Weekend Work

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 31 May 2011, 14:14

In a sudden outburst of enthusiasm I decided to investigate the rear underside of the XM which I hadn't seen. Hopefully it wouldn't be too rusty and I could check over the spare & cradle, change the Hydractive sphere, oil the H/C linkage and give it a coat of Waxoyl.

I took this photo because I thought it looked good on the ramps with the bonnet up.

This is how it looked after removing the usual bits.

So with a Bank Holiday weekend ahead I decided to lavish a few hours on the old girl. The best I could think of was to strip off a few bits and grit blast them before giving them a couple of coats of Hammerite followed by a coat of Waxoyl.

Steve.

Post by **RichardW** » 31 May 2011, 20:18

Nice one Steve...

No car work going on here, but ther are 2 weekends of hard graft ahead - which will involve playing with some proper boys toys

Car related though as at the end I will have a nice paved surface for working on cars rather than the weed infested muddy stoney 'field' I currently have!

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 31 May 2011, 20:43

Blimey Steve yur keen... Im not repeating myself again LOL... people will have to see your post on www.club-xm.co.uk if they want...

Paul

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 01 Jun 2011, 08:36

Thanks for the encouragement folks.

RichardW - Will we see some photos of work in progress or the completed patch? We're hoping to have our front area redone, which will be much tidier looking and better when the bad weather comes....

Anyhow this is how things currently stand.

The rear disc shields have now had two coats of smooth Hammerite.

The rear subframe 'spurs' grit blasted and given two thick coats of smooth Hammerite.

The trailing arms and calipers came up a treat too. These will be lacquered to help keep them clean.

I would be nice to have the time and money to strip the subframe off and take it in for shot blasting and powder coating. If I win the lottery maybe I will!

Steve.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 01 Jun 2011, 09:17

Bit late now but for underside work I would recommend something called Epoxy Tar it is what it's name implies sticks to bare steel and much else like the proverbial and dries a nice glossy black after which it is pretty well impervious to anything. Used as a steel primer amongst other things in the marine world, not cheap @£35.00 a litre but far superior to anything else I know for underside work.

cachaciero

Post by **Rhothgar** » 01 Jun 2011, 10:07

cachaciero wrote:Used as a steel primer amongst other things in the marine world, not cheap @£35.00 a litre but far superior to anything else I know for underside work.

Unfortunately, not designed for stone chips underwater though.

It will be interesting if you gave the forum an update at some time long in the future about its suitability.

With a name like Epoxy Tar, it sounds as though it may have a resilient surface which would be good.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 01 Jun 2011, 10:53

Rhothgar wrote:
cachaciero wrote:Used as a steel primer amongst other things in the marine world, not cheap @£35.00 a litre but far superior to anything else I know for underside work.
Unfortunately, not designed for stone chips underwater though.

It will be interesting if you gave the forum an update at some time long in the future about its suitability.

With a name like Epoxy Tar, it sounds as though it may have a resilient surface which would be good.

Stone chips underwater? no but resists chipping the barnacles off

Certainly considerably more chip resistant than Hammerite which I personally don't rate that highly.

The original VC TAR which I brought several years ago was in fact a mixture of Tar and Epoxy and slightly undercatalysed would dry slightly soft but in reality I have found that it stands up to anything when correctly mixed normaly hard.
In the boating world to get the stuff off requires rather aggressive sand blasting.
The latest mixtures have had proper coal tar taken out (might cause cancer!) and replaced with a synthetic tar, I hav'nt used this but all the reports I get / have seen say that it is as good as the original.
I have used it on bits of cars, e.g suspension arms and bits of boat engines, exhausts, steel injection pipes,and the like I have never had to re-apply it

.
Mind there are other epoxy primers which I suspect would do as well in the motor environment and may be cheaper.but they won't be glossy like VC Tar.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 01 Jun 2011, 15:57

Thanks for the info.

My first choice of paint would have been Epoxy Mastic (http://www.rust.co.uk/epoxy-mastic.cfm) but I hadn't planned to turn this into a long project, just something to last until Winter when I can do it properly. I know there's far better products than Hammerite but I've got a couple of tins on the shelf that need using up. Same thing with Waxoyl really, there's far better available, but it's not sold in the local shops.

Steve.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 01 Jun 2011, 21:38

steelcityuk wrote:Thanks for the info.

Same thing with Waxoyl really, there's far better available, but it's not sold in the local shops.

Steve.

That's interesting I use Waxoyl and have long felt that it was not as good as the stuff I used a hundred years ago so what's better?

cachaciero

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 02 Jun 2011, 10:56

Hi cachaciero,

There's loads of competing products to Waxoyl but all are more expensive and harder to get.

The next up the chain is Dinitrol - http://www.dinitrol.co.uk/, seems to be very popular with classic owners that don't have loads of money to spend.

Mil-Spec rust proofing wax can be found here - http://www.rust.co.uk/dinitrol-products.cfm

Some more Dinitrol and POR stuff here - http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-rust-products.html

Bilt Hamber products are supposed to be much better having greater capillary action and more resistance to salt spray, etc. - http://www.bilthamber.com/search-produc ... Prevention and here http://www.bilthamber.com/pro-introduct ... ynax%20S50

I've used a few other Bilt Hamber products and find them to be excellent so I'd be inclined to buy their Dynax products.

Steve.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 02 Jun 2011, 12:03

More progress last night but the photos I took this morning are too over exposed to be any use, except this one.

Disc shield back in place, existing bolts/washers replaced with stainless. When I've bled the rear brakes I'll put a smear of copper grease around the bleed nipple, brake pipe and nut.

Steve.

Post by **RichardW** » 03 Jun 2011, 07:52

steelcityuk wrote:RichardW - Will we see some photos of work in progress or the completed patch?

No doubt! Today is D-day. That's D for digging - machinery and large pile of hardcore is arriving later. So that's my weekend mapped out! Next weekend is a long one, and block laying arranged. If all the various things I have ordered turn up on the appropriate days!

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 03 Jun 2011, 07:54

These still aren't very good photo but then I'm not used to sunshine!

After seeing the finished effect the disc shields need painting black on the caliper side, at the time of painting them I was undecided but having seen them in situ it's obvious silver was a mistake.

Steve.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 04 Jun 2011, 00:01

steelcityuk wrote:Hi cachaciero,

There's loads of competing products to Waxoyl but all are more expensive and harder to get.

The next up the chain is Dinitrol - http://www.dinitrol.co.uk/, ------snip----

I've used a few other Bilt Hamber products and find them to be excellent so I'd be inclined to buy their Dynax products.

Steve.

Steve
Those links indirectly led me to all sorts of interesting places.

In short for underbody painting (not to mention boats

Moisture Cured Urethanes would appear to be better than epoxy's of any description and far easier to apply. If interested do a web search on MCU.

cachaciero

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 04 Jun 2011, 13:35

Hi C,

That does look like pretty good stuff, thanks for the info!

Steve.