Detailing World Forum banner

Recommendations for sorting this - underbody?

19K views 30 replies 9 participants last post by  Bigpikle 
#1 ·
Thoughts on how to approach this would be appreciated please



New shocks and springs going on, but the subframe and suspension have quite a bit of surface rust - thinking cleaning them up, coating (Electrox??) and then exposed areas need a wax (Dynax UB??). Not sure if the areas with bad surface rust need anything before coating - maybe Hydrate 80? Then I assume all box sections sprayed with Dynax S50?

Thoughts appreciated.
 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
I think that the BH products for this are up there with the best. Would agree with the Hydrate 80. I'd remove the loose rust via wire brush or similar, then Hydarte, then use the UB. The UB can be applied straight onto the less rusty areas. I have the same items stocked up ready to do our cars. I think the major item is the S-50, so that you can treat all the hard to reach areas that are often dismissed. If I was stripping parts down properly, I would go for the Electrox and paint option before then probably using UC, but on a daily that really isn't a viable option.
 
#3 ·
Thanks - this isnt a daily, and I might be able to do that from autumn onwards when it goes in the garage, but I want to use it for the rest of the summer - its a MGTF....

New shocks and springs going on in a couple of weeks but I'd like to do a bit of a tidy up ASAP. Its got all 4 wheels off this week so thinking its a good chance to get at the some of it while I also do the discs, calipers and hubs.

Is UB durable enough to be on those exposed areas?
 
#4 ·
My previous car was in a similar state with a lot of surface rust on the subframe. I removed the surface rust with wire brush and sandpaper and then coated with BH Hydrate 80, then sprayed with Zinc 182 followed with black spray paint. Worked great, the rust never returned. Hydrate 80 is a great product.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I don't think there's much point in the Electrox unless you can take the parts back to bare metal - the zinc is providing galvanic protection so needs to be in direct contact with the steel.

If you just want to halt the corrosion, the advice Pete Hamber gave me is just to wash them off with water and a brush, then when dried coat in Dynax UB (don't bother with Hydrate 80). Korrosol can drive water out without compromising the bond for UB. Of course you would then have to take the UB off down the road to do any other refurb or paint etc.
 
#7 ·
I don't think there's much point in the Electrox unless you can take the parts back to bare metal - the zinc is providing galvanic protection to needs to be in direct contact with the steel.

If you just want to halt the corrosion, the advice Pete Hamber gave me is just to wash them off with water and a brush, then when dried coat in Dynax UB (don't bother with Hydrate 80). Korrosol can drive water out without compromising the bond for UB. Of course you would then have to take the UB off down the road to do any other refurb or paint etc.
I just put the phone down to them as well - guess what, they gave me the same advice.

1. Power wash or steam clean to remove loose debris
2. wire brush anything loose
3. Dynax UB or S50 over the top of everything

What was interesting was that I had assumed the S50 and UB wouldnt be suited to bars, wishbones, components etc but they said the exact opposite. No point in going to stuff like Hydrate unless you get it back to bare metal, which isnt practical here, and far better to do what you can to clean up and then spray this and top up as needed every year or two.

Time to give it a go!
 
#6 ·
I take it you'd be doing it in situ?

You know what I'm going to say next already I'll bet...


...it might be easier in the long run to do it properly once and remove all the components and use a wire knot brush on an angle grinder to prep or have parts blasted and powder coated

:)
 
#9 ·
nope - not doing all that. Spent a while with Surfex and a wire brush and its much improved. Going to use S50 for cavities, , UB for the box section surfaces and components that are currently black and got some UC for all the painted metal areas that you cant see but I want to stay coloured - behind the bumper, front bulkhead areas, behind the lights etc etc. Big day of coating tomorrow I think.

Just polished the headlights, coated with D-Lux, sprayed the bumper inserts a first coat, painted the hubs and discs and calipers again and started wire brushing. Looking better....

 
#10 ·
so, after THE messiest job ever, which I totally under prepared for :( I got a good dose of Dynax into the front arches and wings.

UC on the silver painted body areas, all over the front end under the headlights, armature area, around the under bonnet areas where water can sit etc as well as the body coloured areas of the wheel arches and inside wings. Ended up spraying liberally and then brushing around as it kept just running and dripping on vertical surfaces.

After spraying - hard to see UC obviously but tacky waxy finish left :thumb:


and then onto the UB - more needed and I really should have bought a tin as well as a spray, but its a start and it 'sets' really quickly and forms what feels like a thicker hard wearing film than UC. Covers surface rust really well. Will get some brush-on and finish next time but pleased with so far.


