Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Hi
What is the best way to clean out the scale, and paint and/or protect the insides of the chassis rail following master cylinder removal?
Leaking brake fluid has over the years stripped any coating it once had. Its currently sound but has the beginnings of rust and is full of grimy oily dirt.
Whats the best way to clean these out and then protect them?
Thanks
What is the best way to clean out the scale, and paint and/or protect the insides of the chassis rail following master cylinder removal?
Leaking brake fluid has over the years stripped any coating it once had. Its currently sound but has the beginnings of rust and is full of grimy oily dirt.
Whats the best way to clean these out and then protect them?
Thanks
-
- Minor Addict
- Posts: 621
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:32 pm
- Location: East Yorkshire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Clean all the crud out make sure there is no severe corrosion and spray it with waxoil type stuff. Make sure any drain holes are clear.
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Thanks for the reply - Whats the best way to get any crud out of the far ends of the leg? Floor cover is removed etc but getting it out of the far end?
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2646
- Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Cardiff
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Eyebolt tube gets in the way so it will be hard to get anything down there. If the engine mount towers are off you can cut a small hole between the 4 bolts for better access, otherwise you are down to flushing it out with Diesel/Kerosine since the eyebolt tube forms a dam that will keep water and crud stuck up the front end. Never going to be an easy task.
Cardiff, UK
-
- Minor Maniac
- Posts: 10908
- Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:05 pm
- Location: Hampshire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Once cleaned and dry spray inside the chassis leg with a mixture of paraffin/kerosene and engine oil.
You can spray inside the rear chassis legs by accessing the ends through the spare wheel well.
The paraffin/kerosene acts as the carrier and the oil acts as the rust preventative.
The good thing about the paraffin/kerosene is that it gets the oil down between the spot welds.
Use a preserving oil or a very diluted Waxol/paraffin/kerosene mixture and that is even better.
My Minor has been treated as such since new and the chassis rails both front and rear are in excellent condition.
You can spray inside the rear chassis legs by accessing the ends through the spare wheel well.
The paraffin/kerosene acts as the carrier and the oil acts as the rust preventative.
The good thing about the paraffin/kerosene is that it gets the oil down between the spot welds.
Use a preserving oil or a very diluted Waxol/paraffin/kerosene mixture and that is even better.
My Minor has been treated as such since new and the chassis rails both front and rear are in excellent condition.
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Thanks for the replies guys. Mine has a thick oily layer of dirt and who knows what else but seems quite rust free. I had thought i would flush out with degreaser & water - dry it out with a heat gun and the fact its high summer here before coating with waxoil or the kero/oil mixture. What are thoughts on that?
I just dont see how i could flush the dirt out by just pouring kero etc down it.
All opinions welcomed
I just dont see how i could flush the dirt out by just pouring kero etc down it.
All opinions welcomed
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
I have also purchased a garden sprayer which can get past the eyebolt
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Thanks for the replies guys. Mine has a thick oily layer of dirt and who knows what else but seems quite rust free. I had thought i would flush out with degreaser & water - dry it out with a heat gun and the fact its high summer here before coating with waxoil or the kero/oil mixture. What are thoughts on that?
I just dont see how i could flush the dirt out by just pouring kero etc down it.
All opinions welcomed
I just dont see how i could flush the dirt out by just pouring kero etc down it.
All opinions welcomed
-
- Minor Addict
- Posts: 762
- Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:10 pm
- Location: Brompton Regis nrDulverton
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
I made along vacum cleaner attachment using some oval conduit. Manged to clean out both chassis legs. I then got some clear pipe and pushed it all the way in the leg and sprayed loads of my waxoyl and oil mix into the pipe working up and down the leg. This mixture has always lasted well on daily cars that iv treated before. Hopefully my chassis legs will stay nice and rust free.
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 7679
- Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2002 2:55 pm
- Location: LEAMINGTON SPA
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Vacuum cleaner attachment has been mentioned - although I have learnt something new as I'd never thought to use plastic conduit but it's a great idea for rust flakes.
Degreaser is OK - but definitely not soapy water (washing up liquid is bad for bare steel due to salt content).
The tips about thinning the waxoil/oil down to penetrate spot-welded joints are great - best results are on a VERY hot day, and for a final coat of full thickness waxoil, heat it to get it to spread better
Degreaser is OK - but definitely not soapy water (washing up liquid is bad for bare steel due to salt content).
The tips about thinning the waxoil/oil down to penetrate spot-welded joints are great - best results are on a VERY hot day, and for a final coat of full thickness waxoil, heat it to get it to spread better
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
-
- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:08 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
Thanks Ray
Mine arn't all that rusty, Just very oil and with grime mixed in. Agree with you re salty water but what about plain tap water and lots of degreaser followed by a through heat gun dry out?
Mine arn't all that rusty, Just very oil and with grime mixed in. Agree with you re salty water but what about plain tap water and lots of degreaser followed by a through heat gun dry out?
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 7679
- Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2002 2:55 pm
- Location: LEAMINGTON SPA
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Cleaning / Protecting Chassis Legs
I've only used one degreaser + it worked very well on a caked engine and gearbox.
I don't know about inside if bodywork so I don't want to advise either way. Clean water is fine and drying afterwards is the only consideration - when it sits in a spot welded seam it will take a lot more effort to remove as it won't evaporate in a hurry.
So the only thing I can think of is warm weather - the heat gun will help but just don't burn anything!
I don't know about inside if bodywork so I don't want to advise either way. Clean water is fine and drying afterwards is the only consideration - when it sits in a spot welded seam it will take a lot more effort to remove as it won't evaporate in a hurry.
So the only thing I can think of is warm weather - the heat gun will help but just don't burn anything!
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block