Underbody Rust

[oldcodger]

Hi,

While giving my 06 rolla its 6 month check over noticed the rust getting a lot worse, mainly on the suspension parts but also signs around some seams and hard to get at places like the crash bars and other nooks and crannies.

Have tried various coating like Waxoyl and White grease but neither seem to last that long and the black rubber coatins just seem to hide the rust .

There are lots of good sounding modern coatings like Eastwood and Por15 but they all need things thoroughly cleaning before application.

Anything available that can get into those hard to reach places without having to get to bare metal first ?

[mart rotherham]

I certainly sympathise there Oldcodger.

The task of wire brushing rust off and undersealing  has never been a pleasant sort of task. The tedium of getting in to the nooks & crannies  is exactly as you describe. "We want to do the job thoroughly but access is the issue".

I have a 2006 Corolla estate. Unless we have owned a vehicle from new, we are invariably sorting out neglect by previous owners.

I bought a tool specifically for this job. It is called a Flexible drill shaft and there is currently one in Tool station at £14.79. Item No 28938. It is 915mm long. One end goes in your electric drill, and on the other end is a chuck. You put a wire brush in the chuck and away you go. Wear goggles & dust mask.

 

[Notoyboy]

Back in the 80s I used to use Waxoyl, but I only now use it close to rubber bushes & seals.  I used to use it on my Reliant Scimitar's chassis etc, but gave up when I found the lovely thick build-up of waxoyl coming off because the rusting had continued underneath (despite the adverts), and was flaking off.

Since then, on the 2 Citroens I ran for some 30 years, and on the present Corolla, I've just used waste engine oil, primarily on those areas which are showing signs of rust.  It's good in that it creeps, useful if you can't get the old paint brush into the nooks & crannies, but has the drawback that it must be applied sparingly, otherwise it drips, making a mess of the driveway.  Drips are no problem if you have a bit of rough ground where the car can be parked for a couple of days afterwards.

Used to do the oil application annually, but now more like 6 months if the opportunity arises (eg. car jacked up for other work).

I've tended not to bother trying to protect the heavier thicker suspension items, as there's so much metal there, and I don't want oil anywhere near the discs.

[mart rotherham]

When I bought a brand new Micra in 1992 I waxoiled it. The waxoil remained good for the 20 years I had the car.Original paint still on underneath after all those years. But, and here's the thing-I had used it from the car being new, and checked regularly. Also after being jacked up where the underbody gets scape.

On used cars, I stopped using it as like you I think old engine oil is better. If I bought a brand new car again I think I would still use old engine oil now

I don't ever recall seeing a rusty piece of metal lying around that had oil on it.

**The last can of Waxoil I got a few years ago was much thinner than it used to be back in the day.**

 

[oldcodger]

Thanks guys,

Had read that oil was not that long lasting and a bit debatable if you are part of the PC brigade.

Mart, seems that Toolstation flexi is no longer but machine mart have one for  £3 more, just the job for those tight spots.

Whats just been suggested from a guy whos used it on his car for years is this spray used in the Aircraft and Marine trades, comes as an aerosol or lager bottle for our own good hand sprayer.

http://www.flyingshop.com/corrosion-block-aerosol-12oz/

 

Might have to replace the rear brake pipes as that last few inches were they connect to the flexibles are not well protected and can see some rust patches on them.

Might clean up, but don't like taking any chances with brake and steering.

 

 

 

 

 

[Notoyboy]

Yes OC, I agree that use of waste oil for protection isn't so long lasting, in those areas that get the splash and road grit thrown up, but there's only the labour cost, and that's free

For that reason, I tend to smear grease on the steel brake pipework in vicinity of the wheels.

@ OC:  Re your rusting brake pipework, depending on how far along the pipe(s) the rust goes, could you consider just cutting out the affected length and using a coupler to connect back into the existing, assuming there's no handy connector in a convenient place.  I say this without knowing whether the main runs front to rear are each in one piece.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Yes, its not too bad around the wheel arches when doing the using brake services etc to spray stuff on ;  its more those hidden places right underneath. 

From what I have found out, if you do a splice the using compression joints with clean cut pipe ends ,they are not considered good enough, you need to use a double flare joiner, so that means buying a flaring tool, which is the real expense, depending on what type of flare is used.

The pipe and fittings are relatively cheap, so might as well do the whole length as seems they can corrode across the fuel tank and on the long  semi enclosed run to the front.

Unless someone can tell me in that other post, looks like I will have to split a joint to find out, and they can be real  nasty to get off !   Probably better to look at one in the engine  bay after a good soak with penny oil, cannot see them using 2 different flares on one system .

Should really speak to the local Mr T and see what price for the two pipes, but guess a hundred plus each..