Also decided to Deox-C the ABS bracket that corrodes the day after it leaves the factory... My Deox-C is about 7 years old and still in powder form but after 18 hours in the bath there isnt much change, and much less than I've ever seen before so wondering of it can go off? Anyway, here was the process...

Bracket removed - area cleaned and now coated with UC


Bracket before...


Bracket during....


This morning - after 18 hours - not much change and nothing like I've seen on other parts in the past :confused:
 
#11 ·
I also tried a different approach to some rust at the ends of the sills. I ground it back as much as possible with a wire disc on a drill and then found I had some Hydrate 80 in the cupboard, so 2 coats of that as per the instructions.

Not quite sure what to top it with now, but am thinking I will use Dynax UB and run it all the way up the lip of the arch where it is painted metal. The car sits fairly low, so while it will still be slightly visible it wont be a big deal and might just help reduce the rate of future corrosion in these areas.

Rust - I actually ground this back far more and past pretty much all the rust in the end


During


After 2 coats
 
#13 ·
could do with one of these to attack the rear calipers with I think! They look like they've been on the Marie Rose....

I was perhaps a little harsh on the Deox C performance. I took out the bracket and wire brushed it and was left with this



Now its getting a couple of coats of Hydrate 80 on the areas where there was rust or the paint is missing, and then I'll give it a good spray of Hammerite satin black.

Meanwhile, I fitted the 'tart' pack - all s/steel nuts, bolts and screws under the bonnet. All rusty manky bits gone now!
 
#16 ·
I'd agree with your initial comments about the Deox-C here's a couple of pics when I used it last weekend. First picture is the brackets just in and second picture is only 23 minutes later. I've got a video as well where you can actually see bubbles coming from the part as it's working :thumb:

 
#20 · (Edited)
Lots of stuff done since the last post....

New armature fitted behind the bumper to replace crash damaged original. Lots of Dynax UB and UC on the front end, front arches and suspension, subframe etc. 2 coats and it transforms the finish and protection. Arch liners cleand, 2 coats of AG Bumper Care and refitted. ABS bracket painted with Hammerite and replaced. All the nuts and bolts under the bonnet swapped to s/steel. Rusty areas of the arches primed with BH Etchweld and then painted with body colour matched paint - just the base and not a clear, but topped with a couple of coats of BH Dynax UC. Front bumper insert finished with 4 coats of bumper paint and refitted. Rear lights removed, bodywork cleaned up and replaced with original F light lenses that come with a slightly smoked lens that matches the X-Power Grey really well. Wheels back from a refurb and powder coat and co`ted with Dlux. Big transformation.

Sorry - lots of pics :D Thursday sees new discs fitted on the rears, new s/steel sports exhaust, VHS Bilstein shocks and springs fitted and a belts change. Cant wait.











Lights before






 
#25 ·
also my strategy with bikes :D You need less garage space for those as well....

This is my lot for now though sadly but my dad now owns my previous yellow GT and I want it back. I just dont have any garage space to keep it in though sadly. Stunning car and well tuned performance engine.

 
#27 · (Edited)
loads - I'll try and dig a few out and upload them. It was OK but a typical 13 yr old daily used car.

These show the general state of crud build up, but I dont have any good ones of the state of the paint before polishing, except a few showing the brillo pad finish on the bumper!

Not too bad from the kerb


Just green algae build up everywhere and totally filthy. Inside didnt look too bad but was equally dirty and took a full day to clean with an extractor. Surfex HD was the perfect product for cleaning all this in no time!

Best of the wheels - the others were all totally kerbed and chipped



sort of a 50/50 on the bumper







Bumper didnt fit properly


Turns out it was because of this - armature totally pancaked from an impact


needed the entire front end taken off
 
#28 ·
loads done today - new rear discs & pads fitted, new high performance s/steel back box and pipes, Bilstein dampers and new springs fitted, cambelt and VVC belt replaced & new water pump. She is running so sweetly now and the sound is amazing!

Time to get rust stripping and treating in the rear corners next.




 
#30 ·
Quads are a stupid expensive option on the exhaust, but why the hell not!

If you want an idea of the sound then Google MG TF Daytona exhaust. Proper British sports car sound. When its mapped you can add a pop and crackle on the over run as well :D

Bilsteins are a total revelation as well - they were spec'd on the original design but never implemented to save £££s. Transforms ride comfort with no loss in handling. Almost 300% of the volume of the original cheapo shocks and adjustable if you want to slam it or go racing.

Discs that came off....


Still need to paint the rear calipers though.
 
#31 ·
...and remapped yesterday as well. The differences in throttle response, torque curve and driveability are huge. Pops and crackles nicely on the over run now as well :cool:

Mods just about done now, although it needs a front splitter fitted really, and then just more work on rust treatment and protection on the rear corners. More Bilt Hamber time!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top