Commercial chassis rust proofing...which one?

I've got a 1986 110 CSW that does have a solid, never welded chassis, but it's starting to look a bit surface scabby in places and I want to "catch it" now and get it rust proofed. With the best will in the world, I'm just not going to have the time to do a full DIY/Buzzweld job, so I just want to pay someone to do it.

Before'n'after look interesting in their approach...and also...erm, interesting from a website perspective! I can't say I'm filled with confidence on the approach of the business with some of the wording on there...but they are very local to me...the same town.

It looks like Rustmaster don't exist any more...and I thought that just using Waxoyl is a bit of a waste or time unless it's literally factory fresh.

Any recommendations, experiences or alternatives?

Hard-Drive said:

I've got a 1986 110 CSW that does have a solid, never welded chassis, but it's starting to look a bit surface scabby in places and I want to "catch it" now and get it rust proofed. With the best will in the world, I'm just not going to have the time to do a full DIY/Buzzweld job, so I just want to pay someone to do it.

Before'n'after look interesting in their approach...and also...erm, interesting from a website perspective! I can't say I'm filled with confidence on the approach of the business with some of the wording on there...but they are very local to me...the same town.

It looks like Rustmaster don't exist any more...and I thought that just using Waxoyl is a bit of a waste or time unless it's literally factory fresh.

Any recommendations, experiences or alternatives?

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Its been done to death on here mate and you will get lots of opinions on Waxoyl, Dinotrol, Bilt Hamber and bla bla bla. I think they are all much of a muchness to be honest and success is down more to preparation and application. Someone will be along soon to correct me though. Good luck.

As above, done to death and then some - do a search ....

Before and After are / were registered on here - his, er "insights" into "best practice", were, er, somewhat different to my opinion...

One thing I would say is don't waste your time with Waxoyl - used to be good, but not any more IMHO - I rate Dinitrol and Bilt Hamber equally .

Also, the rust you can't see is the problem - the rust you can see is almost completely irrelevant as box sections, I.E. Chassis members, rust from the inside out

Good Luck with your search.

I have been thinking a lot about this recently. My chassis is starting to go orange in many places and that 'catch it' term is exactly what I'm trying to achieve.

I was impressed by the review FunRover did for Dinitrol here: http://funrover.com/guides/how-to-use-dinitrol-to-rustproof-your-land-rover/ and decided to try it myself. My idea was to treat the chassis myself once a year without covering it into any gooey emulsion, but simply keep it fresh and kill the growing rust. Trying liquid Dinitrol RC800 didn't work for me as described by FunRover. It didn't cure into matt black or very dark and just formed a glazing over the rust.

My next idea is to turn to the pros to let them apply some new stable plastic/rubber like coatings, but that has one problem. I have a lot of mud in the chassis and simply handing the truck over to some guys who are gonna receive about 500 euros for a very dirty job, isn't enough to motivate them get all the mud from the chassis. That means I have to make sure that chassis are emptied and cleaned myself before applying something that will hide the rust.

One way to do that would be to drill additional holes in the chassis and try to wash out all the dirt myself. But then again the question of how well would a rust-proofing employee treat the inside of the chassis, which is the main problem of rusting (rusts from the inside). All I will be able to see after the job is completed is a nice and clean outside treatment of the chassis. These are my concerns :|

Stock_90_TD5_SW said:

I have been thinking a lot about this recently. My chassis is starting to go orange in many places and that 'catch it' term is exactly what I'm trying to achieve.

I was impressed by the review FunRover did for Dinitrol here: http://funrover.com/guides/how-to-use-dinitrol-to-rustproof-your-land-rover/ and decided to try it myself. My idea was to treat the chassis myself once a year without covering it into any gooey emulsion, but simply keep it fresh and kill the growing rust. Trying liquid Dinitrol RC800 didn't work for me as described by FunRover. It didn't cure into matt black or very dark and just formed a glazing over the rust.

My next idea is to turn to the pros to let them apply some new stable plastic/rubber like coatings, but that has one problem. I have a lot of mud in the chassis and simply handing the truck over to some guys who are gonna receive about 500 euros for a very dirty job, isn't enough to motivate them get all the mud from the chassis. That means I have to make sure that chassis are emptied and cleaned myself before applying something that will hide the rust.

One way to do that would be to drill additional holes in the chassis and try to wash out all the dirt myself. But then again the question of how well would a rust-proofing employee treat the inside of the chassis, which is the main problem of rusting (rusts from the inside). All I will be able to see after the job is completed is a nice and clean outside treatment of the chassis. These are my concerns :|

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All good points and worth considering.
For the cost of going to a "Professional", a decent 2nd hand compressor, gun and treatment (of your choice) can be got for around the same money. Then you have the means to retreat whenever necessary.

meego said:

All good points and worth considering.
For the cost of going to a "Professional", a decent 2nd hand compressor, gun and treatment (of your choice) can be got for around the same money. Then you have the means to retreat whenever necessary.

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Nailed it - this is one job that is always best done DIY IMO.

Meego, You are right! I should forget the paid way and do it myself.

I searched for 'drill chassis' on this forum, but everyone is talking about attaching new gear to the truck, not about getting the mud out.

Are there any known rules of thumb about this? I understand that no holes should be drilled to form a tight formation of holes in a straight line that can brake the chassis part off, but anything else?

