Underbody Rustproofing

[Wardair]

Car had MoT last week and passed but the inspector commented on the amount of rust and suggested I get the underbody cleaned and coated.

There are lots of companies in the UK offering this service with various procedures, products and highly variable pricing.

Have any SC430 owners had underbody treatment done and if so what company and product was used?

I did think of doing it myself with Waxoyl but then cleaning would only be a pressure wash and then some Waxoyl clear or black?

 

 

[PCM]

Back in the day I would agree...

Now I think, first of all inspect or get someone to inspect, to identify any rusty components first and then decide what to do with them, before... covering them up, as it were.

[2ddesign]

55 minutes ago, Wardair said:

Car had MoT last week and passed but the inspector commented on the amount of rust and suggested I get the underbody cleaned and coated.

There are lots of companies in the UK offering this service with various procedures, products and highly variable pricing.

Have any SC430 owners had underbody treatment done and if so what company and product was used?

I did think of doing it myself with Waxoyl but then cleaning would only be a pressure wash and then some Waxoyl clear or black?

 

 

Hi had my SC430 treated at https://www.southwestrustproofing.co.uk who had the car for 2 days, cost £670, rust removal and dinitrol treatment,

[Malc]

1 hour ago, Wardair said:

inspector commented on the amount of rust

so was there an MOT Advisory for rust ?

or is it just normal surface rust colouring effectively ............like all exposed metal areas would have

hiding it all up won't stop it is my thinking, especially if it's left to fester and get worse being hidden and not breathing

My preference is to just leave it all as is and when there's specific MOT Advisory issues then start to address those specifically

BUT I'm possibly in a minority on this issue tbh 

Malc

[Wardair]

4 hours ago, Malc said:

so was there an MOT Advisory for rust ?

or is it just normal surface rust colouring effectively ............like all exposed metal areas would have

hiding it all up won't stop it is my thinking, especially if it's left to fester and get worse being hidden and not breathing

My preference is to just leave it all as is and when there's specific MOT Advisory issues then start to address those specifically

BUT I'm possibly in a minority on this issue tbh 

Malc

Hi yes, car already had an advisory regarding one rear brake pipe corrosion under the wheel arch where it is exposed. I had checked myself and the inspector added 'corrosion to under body and suspension parts'. It is quite heavy rust and looks awful but there is no sign of any structural damage. He said he always adds advisories regarding the brake pipes because they are plastic coated and water can get underneath the plastic and rust the pipe unseen. Not sure if this is an issue or he is just being overcautious/covering himself?

I certainly am not trying to hide the rust, I want to stop it and protect hence not rushing forward with covering it with Waxoyl.

[Wardair]

4 hours ago, 2ddesign said:

Hi had my SC430 treated at https://www.southwestrustproofing.co.uk who had the car for 2 days, cost £670, rust removal and dinitrol treatment,

Thanks

[Barry14UK]

I would want to remove as much rust as possible, repair/replace any parts badly affected, then treat with chemical converter.  Thereafter, I would treat surfaces with preventative.  There are now better options than Waxoy.  There can be difficult areas to reach including inside sills.  For the latter I have in the past used an extreme duty anti-corrosion wax called dynax S-50 which is sprayed from a very large rattle can. It's from Bilt Hamber Laboratories and did well in comparative tests with similar products.  I removed the sill cover plates from my BMW and used flexible nozzle to spray before replacing these. (This generally applies to all marques). 

My thinking based on past experience, is that the earlier treated and protected, the easier and less expensive it is to deal with, so I wouldn't just clean off rust and hope it will not become worse affected, unless the car will soon be scrapped. You don't want to have to clean rust off all over again.  Suggest OP has a good look and considers doing himself, in need piecemeal and weighs this against cost of a professional job.

[Wardair]

18 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

I would want to remove as much rust as possible, repair/replace any parts badly affected, then treat with chemical converter.  Thereafter, I would treat surfaces with preventative.  There are now better options than Waxoy.  There can be difficult areas to reach including inside sills.  For the latter I have in the past used an extreme duty anti-corrosion wax called dynax S-50 which is sprayed from a very large rattle can. It's from Bilt Hamber Laboratories and did well in comparative tests with similar products.  I removed the sill cover plates from my BMW and used flexible nozzle to spray before replacing these. (This generally applies to all marques). 

My thinking based on past experience, is that the earlier treated and protected, the easier and less expensive it is to deal with, so I wouldn't just clean off rust and hope it will not become worse affected, unless the car will soon be scrapped. You don't want to have to clean rust off all over again.  Suggest OP has a good look and considers doing himself, in need piecemeal and weighs this against cost of a professional job.

Thank you for this info. I agree with your opinion regarding cleaning and hoping for the best.

I now have a quote from South West Rustproofing unfortunately the cost has increased quite a bit since 2ddesign had his SC done. I am now thinking it over but will probably get it done as it looks like they do a proper job, although I am surprised they only offer a 1 year guarantee?

[2ddesign]

12 minutes ago, Wardair said:

Thank you for this info. I agree with your opinion regarding cleaning and hoping for the best.

I now have a quote from South West Rustproofing unfortunately the cost has increased quite a bit since 2ddesign had his SC done. I am now thinking it over but will probably get it done as it looks like they do a proper job, although I am surprised they only offer a 1 year guarantee?

They also give after one year a free steam clean and repair any missing dinitrol caused by stones, etc that scrape the underside. After the first year its £50 for the same steam/dinitrol treatment!

[Malc]

so how much is this expected cost plus the second year's " top up "  ....  end of year 1 ..........   ?

and then guaranteed for how long ? ....  or just not guaranteeable ?

