DIY chassis maintainance

[tomTVR]

Hi guys. I did a search but couldnt find anything comprehensive so sorry if this has come up a million times before.

I have had a look under the car and there is quite a bit of surface rust everywhere. Took a scraper to parts of it and there is plenty of solid metal underneath - the outriggers where replaced 2 years ago so they arent too bad but still a bit brown and flakey.

Is there anything in particular i need to know when doing this? I was thinking get the car up on 4 axel stands, wire brush all the rust away and clean off dirt and dust then plenty of red oxide followed by waxoyl or similar. The hammerite people say you dont have to remove all the rust as it chemically changes it - wouldnt hurt thought right? What about the top part of the rails that i cant reach - just spray as much as i can through the cracks?

cheers

[Barkychoc]

Some people on here will be horrified - but I had a scabby old cortina MK4 and went mental with waxoyl on the rusty bits - I just wire brushed it then slapped the waxoyl on - no paint was used - it was still going strong 2 years later with no further rust and I never touched it again, right up until I stuffed it into the rear of an Audi 80 in the rain.

I am not convinced about hammerite - it sets hard and can chip in my view.

I want something slightly softer - and I've seen POR15 mentioned - but I know nothing about it but probably will in the next 10 minutes with help from Mr Google.

Also there are acid etch primer paints - sounds good it eats into the metal slightly to get a good purchase on the metal.

Again I don't know much - although the Bilt Hamber stuff sounds good advertised in Classic Car Mags.

Any wisdom appreciated by me.

Chris

[Ray S]

Hi Tom I sand blasted mine,which at 150 psi leaves a silica coating on the steel then two coats of zinc phosphate primer & three coats of steel etch paint sprayed on.Probably OTT but I didn't
want any more trouble later on.The easy way & nothing wrong with it is waxoil which lasts on average about a year before needing redoing but will hold things back.Would pay you to unbolt body from chassis & lift off a bit to get better access to clean off.Good luck &keep us posted.Ray

Edited by Ray S on Friday 7th September 00:12

[ketvrin]

I used a 4 inch knife, wire brushes, a hacksaw blade (used like a drag-saw to clean the outrigger tube tops that I could not reach)to remove the scabby rust, one or two coats of Kurust to "convert" the remaining rust then two or three coats (it varied in places) of red Hammerite follwed by a combination of either or both Waxoyl and ACF50 (expensive but used in the Aero Industry) I think the thing that I used most of though was elbow grease

I would rather chew my own leg off than have to do the wholw job again, so whatever you do, do it right and do it once !

http://ketvrin.myphotoalbum.com/

good luck