Stock_90_TD5_SW said:

Meego, You are right! I should forget the paid way and do it myself.

I searched for 'drill chassis' on this forum, but everyone is talking about attaching new gear to the truck, not about getting the mud out.

Are there any known rules of thumb about this? I understand that no holes should be drilled to form a tight formation of holes in a straight line that can brake the chassis part off, but anything else?

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I would get the back end as high in the air as possible and power wash the inside through the holes that are already there until the water runs clear out the front (lower) end. You will have to ensure the inside is bone dry though before applying cavity wax.

Stock_90_TD5_SW said:

Meego, You are right! I should forget the paid way and do it myself.

I searched for 'drill chassis' on this forum, but everyone is talking about attaching new gear to the truck, not about getting the mud out.

Are there any known rules of thumb about this? I understand that no holes should be drilled to form a tight formation of holes in a straight line that can brake the chassis part off, but anything else?

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I simply drilled the standard chassis drain holes larger, 3/4 of an inch rings a bell?
The problem with mud inside the chassis is no matter how long and how hard you try you simply cannot get it all out.

My top tip for inside chassis treatment only is to mix new engine oil with std chassis wax and spary that inside annually, the engine oil mix will creep into the crevices and strengthening plates that are where the rust starts.
Treat the outisde with warm chassis wax again annually.

First treatment will use approx 2 maybe 3 gallons, then every year 1 gallon will suffice as not all needs retreating and sometimes not every year, but its doubtful any treatment will go 2 yrs especially where road spray can hit it and abrade it off.

Dont forget the bottom of the A pillar upright box sections have a tiny drain hole, this also needs making bigger, again enhien oil mix is needed here for the creep.
Warm chassis wax does creep but once it solidifies thats as far as it goes, whereas the engine oil will always be sweating away doing the job its meant to.

+1 for DIY.
I spent a while considering taking it to someone, but ended up doing it my self. It's not my favourite job by a long stretch but easy enough. I used Dinitrol and brought the more expensive Dinitorl gun, this was worth its weight in gold. Really good buy, lots of different attachments and lances and the hoses are really long. I probably went over the top with the amount I used but it should last! And as mention before, once you buy all the gear you can do it as often as you like.

Benpalmer, thanks for the encouragement! Where does one attempt a job this dirty? In a garage with lots of plastic wrapper on the floor?

Far away from anything you like, just in case. Its not paint spray so isn't greatly affected by wind. Rain would be a problem. You could do it in your garage, but as you said lots of plastic. I'd wait for a dry day and do it out side.

Spend plenty of time masking any thing you don't want covered, really the masking should be the most time consuming bit (along with cleaning). This was one of the reasons i did it myself as some out there mask very little and cover pretty much everything. Which is great for preserving the underside, but less helpful when working on it. Most the Waxoyl type coatings are soluble in fuel, spirit and oil, meaning they will not set and will thin out if these are added to the mix. I got my fuel filter covered in it, so every time I change a filter I get black crap all over my hands despite it being installed years ago.

I considered hiring a heated pressure washer as I read this gets good results, but in the end opted for standard pressure washer, seemed fine.

I had a blockage in the gun due to poor cleaning. This resulted in over pressurisation of the paint canister and the content going all over my face / head - was not good. That was the Shultz type gun, the Dinitrol version has a release that should stop this - I think. Either way cleaning the gear is worth doing right.

Try and get the vehicle has high as possible to aid getting into all the tight spots. I used the Raptor Engineering ramps, but I think there are some even better (higher) ramps out there.

benpalmer said:

I used the Raptor Engineering ramps

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Interesting - got a link by any chance ? ( I do ours on my 2 post lift, but the mess is, er, "tiresome" )

I've had a quick look on the website and it seems they no longer do them, could ask Phil to remake um, but a one off would be pricey. Maybe a nice welding project.....

The attached picture is my Defender up on them. The side steps (as seen in pic), make up the ramp section once re-positioned. Come with wheel chocks too. I'm happy with em, good design, very heavy though.

not sure they would be better than a two post lift mind! That would be perfect. Maybe on day......

Disco1BFG said:

Interesting - got a link by any chance ? ( I do ours on my 2 post lift, but the mess is, er, "tiresome" )

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Stock_90_TD5_SW said:

Benpalmer, thanks for the encouragement! Where does one attempt a job this dirty? In a garage with lots of plastic wrapper on the floor?

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Cheap tarp from toolstation park car on tarp and get to it, be aware the wax will still leak out of some holes for a few days so park somehwere you dont care about being marked, clear wax doesnt leave to much evidence, black wax on the other hand!

Galvanizing is hard to beat!

Gottschalk said:

Galvanizing is hard to beat!

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Very true, if I had to go back to the start and could off road the Defender for a extended period, that's what I would do.

benpalmer said:

Very true, if I had to go back to the start and could off road the Defender for a extended period, that's what I would do.

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I bought my 90 cheap because I knew it needed some chassis repairs, but after I got it home I realised how bad it was, went for a new galv one, was a bit peeved at having to do it at first, but its so nice not having to worry about rust or rust protection anymore. Also the mud seems to just slip off it when pressure washed, chuffed with mine!

Benpalmer, thank You for very informative posts.

Gottschalk, You can't do the galvanising yourself, right? It's like boiling the whole chassis in a large tub?