Malc

[2ddesign]

Malc   I have had my first free session and it will go in next month for the £50 clean and dinitrol treatment. Looking at my paper work the guarantee is for faulty work during the first application or treatment..........

[Localhero]

I have had various quotes varying between £95 and £1250 eeek! and some companies who cannot be bothered to reply? I had mine washed and waxoyled last year for £100 and intend to have it done every 12 months they did not remove arch liners etc but I know someone who paid £850 and  they didn't either!!! The garage who did mine (I live in wales) suggested old engine oil and sheep poo! 🐑  apparently it contains Lanolin😆

[Malc]

44 minutes ago, Localhero said:

suggested old engine oil

I remember at a classic car show a few years back there was an A60 Austin Cambridge .  with not many miles to be sure ....  and with an original engine slight oil weep from brand new .... pristine underneath from this protectoion alone ....  owner said he could never stop the weeping .  to huge advantage methinks

Malc

[adebendanchris]

On 4/21/2022 at 4:17 PM, Barry14UK said:

I would want to remove as much rust as possible, repair/replace any parts badly affected, then treat with chemical converter.  Thereafter, I would treat surfaces with preventative.  There are now better options than Waxoy.  There can be difficult areas to reach including inside sills.  For the latter I have in the past used an extreme duty anti-corrosion wax called dynax S-50 which is sprayed from a very large rattle can. It's from Bilt Hamber Laboratories and did well in comparative tests with similar products.  I removed the sill cover plates from my BMW and used flexible nozzle to spray before replacing these. (This generally applies to all marques). 

My thinking based on past experience, is that the earlier treated and protected, the easier and less expensive it is to deal with, so I wouldn't just clean off rust and hope it will not become worse affected, unless the car will soon be scrapped. You don't want to have to clean rust off all over again.  Suggest OP has a good look and considers doing himself, in need piecemeal and weighs this against cost of a professional job.

If you do go down the DIY route like Barry I can recommend Bilt Hamber. It leaves a clear film and provided good protection. I used it on my last car when I got an advisory regarding the brake pipes.  Once I cleaned off the surface rust it was simple to apply and I had no further advisories while I had the car. The flexible nozzle works great and I also used it on my wheel arches which appeared to work well. As ever it's a case of "pays your money and takes your choice" but compared to some of the costs above I think it's a good budget option. As with all these products access is the real issue and you really need a lift to be able to apply the product effectively (Although I did manage with a jack and axle stands last time). Overall I've always been pretty impressed with all Bilt Hamber products, as they do a whole range of car detailing and rust prevention solutions. 

[Barry14UK]

Just noticed that the dynax S-50 I suggested is from Bilt Hamber Laboratories at Billericay, so maybe very similar Adrian.

[Wardair]

Hi everyone and thanks for the various advice and suggestions.

I am still exploring the market and wonder has anyone had any experience with https://underbodyrustprotection.co.uk/ ? They are based in Buckinghamshire near Bicester and the photos on the website look good.

I really need to get this done this summer so will have to select a company soon or start doing it myself.

Martin

[Wardair]

Update: After a lot of research and discussions with various companies, during which I considered many different products including Waxoyl, Noxudol 700, Tetrasyl, Gravitex, Dynax S50, Dinitrol. Each company seems to have its favourite product/solution and it makes choosing one very difficult.

I did not want the standard black thick underseal look on everything which can look like a cover-up operation, so I explored other options with a local restoration company. I was also made aware that if you get it wrong the stuff can be a nightmare to remove.

I am closing in on getting them to clean the underside and treat box cavities with a wax based protector and the visible chassis/body with UPOL Raptor which is a very tough paint. Still not sure about the suspension arms but they are something I can probably do myself at a later date. The main aim is to get the under-body/chassis protected before winter.

Any comments pro or con would be appreciated.

Martin

 

[Lexiguy]

Hi Martin

The only comment is thanks 👏!!!

I have considered it but was always concerned about the implications of using the wrong one, feeling doing nothing was probably my best option.

A await your final conclusions with interest!

Anthony

[Dr Philip]

Has anybody actually had to have any welding done?

[Malc1]

17 minutes ago, Dr Philip said:

Has anybody actually had to have any welding done?

heaven forbid 🤣

Malc

[Neil E]

1 hour ago, Dr Philip said:

Has anybody actually had to have any welding done?

I'm sure a few of the older cars would have had a little work done on them to pass an MOT. There have been a few examples with a lot of surface rust, it's definitely worth addressing and protecting the underside of the car. 

This stuff was highly recommended.

[Bluemarlin]

The way I see it, there are 4 main options.

1. Pay someone to do a proper job - £600 to over £1000.

2. Do a reasonably decent job yourself, cleaning the underside and wheel wells and using something like Dynax UB/S50 for underside, wheel wells and cavities - less than £100 but several hours work spread over a couple of days.

3.  Spray the underside annually with something like ACF 50 - 25 quid and about 20-30 minutes.

4.  Do nothing and fix when required - No initial outlay of time or money, but potentially costly repairs later.

I went for option 2, which took a weekend and wasn't too bad.

Also, for those of who are fans of Bilt Hamber products, I recently found they also do something called Atom Mac. It's a rust prevention/protection product, as opposed to a rust treatment. Unlike ACF 50 though, it's water based rather than oil based, so is less messy and can be applled to all brake parts, including discs. You dilute it at 5%, so the 500ml bottle makes 10 litres. I sprayed it on my brakes, hub, wheel nuts, exhaust and in the engine bay.

[PCM]

15 hours ago, Dr Philip said:

Has anybody actually had to have any welding done?

Yes.. on my RX. ( Sub-frame )

[Mossypossy]

First thing I am going to do when I get mine. I know a guy who uses Dinitrol. His work is top notch. This is his personal resto project.