and rusted wishbones has got me thinking again - dangerous I know! I would like to give it a go myself and I even borrowed a set of car ramps to get the car lifted enough to do the work. However, suffer one major problem - they are too steep and as a result wont go under the wheels (the bodywork gets in the way). They are pretty normal ramps so nothing unusual there - but how does everyone else do it?

Do you jack the car up? Or use special ramps? Are some of you lucky enough to have inspection pits or complete car ramps? Suggestions welcome really... not sure the best way to get the car lifted enough to get under....

Cheers,

Paul

ABBTVR

69,324 posts

280 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Hi, if you haven't got a mate in the garage trade FIND ONE!
Get it on a proper ramp overhead, its also far safer.

Not much help to you I know.

Big Al.

>> Edited by ABBTVR (moderator) on Tuesday 18th March 17:32

pddmac

142 posts

283 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
I#m afraid the man's entirely correct, the approach and departure angle of these acars makes it ni on impossible to access unless on a lift/ramp, and its the safest way given the forces required to unlock those bushes, good luck........

tweety

829 posts

281 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
I did mine by jacking up each corner of the car and putting axle stands underneath. You could also try putting planks of wood up the ramps to lessen the angle.
cheers Al.

townie

22 posts

277 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Don't Halfords rent out a ramp space for peolpe to use?
And once your cars in the air, what are you going to put on your chassis to protect it?

Jon
www.tvrbodyrepairs.com

schimg

1,923 posts

275 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Well Tweety yours is mine now if you see what I mean... I have just picked up a set of ramps..to do the chasis again! Looks like I may need to re-think my strategy just now, axle stands all round it is then!

silver500chimp

85 posts

285 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Just done mine, I just put it on axle stands front first then rear. There is enough room then to get under with the old wire brush, hamerite and waxoyl although you will get rust in your eyes! Found the drivers side to be the worst. Hard work but worth doing!

beljames

285 posts

289 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Place flat wooden boards on the floor in front of the wheels. Drive onto them and then position the ramps in front of them. The boards should provide enough lift to get onto the ramps (is how I did it). This will get you pretty much 3/4 of the way back along the car in a horrible unpleasant environment. Make sure your ramps are wide enough for the tyres!

Wear goggles and a mask.

Best way to do the rear (without a pit or a four-poster) is to jack up the rear (on a chassis main beam) and axle stand the car close to the main beam on each rear cross member. With the rear road wheels removed you get pretty good access.

Send me an email and I'll send you the 'whole story'...

>> Edited by beljames on Tuesday 18th March 20:59

pbrettle

Original Poster:

3,280 posts

305 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Sounds like I am going to have to get down and dirty under my baby... with glasses on!!

Will try the plank thing and give it a go. Have goggles and protective suit ready. Just need the industrial size tin of Hammerite and a couple of wire brushes now! Done an old MG before and a Mini too.... the funny thing was that the rest of the car fell of the Mini but the bits covered with Hammerite were fine... probably the paint holding it together though!!!

I post up pictures and progress when I get aroundtuit...

Cheers,

Paul

chassis

300 posts

288 months

Tuesday 18th March 2003
quotequote all
Why do I need protecting?
Is it because of the war?

Leadfoot

1,910 posts

303 months

Wednesday 19th March 2003
quotequote all

chassis said: Why do I need protecting?


Only from yerself mate!

alex200mph

510 posts

287 months

Saturday 22nd March 2003
quotequote all
I drive mine onto bricks at the front and then jack up from there. I have been doing rather a lot of work getting my chassis prestine condition so if you have any probs let me know.

I have used a range of tools, electric and manual to remove the rust. Then I use Kurust by hammerine which kills any rust you may have left and acts as a nice sort of primer. Then I give it a coat of Red oxide primer again by hammerite. Next I top coat with hammerite smooth. Waxole applicabe places after this.

What I did was jack the car up at the front for a few weeks, cut all the tie wraps off holding the brake lines etc on. Grind, brush etc off all the rust then go through the painting regime I have stated above. After its dry re-new all the tie wraps with nice new ones. You will find on the front that the very front wishbone lug will act as a water tap against the fibreglass butting up against it. In additon where the outrigger supports behind the front wheels come out of the main chassis rail there is a diagonal peice of sheet metal gusset, above this gusset on the main chassis rail is a weak point. get you hands round the back and check the powder coating.

Am currently in the middle of de rusting the back having taken the exhaust off (modding it at the same time). What I have done also is to take the rear anti roll bar brakets off and dipped them and the bolts in a rust remover for a few nights, they have come up like new. Round the rear anti roll bar brackets on the main chassis rail seem a weak point too. Following the same routine of getting rid of the rust and overpainting.

hope this helps in some way
cheers
alex