Jet Washing?

Very new to all this, so this is probably an extremely stupid question.

I have an 1985 defender pickup and will be starting some work on it this weekend.

First job, cleaning and preserving the chassis.

Before going to town with disc cutter and wire cup brush on the chassis, I was going to jet wash the existing dirt and what not first. I assume this will be fine, but are there any specific areas I should try not spray etc.?

Thanks in advance for your help!

JonnyRae said:

Very new to all this, so this is probably an extremely stupid question.

I have an 1985 defender pickup and will be starting some work on it this weekend.

First job, cleaning and preserving the chassis.

Before going to town with disc cutter and wire cup brush on the chassis, I was going to jet wash the existing dirt and what not first. I assume this will be fine, but are there any specific areas I should try not spray etc.?

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Try not to blast it into the alternator, air intakes, stuff like that, but I do it all the time, not had any issues. If it is a hot washer, keep temp down to about 60c, hotter can remove paint. And don't forget to do it again aftr rubbing down, to remove all the dust etc before painting.

The cup brush is quite good, but I always find some areas where hand brush, or even production paper, is needed.

And btw, if it is 1985, its not a Defender, they weren't made til 1990, it is a Ninety, or a One Ten.

Yeah I jetwash mine underneath every couple of months or more often if I think it needs it.

Like already said avoid the sensitive parts like alternator etc and don't linger with the jetwash over seals, lights, look connectors etc but other than that let rip.

Then get under and inspect, clean and grind up then jetwash agai. - you WILL miss bits as there are a lot of books and crannies under there. Then let it dry naturally.

Spot on!

Thanks for the reply's!

Cheers for letting me know about it being a 90 aswell. I saw this on the add when i bought it but it said Land Rover Defender 90. I'm assuming this is something many get wrong? Or do people just call them Defenders when there not?

Thanks

JonnyRae said:

Spot on!

Thanks for the reply's!

Cheers for letting me know about it being a 90 aswell. I saw this on the add when i bought it but it said Land Rover Defender 90. I'm assuming this is something many get wrong? Or do people just call them Defenders when there not?

Thanks

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Yes, many, and a lot go so far as to stick on Def badges. Mine has it original 90 plate, although older ones are badged Land Rover 90.

Myself, I am proud of it, it has more classic cred then a def, and in some ways I think they are a better vehicle, with the exception of the engines.

Turboman said:

Yes, many, and a lot go so far as to stick on Def badges. Mine has it original 90 plate, although older ones are badged Land Rover 90.

Myself, I am proud of it, it has more classic cred then a def, and in some ways I think they are a better vehicle, with the exception of the engines.

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Yeah I would argue that the steel in the chsssis is better in the earlier ones and seems to last better.

Now that is something I didn't know!

So when you see them all over the internet for sale as defenders are people just saying that because there more known and they want a quick sale or is it this a wide unknown mistake everyone is making? Because theirs loads I looked at under 1990 and they all said defenders the bastards! haha

It's a common enough mistake. Apart from those that know different leaf springs=Series and coils=Defender and enough get that wrong anyway

flat said:

Yeah I would argue that the steel in the chsssis is better in the earlier ones and seems to last better.

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Yes, and I think that has been the case throughout. From what I can remember my old sixties series had good metal, rusted very slow, if it did. Later s3 had much worse chassis, and I think the coilers have gone the same way, the modern vehicles chassis seem to rust very quickly.

There are some other little things with Defenders too, no hinges on screen, air intake is more prone to flooding from bow-wave of oncoming vehicles on flooded roads,service parts very cheap for 90, then there are the dreaded electronics that creep in as Defenders go on. 90 has an ideal level of electronics for me, none!

And all the little car refinements that got bolted on over the years add a lot to the weight, my 90 hard top only weighs about 1700 kg empty, ideal if you are trying to cross very soft ground.

I drove mine up a ramp and jet washed the inside of the chassis, loads of brown gunk came out, if you've got a hot wash it should soften any caked in mud