Cleaning the inside of the chassis?!?!

[AlexD333]

Ok, so as we all know, a lot of us are a bit lapse on chassis protection, I have done my best to protect the outside but looking in the small holes of the chassis I can see rust inside :eek:

So what do we do?

The only access I can see is from the rear but it's a long way in!? :lol

[perelaar]

I'm doing the following:
1) Spraying as much sand, gunk and loose rust out with a high-pressure cleaner,
2) then spraying the inside liberally with Fertan (rust-converter).
Good thing is, the metal/rust needs to be wet when you apply Fertan, and it does not do anything to plastic, chrome, etc.
3) When dry, spray off the dust film formed on the Fertan, let dry again, and treat the inside with hollow space wax.

Stage 3 is half done now, outside of chassis and bottom of car need to be undercoated again as well.

[elty001]

I poked drain rods down mine then blew it out with an air line.
couldn't get all the way down but got a fair load of crap out of it.

[perelaar]

blowing them with air would be a nice quick way to dry them out as well - haven't thought of that before. Another reason to buy a air compressor ;)

[rustic]

I poked drain rods down mine then blew it out with an air line.
couldn't get all the way down but got a fair load of crap out of it.

It's amazing where those nappy liners come from lol...


I often wonder if those holes in the chassis are more of a pain than anything.
I guess if it was possible to totally seal all the chassis holes, and welds, bolt threads etc then you could pressurise it to test for leaks, and then either fill with oil, waxoyl, or pure nitrogen to stop rust before it can start.

I know not practical, but if it was designed into it from the drawing board, it would make an interesting project.
I know that there were galvanised LR chassis available, I doubt there was ever a Terrano one... That would be something lol.

[Banshee]

It's amazing where those nappy liners come from lol...


I often wonder if those holes in the chassis are more of a pain than anything.
I guess if it was possible to totally seal all the chassis holes, and welds, bolt threads etc then you could pressurise it to test for leaks, and then either fill with oil, waxoyl, or pure nitrogen to stop rust before it can start.

I know not practical, but if it was designed into it from the drawing board, it would make an interesting project.
I know that there were galvanised LR chassis available, I doubt there was ever a Terrano one... That would be something lol.

Don't get me started

You know I'll end up approaching a company to make one for us :lol

[perelaar]

If one were to go as far as taking the body, engine, drivetrain etc off the chassis, it could maybe be dipped in a rust removal agent.

Then out with the welder to repair whatever is needed, spray inside full of coating against rust, and seal holes...

Hell of a job though :)

[AlexD333]

So i need to spray in there, then apply that crazy stuff, then come to work with an air line and spray away if I can get in there... :o

[AlexD333]

If one were to go as far as taking the body, engine, drivetrain etc off the chassis, it could maybe be dipped in a rust removal agent.

Then out with the welder to repair whatever is needed, spray inside full of coating against rust, and seal holes...

Hell of a job though :)

Riiiiiick :augie ;)

[rustic]

Don't get me started

You know I'll end up approaching a company to make one for us :lol

Actually, there are quite a few Chassis makers within 5 miles of you...:augie

[briggie]

Actually, there are quite a few Chassis makers within 5 miles of you...:augie

green oval ? :augie:lol

[briggie]

rick took the complete body off a t2 if I remember correctly ..... surely would be easier to treat all the chassis then ? ..... just a idea

[AlexD333]

rick took the complete body off a t2 if I remember correctly ..... surely would be easier to treat all the chassis then ? ..... just a idea

Absolutely yes, if I had the equipment and skill to do this I would love to.

I would stand the chassis up and let it ooze inside, then turn the other way, all nooks and crannies covered, the thing would be indestructible. :thumb2

Infect, dunking it overnight in something would be preferable :naughty

[macabethiel]

Never tried it but often wondered if filling cavaties with building foam after rustproofing would stop the water getting in ?

[Banshee]

Never tried it but often wondered if filling cavaties with building foam after rustproofing would stop the water getting in ?

