Rust opinions please....

[colonelk]

Ok, want advice really.

My carlton is developing some of the infamous car cancer on its rear chassis legs.....




Now, I was planning on attacking it with the anglegrinder + wirewheel attachment to hopefully pull off as much flakey stuff as possible, then undersealing it, to stop it from progressing too fast.

Now, this could throw up a problem.... it could make a hole! then Im in a whole lotta trouble (geddit?  ) as I have to find someone to patch it sharpish.

What do you chaps reckon? Attack it? Leave it? What? Any advice greatly appreciated.

[discojay]

tbh mate i would get it done now whilst it ain't to nasty, better now than when it starts falling to bits!!!

[colonelk]

yeah I know it needs sorting sooner rather than later. Its just the MOT is in May (I think) and Im thinking..... dont wanna start making holes where there were none if I cant get it fixed sharpish (low on funds)

Could just douse it in underseal right now.... might slow it down a tad. Hmmmm.

[carltongsi24v]

if its split then it will be a holed behind it

[carlton_mad]

if you cant afford to get it done now leave it be  if that is all there is then it shouldnt be a prob for the mot if you start putting underseal and stuff all over it it will draw attention and the they will feel obliged to look closer as it is i would look at it and have a poke but as long as it wont push through with finger pressure then it should pass (im an mot tester by the way)

[colonelk]

if you cant afford to get it done now leave it be  if that is all there is then it shouldnt be a prob for the mot if you start putting underseal and stuff all over it it will draw attention and the they will feel obliged to look closer as it is i would look at it and have a poke but as long as it wont push through with finger pressure then it should pass (im an mot tester by the way)

Thanks for the input dude, that was my exact thinking re: the MOT and undersdeal TBH.

its definitely strong enough to finger pressure, its not flaking away or owt. 

best start putting money in a pot I guess!

[bstardchild]

CONTENT WARNING!!!!!

That just loks like surface rust but

if you've removed the spring seats on a Monza GSE rear trailing arms they'll look like this.........





or like this





Shocking isn't it!!!

[Pedro]

I chopped mine out and replaced with 3mm (10g) steel plate, and Waxoyled it inside.

IIRC, there's three or four layers of steel inside the bit you can see, and mine were more rusty inside the section.

You'll have to do it one day, so might as well crack on, mate!

[colonelk]

I chopped mine out and replaced with 3mm (10g) steel plate, and Waxoyled it inside.

IIRC, there's three or four layers of steel inside the bit you can see, and mine were more rusty inside the section.

You'll have to do it one day, so might as well crack on, mate!

great plan! except I have no welder and I cant weld to save me life! 

Bloomin eck Mr BC! I knew monzas rusted everywhere but 

[bstardchild]

Bloomin eck Mr BC! I knew monzas rusted everywhere but 

Nah they don't rust everwhere - just where they do rust they do it properly!!!

- Sills - cos the sunrood drains in there
- Trailing arms - Cos the spot welded the spring seat on it
- Rear Valance - cos theres no drain holes
- Front Inner wing
- Rear chassis rails

[vauxhalljohn]

I know it aint nothing to do with this thread but the thought is just the same .

I`m going to make a start on my arches were the rust has just started to appear . Its not bad yet , but if i use a good grinding paper to take it right down to the bare metal .
Could I then repaint it with smoothrite dark red , before reattaching the sill covers ?.

And will it make a permanant fix , and not let the rust eat back through.?     

[Pedro]

Hmmm - in my experience, rust usually starts from inside sills, as they're not usually painted or Ziebarted. 

[vauxhalljohn]

i thats what i thought , but its on the bottom of the arch as it meets the sill on the drivers side of the car .its not sevre enough to eat rite through and the bottom of the sills are still strong enough and have not weakend enought for anything to poke through . Its mainly cosmetic than anything else.

But the bottom of my door is slightly bubbling along the bottom and will need a specialist touch to make it look new again . But not sevre enough to have the whole door re-placed.

[Pedro]

Nice sig, John - Happy Hallowe'en, Ladies..................
 

[Big Rod]

"What does baffled mean?!?!?"

[Pedro]

Hmmmm.........

Call My Bluff time I think!

Number 1 - A "baffle" (as I understand it) is to reduce the movement of summat in an enclosed space - i.e. baffles in a petrol tank, oil-sump, exhaust silencer.

Number 2 - "Baffled"  - not understanding a situation or conversation that is occurring in the immediate vicinity.

Number 3 - A "baffle" is a popular flavour of ice-cream in Southern California. Banana and waffle - "baffle"

Back to you Roddy!

[rugbyfan]

colonelk..took mine in for MOT today..faileed on jus that bit of rust..u have to cut the section of chassie out and have it seam welded or it wont pass MOT ..he told me the easy way and the hard way to have it done..but i promise u its exspensive

[colonelk]

wahey... oldish thread bump....

Well rugbyfan it got through its recent MOT with that rust, so I guess i was lucky. Doubt itll pass the next one, but hey.... then Ill buy a different car TBH. Getting more and more convinced my shell is a touch squiffy LOL

[colonelk]

BTW... all you MOT peoples..... whats the rules / regs for repairing chassis legs to MOT standard?

And yes dont worry my welding HAS improved since those old pictures! 

[Murph]

Any repair section MUST be applied with a continuous weld around the repair section for starters.

[carlton_mad]

Any repair section MUST be applied with a continuous weld around the repair section for starters.

this is mostly true but if a panel is spotwelded from new then a spot welded repair is acceptable

[Murph]

I stand amended! lol
Although for the chassis rails a spot weld is a big no-no right?

[carlton_mad]

weeeeeeeel ok yes it is unacceptable on chassis but sills etc are all good (along the bottom)

[colonelk]

So technically I could just patch it as long as the weld one continuous and good?

Whats the ideal practise?

[Murph]

I believe you can buy repair sections for the rails Mark.

Failing that you could cut a piece of steel to the right size, hammer it into shape to fit flush then weld away.

Obviously you would thoroughly clean and prep first of course.