Rustproofing

Ok, so there are a few threads on this, but thought another couldn't hurt!

Sorry for the quality of the pics, the flash is broken on my phone, and I kept forgetting my camera. Not to mention that it is actually really hard to take a photo of underneath!

Ok, so this is what is was like when I got it in Oct:




I cleaned it all off and it looked like this. I know it needs a new rear crossmember and probably some plating up on top of the rear, but that can be a summer job. The NAS towbar is completely rotten so didn't get any of my time!

I have a new bump stop btw.








It amazingly passed its MOT and the guy who tested it said that it was one of the better chassis he had seen on a defender its age. I put it down to the covering of mud, and the fact that it never really got salt on it.

So I spent a couple of days wire brushing it off and then set to rustproofing.

I used 3x 500ml Spray cans of Dinitrol ML for inside the bulkhead and chassis. I will put some more in when the weather is drier.

I used 1x can of Dinitrol 447 Black Stonechip for the rear wheel arches. Mostly to make it quieter.

Then I used 6x (yes 6) cans of dinitrol 4941 black undebody wax for the chassis and everything else. There are still some bits I need to put some more on, but will do for now. It is great stuff, but hard to get off your face!







Next jobs are polybush all round, suspension upgrade and steering damper.

Looks much better now!

Plus it'll keep it from getting worse, then you can repair the bits that need it in the summer.

Garybaker said:

Looks much better now!

Plus it'll keep it from getting worse, then you can repair the bits that need it in the summer.

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Yep, it is mostly solid. I am pleased as when I bought it I expected that it would need a new chassis. With a bit of plating and cleaning up it should last a while longer.

It needs a new floor in the back, so when I do that I will get the welding on the top done too.

Did you treat inside the chassis? Most of the worst rust problems start inside it. Tapping along the chassis with a small hammer [like the MOT man ] should tell you of any problem area's,good metal rings but any heave rust gives a dull thud sound, just try and see you will soon learn the difference. A good dose inside the lower door frames helps keep them going too.Cheers.

1.5litres of dinitrol ML isnt much in the chassis and bulkhead. I put 6 litres in mine, 1litre in the bulkhead and 5 in the chassis.

Looks ok, wire brush it back, treat any surface rust and weld up any big bits and cover with some protection.

tottot said:

Did you treat inside the chassis? Most of the worst rust problems start inside it. Tapping along the chassis with a small hammer [like the MOT man ] should tell you of any problem area's,good metal rings but any heave rust gives a dull thud sound, just try and see you will soon learn the difference. A good dose inside the lower door frames helps keep them going too.Cheers.

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I forgot the doors...

Yeah I did inside the chassis, but I didn't use loads as I still don't think it was quite dry so would be a waste of time and money. Will do the whole thing again in the summer.

I tapped along the chassis, most of it is solid with the exception of one small hole on the side under the drivers door, and the part just under the rear floor. It is still solid, but the metal has obviously started to split as it isn't straight.

I did the bulkhead until it was running out of the drain holes, so that should be ok.

i thought i was being clever when i did my bulkhead, i pulled a grommet off under the bonnet and shoved the lance in and sprayed for about 10 seconds before stopping. I then looked inside the car to see if it had come out any holes.

the grommet i took out just came straight out above the passenger footwell, sort of on the side of the gearbox area and had sprayed dinitrol all round the cab. took forever and a day to clean up and my car still stinks.......

flat said:

i thought i was being clever when i did my bulkhead, i pulled a grommet off under the bonnet and shoved the lance in and sprayed for about 10 seconds before stopping. I then looked inside the car to see if it had come out any holes.

the grommet i took out just came straight out above the passenger footwell, sort of on the side of the gearbox area and had sprayed dinitrol all round the cab. took forever and a day to clean up and my car still stinks.......

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Haha, thats great!

I just did it in the window wiper blanking things, then from, in the drain holes as high as I could go. I am getting some new door hinges at some point, so I will spray another load in when I take the old ones off. Not looking forward to that job, don't think any of the bolts are going to move.

On the positive side, there doesn't seem to be any rust at all on the bulkhead

When doing bulkhead remove a screw from the windscreen bracket and get some in.