Thats a good call, can't see why that wouldn't work or if that would do any harm :nenau :thumb2

[perelaar]

Building foam would degrade over time (it is not meant to be exposed to light and water), thus trapping moisture inside. So in fact you would achieve the opposite...

[briggie]

Absolutely yes, if I had the equipment and skill to do this I would love to.

I would stand the chassis up and let it ooze inside, then turn the other way, all nooks and crannies covered, the thing would be indestructible. :thumb2

Infect, dunking it overnight in something would be preferable :naughty

just think of the jobs and mods you could do with the body removed from the chassis :naughty

[elty001]

Building foam would degrade over time (it is not meant to be exposed to light and water), thus trapping moisture inside. So in fact you would achieve the opposite...

I can second this,a big no.
my old Suzuki sj had a knackered screen surround so I took it off to clean up the rust and re paint only to find it filled with the stuff,once I started to remove it the surround was too far gone to repair and the foam inside was wet through.

[macabethiel]

Building foam would degrade over time (it is not meant to be exposed to light and water), thus trapping moisture inside. So in fact you would achieve the opposite...

Okay how about cavity wall foam instead ?

[perelaar]

I would honestly leave the chassis rails empty - apart from rust treatment and waxyol or so.

Far easier to clean, and weld if need be (imagine what would happen if you start welding a chassis filled with PU foam.

[clivvy]

can I add to this?

I want to do this myself, as ive got a little rust right at the back.

NOw, my car isn't a sunroof model, and I thought the rear of the outer sill rusted due to the drain pipes from the sunroof not draining out of the back.

soooo....the water that causes the rust on a LWB without sunroof, is that form the front?

Can I add a drainage hole into the sill, or should there be a drainage hole there already (I cant see one).

I want to do the Fertan thing, but need to ensure water is going to drain out first :thumbs

[elty001]

There should be holes in already.
Look at the seam where the inner and outer are joined and there is a few small raised sections along it.
Poke them out with thin wire as they are most likely blocked.

[clivvy]

There should be holes in already.
Look at the seam where the inner and outer are joined and there is a few small raised sections along it.
Poke them out with thin wire as they are most likely blocked.

hmmm..never noticed, ill take a look :thumb2

[makeitfit]

Regardless of sunroof drains there will be condensation on the inner side of all the side panels from time to time. All that wet eventually runs down to the lower body and then eventually finds it's way through drain holes into the sill. Then again it should go on and find the last hole in the series to the outside.
Having just gone "into" my chassis rails, I'm sorry to tell you all that there will be tin worms at work in there regardless of how good it looks on the outside.
UNLESS early intervention from Mr Waxoil or similar it's just a matter of time.
If anyone has plans to keep the T2 for any period, I'd suggest a right old session with a pokey stick and wire coat hanger. Poke into every hole you can find pref when the chassis is dry. Then high pressure air hose up any holes, then hoover etc.
After all that pressure wash as best as possible in the holes and at the ends of the chassis. Keep doing that till the water is clean ish I guess. Only then , and while the chassis is still wet, squirt in ones Fertan . Then a day later hose pipe it again, but not high pressure.
After all that any existing rust in there will have been neutralised and ready for waxoil or waste engine oil .
I think :rolleyes:

[solarman216]

Thats a good call, can't see why that wouldn't work or if that would do any harm :nenau :thumb2

Nooooo bad call, due to the unequal expansion rates of foam and steel as well as other factors, what happens is the foam no longer sticks to the steel so now you have a capillary gap which draws moisture every where, it is the same principle that draws solder into the gap between a copper fitting and the pipe, Rick

[Fez_uk]

Nooooo bad call, due to the unequal expansion rates of foam and steel as well as other factors, what happens is the foam no longer sticks to the steel so now you have a capillary gap which draws moisture every where, it is the same principle that draws solder into the gap between a copper fitting and the pipe, Rick

Not only that when you come to fix your chassis you will have to battle the foam from either burning or at least giving off nasty fumes.

