Hello from the Alps (anyone know a land rover mechanic in the southern Alps?

Hi new Im new to the forum ! Also Land rovers..

I have always wanted a Land rover and just before moving from England to France a few weeks ago I purchased a 2004 disco 2. I live quite high and in the winter we get ice and snow and ofcourse salt on the roads.

Although my disco 2 looks to be in pretty good shape underneath I would like to give it the best chance of not being exposed to the salt.

I have had a breif look on the forum for guidance on the process of treating surface rust and sealing. Can anyone point me in the direction of a post that details the complete process I know I need to rub down the chassis treat the surface rust then apply waxyol or the other product like Dinitrol. What to treat and seal underneath and what not to !?

I would like to do a proper job and would really appreciate guidance to a post where its all explained. While its hot and dry I figure now is a great time to do it.

I dont mind getting my hands dirty and have plenty of time to do it.


Does anyone know of Land rover mechanic in the SE of France?
If I just paid a garage to do this what could I expect to pay?

Part of importing the vehicle to France I have read the VIN needs to be visible on the rear chassis leg. To my dissappointment when checking earlier no VIN is visible about 20cm to left of the fuel filter on the chassis leg. Does this just need sanding back? I took a wire brush to and didnt make much of a difference.. I went to a garage and the guy said he can repunch the Vin above where it should be, he said about 3hrs work!?. I have seen a post on this forum where the person had Sanded down the area to expose the Vin under sealer and surface rust.. I just contacted Land Rover for the certificate of conformity printed in French. And next I will need to look at changing the headlights if the evexisitng lights cant be modified?

Many thanks.

If I scrape/sand the area with the Vin can I do any damage is it worth a shot?

Or do I pay the local garage to repunch the VIN. The guy said 3 hours to strip it back punch the numbers and protect the area. He didnt say the hourly rate, I didnt ask.. probably be around €150 at a guess.
I went to four garages and not one would or can do the work to the underside, rubbing it down, treating surface rust and applying one of the products.

What do you think?

This image is from another post on the forum (not mine) my chassis looks like the areas not rubbed down. Im wondering should/could I do the same?

So with not alot to loose I went out armed with a chisel and 80grit sand paper and I found the VIN or Whats left of it. Only the last three digits are visible after rubbing down. Maybe I need to persist for the rest but looks to nothing left apart from the last three digit which are clearly visible. Will this be enough to prove the chassis is original!?

korthaldisco2 said:

If I scrape/sand the area with the Vin can I do any damage is it worth a shot?

Or do I pay the local garage to repunch the VIN. The guy said 3 hours to strip it back punch the numbers and protect the area. He didnt say the hourly rate, I didnt ask.. probably be around €150 at a guess.
I went to four garages and not one would or can do the work to the underside, rubbing it down, treating surface rust and applying one of the products.

What do you think?

Click to expand...

It's a crap job which takes too much time that's why they don't want to do it.
Stamp the chassis, are they allowed to do that?

the guy said he can stamp it Yeh. Not over where the old VIN was but above is fine. And with the invoice it wont fail the French contrôle technique because of that.

Tempted to drive the 1000km back to England and sell it

Also found a garage that punch my VIN for what I think is a fair price

It is a case of attacking the chassis and other steel components with a wire brush etc and then as you say treating the rust. Once that is dry (next day if you can wait) then Dinitrol is good as are many of the other branded sealers.

I like the Lanolin based coatings, Lanoguard is the main one although there are plenty of others on the market now which are just as good (EweStop is one I like a lot).
This coating does need a day or so to 'dry' and will need a re-coat (spray over) every year after the underside has been pressure washed to get rid of old muck/salt etc.
The coating is quite thin and can be squibbed into any cavities and any hollow sections you can find.

miktdish said:

It is a case of attacking the chassis and other steel components with a wire brush etc and then as you say treating the rust. Once that is dry (next day if you can wait) then Dinitrol is good as are many of the other branded sealers.

I like the Lanolin based coatings, Lanoguard is the main one although there are plenty of others on the market now which are just as good (EweStop is one I like a lot).
This coating does need a day or so to 'dry' and will need a re-coat (spray over) every year after the underside has been pressure washed to get rid of old muck/salt etc.
The coating is quite thin and can be squibbed into any cavities and any hollow sections you can find.

EWE STOP RUST® Spray

Ready-To-Use anti-rust trigger spray. Rust prevention spray for use on any surface or moving parts to create a nano-coating moisture barrier. EWE STOP RUST harnesses the incredible anti-corrosion and anti-seize properties found in the naturally occurring oils in sheep's wool to protect metal...

andermattgarden.co.uk

Click to expand...

This was done by the previous owner its Hammerite stone chip guard I think he said.

My plan is to strip off what I can then start again, its a very crumbly layer.

A freind suggested lanolin.

The bilt hamber products looks good.

Korrosol
Hydrate 80
Atom mac
Dynax S-50 for inside the chassis
Dynax UB for everywhere else.

Applied in that order.

voila

My concern is doing a half arsed job and trapping salt and moisture behind a partially sealed underbody and chassis and ultimately make it worse.

Is it worth paying a pro to do this..?

What should I expect to pay?