Undersealing/ corrosion protection.

[peter thomson]

I've just taken delivery of a load of dinitrol to redo my car and to give Keith's VR4 it's forst coating since coming into the UK. Usually I have ordered from Frost as they have a bit of a monoply on Dintrol products but this year there was another supplier and because I wanted 10 of each product, corromax and 4941 underbody wax it resulted in a good saving .

From Frost total cost £264.96

From these guys http://www.rejel.com/category/55.aspx £172.50.

A bargain if 2 of you were recoating there VR4 or undersealing for the first time.

[AlanDITD]

You seem to know a bit about it peter, Is it relativley easy to do?

I did alot under the car in the last week or to and its not in bad nick under there. Obv its best to do it now before it starts to rot, but which parts are you actually undersealing?

The shell obviously but does that include suspension parts arches etc etc? Whats the best way to clean evrything and then treat the bits of rust that are there, some corrosive to remove the rust and then paint with a sealant?

Any help would be nice would like to do ine before the british roads kill the body work

thanks mate

oh any luck with the coilovers?

[Kieran]

Nice find Peter. Rustproofing these cars should be part of the maintenance schedule!

[peter thomson]

Ideally you need an air compressor to apply this stuff as it is a very fiddly job doing it by hand. I treat any rust I find with bilt hamber rust converter or vactan which I'm trying this year. I think Kieran has also used this one.
I power hose the areas of the car to be coated .Usually this is just the wheel arches as the rest of the areas underneath do not seem to attract much mud and are cleaned off with just a brush if dry. The car is then left to dry and then rust treated or rubbed down and painted. I'm using electrolox primer from Bilt Hamber which has a high zinc content and then corromax applied first and the the 4941 wax on top of this. I use just the corromax on the box sectons where water spray and so on can't wash it off.
I removed the arch liners to coat in behind them and dropped the ayc pump to get in behind it. Using the compressor and gun will generally get you into other areas you can't reach by hand.
Suspension parts are also coated but avoiding any bushes ,seals and brake components.
If your car hasn't been undersealed it should be done as soon as possible.

[AlanDITD]

Thanks for the info,

I dont think it has been don tbh. Any way to tell? it was all pretty gruby under there.

I dont have any access to an air gun either but i would imagine i can get it on four axel stands remove the wheels and do it fro underneath.

Can you buy it in aerosol cans?

Cheers

[peter thomson]

The floor pan will just have the paint from the factory on it with no underseal at all. You can buy it in aerosol cans but it's more expensive and you won't get as good coverage. You could hire a compressor from some of the diy hire shops and the shultz guns to apply the stuff aren't very expensive.

[White Lightning]

The new car needs undersealing as it has not been done since it landed from Japland last year. It's currently in a very good state underneath and I want to keep it that way.

This weekend, I am planning to remove the suspension to put the Teins on so it's an ideal time to underseal the all important wheel arch areas. I will probably do the rest of the underneath when the exhaust comes off.

I have been looking at this kit, on the website that Peter linked to:
http://www.rejel.com/product/10983.aspx

But, given that I am going to do this in two stages, I don't really want to hire a compressor twice. Plus, is it really practically to use a spray gun when you have just got the car on axle stands?

Are the aerosol cans any easier to use and are they really not a good option?
Also, how much do you need to do an entire VR-4 for the first time.

[peter thomson]

Far easier to use a compressor and you won't use more underseal than required. You'll get far better coverage and reach areas that are very difficult to get to if you don't have a compressor. Is there anybody near buy who you could borrow one from. Lidl and some of the similar store sometimes have very good deals on a compressor that will do the job.

That kit will be fine for the whole car. I don't like the spray tins very much after using a compressor.

[Nutter_John]

The new car needs undersealing as it has not been done since it landed from Japland last year. It's currently in a very good state underneath and I want to keep it that way.

This weekend, I am planning to remove the suspension to put the Teins on so it's an ideal time to underseal the all important wheel arch areas. I will probably do the rest of the underneath when the exhaust comes off.

I have been looking at this kit, on the website that Peter linked to:
http://www.rejel.com/product/10983.aspx

But, given that I am going to do this in two stages, I don't really want to hire a compressor twice. Plus, is it really practically to use a spray gun when you have just got the car on axle stands?