[rustic]

Nooooo bad call, due to the unequal expansion rates of foam and steel as well as other factors, what happens is the foam no longer sticks to the steel so now you have a capillary gap which draws moisture every where, it is the same principle that draws solder into the gap between a copper fitting and the pipe, Rick

100% spot on.

Alternative coatings.
If you buy items with a plastic coating, eventually water will get in, and the plastic splits off easily, leaving the whole steel surface rusty.
Other than hot dip galvanising, or using stainless steel, there are not many options for the prevention of rust, other than waxoyl or similar products.

[AlexD333]

Even rustics inner chassis is rusty then :naughty

:hide:

[Terrano Steve]

I shot blasted my chassis (outside). Then I had to blow lots of shot rust & crap out of the inside using airline from road compressor.

Chassis was then painted with a couple coats of primer & a couple top coats of paint.
After this it was treated with 10 cans of dinitrol (similar to waxoyl recomended by classic car mag) bought as a kit supposed to be enough to treat a large car & believe me it is plenty.

You get 6 cans of 4941 which is for spraying on the outside of the chassis & 4 cans of ML which is sprayed inside the chassis. I also bought the spraygun from dinitrol which comes with a length of tube & a nozzle with 4 holes bit like a drain jetter.

Bit early to say how good it is going to be but I bought the newest Terrano I could find and wanted to preserve it as long as I can, only way I can see to improve it would be having it galvanize dipped but I do wonder how you can have a structual part like a chassis dipped without affecting the strength.

[jims-terrano]

How would galv dipping a chassis effect its strength?

Wonder how difficult or costly it is to build a chassis?

Wasnt there a member on here from Ireland who galvanised his chassis and eventually put the truck up for sale?

[briggie]

also , didn't a member totally rebuild a troll ?

[Terrano Steve]

How would galv dipping a chassis effect its strength?

Wonder how difficult or costly it is to build a chassis?

Wasnt there a member on here from Ireland who galvanised his chassis and eventually put the truck up for sale?

Galvanizing penetrates right in to the steel and softens it.
When you buy D shackles etc you will notice that galvanized shackles are not load tested / rated.

[Banshee]

Galvanizing penetrates right in to the steel and softens it.
When you buy D shackles etc you will notice that galvanized shackles are not load tested / rated.

So galv chassis are weaker than normal ones?

[Terrano Steve]

I may be wrong but I believe so yes.

[Banshee]

I may be wrong but I believe so yes.

I didn't know that :bow

[Terrano Steve]

Only basing it on what I have been told & any thing galvanized seems to tear easier.
You can also buy things like galvanized shackles and chains for decorative things like drive ways but you wouldn't be able to buy lifting chains or shackles that are galvanized.

Best go & put my non galvanized tin hat on now before I get torn apart.:spanking:

[Banshee]

Only basing it on what I have been told & any thing galvanized seems to tear easier.
You can also buy things like galvanized shackles and chains for decorative things like drive ways but you wouldn't be able to buy lifting chains or shackles that are galvanized.

Best go & put my non galvanized tin hat on now before I get torn apart.:spanking:

That's good to know mate!!!!! I knew those Land Rover blokes were doing it all wrong :doh

I always thought these galv chassis were too much of a miracle as if they really were all that then they would be fitted at the factory

[Fez_uk]

My rated shackles are either galved or some sort of zinc coating

[elty001]

My shackles are electro plated by the looks of them.
We use a lot of galvanised annealed steel at work and it's really soft and marks very easily.

[jims-terrano]

Best go & put my non galvanized tin hat on now before I get torn apart.:spanking:

You wont get torn apart by me, didnt know that.

[Terrano Steve]

Local clay mining company built around 3 chassis here for lwb series landies here years ago. It was decided they were too heavy so they didn't continue building them I don't know what gauge steel they used or if they had them galvanized but standard chassis didn't last long on vehicles that were used in the clay pits.

I imagine massive implications with vosa if you were to build your own chassis now though.

[firebobby]

I imagine massive implications with vosa if you were to build your own chassis now though.

Not to sure it would be a problem as you can buy a new LR chassis, it works on a points system...engine, gearbox axles, chassis and body :)