Underbody/Chassis Corrosion Cleanup and Protection

[Daaave]

Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice on what are the best options for tidying up the underbody of my Mk2.5. It's fairly rusty (maybe had a few adventures on a salty beach a few years back) and I'd like to get as much of the corrosion cleaned off and then treated with waxoil or whatever.

I don't want to go as far as stripping everything apart and powder coating the lot as I'm not that bothered and can't justify spending that amount of time and money on a cheap car.

I'll probably get a garage to do this for me as my space at home to work on the car is a bit limited, so something that's cost and time effective would be ideal. So what are the best methods? Chemical de-oxidiser, sweat and grazed knuckles with a variety of powered and manual wire brushes...? Something that won't screw up the rubber boots, bushes, etc would be nice!

Thanks.

[redgriff500]

Jet wash and wax oil should suffice.

[A2Z]

redgriff500 said:

Jet wash and wax oil should suffice.

That's what I did. Jet washed the underside myself then got it undersealed for £45 (Paul Sheard of Congleton)

http://www.chassisclean.co.uk/

There is this place. It's £350 though.

[paulmurr]

My 2003 mk 2.5 is starting to bubble at the rear wheel arches and sills so I need to get something done before it turns to a pile of brown flakes on the driveway.

[Daaave]

Thanks for the advice all.

A2Z said:

redgriff500 said:

Jet wash and wax oil should suffice.

That's what I did. Jet washed the underside myself then got it undersealed for £45 (Paul Sheard of Congleton)

http://www.chassisclean.co.uk/

There is this place. It's £350 though.

I think I'll look for a slightly more cost effective and closer example of the above. I'll start looking around classic car workshops.

[robgee1964]

Daaave said:

Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice on what are the best options for tidying up the underbody of my Mk2.5. It's fairly rusty (maybe had a few adventures on a salty beach a few years back) and I'd like to get as much of the corrosion cleaned off and then treated with waxoil or whatever.

I don't want to go as far as stripping everything apart and powder coating the lot as I'm not that bothered and can't justify spending that amount of time and money on a cheap car.

I'll probably get a garage to do this for me as my space at home to work on the car is a bit limited, so something that's cost and time effective would be ideal. So what are the best methods? Chemical de-oxidiser, sweat and grazed knuckles with a variety of powered and manual wire brushes...? Something that won't screw up the rubber boots, bushes, etc would be nice!

Thanks.

I did my MX5 on the drive, one end at a time using drive-on ramps. Its a fairly dirty, but worthwhile job.

The car had surface rust on the suspension arms and subframes. I found power tools were hard to get in effectively, so I bought a couple of stiff wire brushes and removed the loose rust that way.

I ended up using car plan wax/oil (similar to waxoyl), in black. (The black makes a nicer job than clear, underneath), and sprayed it using a Sealey wax injection kit. This has external and internal lances so while I was at it I did inside the sills and all other box sections, seeing as the MX5 has a reputation for rusting in these areas. If you can get in its maybe worth some chemical rust converter such as Loctite rust remedy, but the wax is designed to key onto rust anyway, so long as its not flakey.

By the way I've had the wax injection kit nearly 10 years, it does a proper job and I think they are still less than 100 quid. You can drive them off one a cheap 1.5HP hobby compressor. I've done several cars with it. Worth investing really since that way you can re-do it all every few years.

Never used waxoyl, the only other fluid I've used is the heaviest grade of Shell Ensis, which works really well, but tends to make more drips, so you need to put some paper down first.