Are the aerosol cans any easier to use and are they really not a good option?
Also, how much do you need to do an entire VR-4 for the first time.

why not hire a workshop !!!!

[peter thomson]

why not hire a workshop !!!!

[gareth001]

Getting my Legnum from Newera in about 5 weeks and have asked if they will underseal the car on it's arrival. Thier answer was:

Undersealing is an optional but inexpensive extra. There are two choices: Either bitumen type underseal which is the black stuff and a permanent application (But it tends to trap moisture and dirt) or Waxoyl Undersealing, which goes on as a liquid wax which penetrates and lubricates & of course protects. The only downside to waxoyling is that it really ought to be applied each autumn – to maintain maximum protection. Having used it in the UK on my last car there before moving to Japan in 1998, I found it would actually stop corrosion, yet alone protect against it. Costs about £100 + VAT to have done at Brown’s.

I'm in favour of getting it done once rather than shelling out £100+ each year. When I had my MR2 a few years back it was bitumen type and I never notice any corroding after owning it for 5 years and driving throughout winter every year.

Is this trapping in moisture a big problem?

[White Lightning]

why not hire a workshop !!!!

PM enroute ... I had considered this option.

[peter thomson]

I've used it in the past and wouldn't again. The problem is if the stuff is damaged water gets in and the rusts starts and you don't know about it until it's too late.
Waxoyl is ok but as they have said will need to be redone more often .
The dinitrol products I use have a better rep and will require redoing less often as it is more resistant to being washed off.

Getting my Legnum from Newera in about 5 weeks and have asked if they will underseal the car on it's arrival. Thier answer was:



I'm in favour of getting it done once rather than shelling out £100+ each year. When I had my MR2 a few years back it was bitumen type and I never notice any corroding after owning it for 5 years and driving throughout winter every year.

Is this trapping in moisture a big problem?

[elnevio]

Getting my Legnum from Newera in about 5 weeks and have asked if they will underseal the car on it's arrival. Thier answer was:



I'm in favour of getting it done once rather than shelling out £100+ each year. When I had my MR2 a few years back it was bitumen type and I never notice any corroding after owning it for 5 years and driving throughout winter every year.

Is this trapping in moisture a big problem?

Seems a bit weird if it did trap moisture in...

But, you are in the right vicinity of Nutter_John. If I were you, I would forget about Newera/Brown's undersealing, and get it booked in with NJ instead!

[gareth001]

Seems a bit weird if it did trap moisture in...

But, you are in the right vicinity of Nutter_John. If I were you, I would forget about Newera/Brown's undersealing, and get it booked in with NJ instead!

Sounds like a good option, does Nutter John own a garage, or does jobs on the side?

[elnevio]

Well, he has his own unit (and there used to be a link in his signature about it - wonder where that's gone?!), and can undertake the necessary work at weekends.

You also have the alternative of Eurospec in Guildford too.

[Nutter_John]

I have my own unit that I offer out services to users of the club . done loads and loads of underseals and always use dinitrol as it is one of the best around

[White Lightning]

So, after having discussed this with NJ, I have decided to get the wheelarch areas done here whilst the suspension is off and then head up to The Garage later in the month to do the underside of the car as that's easier up on ramps!

So, products and questions ....

What do you use to degrease and clean the area like the wheelarch first?

Then, Peter, is this the rust converter that you use?:

http://www.bilthamber.com/hydrate80.html

And this the primer?

http://www.bilthamber.com/electrox.html

Having discussed with NJ, my plan for the wheelarch areas is ...

1). Remove coilovers and wheelarch liners.
2). Pressure wash the whole area. (would like to use a degreaser of some kind first but not sure what?).
3). Attack any rust found with a Dremel and then treat with rust converter.
4). Apply primer to some or all of the area (not sure on this one, should I use the primer over everything as the car has never been undersealed before?).
5). Apply the Dinitrol 4941 wax on top (planning to get 12x cans of the aerosol which should be enough for all 4 wheelarches).

Does that sound about right?

[peter thomson]

I just pressure washed the underneath as grease was not a problem and left it to dry for a few days.
Yes those are the 2 Bilt products I used.
I only used the primer where required
I applied corromax first and then the 4941 on top of that

Everything else as you have written Wayne

[White Lightning]

Cool, thanks Peter