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Underbody treatment
- Thread starter Pete
- Start date
Pretty sure those "rent a lift" places wouldn't appreciate the mess it would make either.
richiep
Club Member
I don't think Lanoguard is particularly messy at all; indeed that is one of its selling points versus the waxes that get sprayed on via compressed air at 90psi, creating all sorts of overspray and dripping.
I'd go a hybrid route personally, as I will be doing on the Celica and Project Dixie 240Z - Lanoguard underside externals, Dinitrol 3125 or ML (or whatever its new name is) in cavities. Helped by the fact I have multiple large cans of Dinitrol 3125 ready for schutz gun spraying already in the garage.
I'd go a hybrid route personally, as I will be doing on the Celica and Project Dixie 240Z - Lanoguard underside externals, Dinitrol 3125 or ML (or whatever its new name is) in cavities. Helped by the fact I have multiple large cans of Dinitrol 3125 ready for schutz gun spraying already in the garage.
Robotsan
Club Member
I was thinking of all the wire wheeling of rust and peeling underseal tbh! But maybe they would be OK with that.
Kieronpollock
Club Member
You can also use lanogaurd in cavities, disadvantage is a bit more smell for a few days
Robotsan
Club Member
Just going back to this subject.. now I've got the car, I can see there's barely any rust on the underside - just light surface rust on the subframe type pieces and suspension components, so good candidate for Lanoguard.
But - there are little areas where the factory underseal has chipped off, like these little oblong patches in the arches:
As there's no rust in them (yet), can I put paint something like Raptor stone chip in there to fill the gaps?
Then Lanoguard over everything?
Or do I risk trapping moisture under the peeling edges of factory underseal?
But - there are little areas where the factory underseal has chipped off, like these little oblong patches in the arches:
As there's no rust in them (yet), can I put paint something like Raptor stone chip in there to fill the gaps?
Then Lanoguard over everything?
Or do I risk trapping moisture under the peeling edges of factory underseal?
Kieronpollock
Club Member
Just make sure clear of rust and dry , paint with preferred protector then use Lanoguard.
Robotsan
Club Member
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I guess there'll be something in the engine bay attached to them. Thanks!
2 coats of 2K Epoxy primer on bare metal will stick like s*** and is in pervious to water. Its a great basis for protection. Seam seal any joints with paintable seam sealer. Follow with a Stone Chip like U-Pol Gravitex which can be sprayed either textured or thinned and sprayed through a primer paint gun to achieve a smooth finish. 2K Body colour paint to finish. Raptor is the latest thing and is proving popular but I have seen it peel off.
Robotsan
Club Member
Thanks Ashley! Is that ok for filling in gaps / holes in old factory underseal too?
Got any particular recommendation for the brand of 2k epoxy?
I'm wondering if I should perhaps go for a less permanent solution than you've suggested, as maybe I'll be getting the entire underside of the car stripped and professionally undersealed in the future anyway, and it sounds like it'd be hard to remove compared to the old factory seal?
I was thinking maybe something like Bilt Hamber UB, which dries to a dark brown/black waxy texture. But which can be removed with white spirit.
It depends on the type of underseal used originally. In your case if you have a rust-free car with decent protection already you could just epoxy prime the areas where it has chipped off and spot spray the Gravitex to blend it in. Removing all of the underseal is a big job . If you are doing with a bare shell restoration thats different.
Most 2K epoxy paints generally contain isocyanates so unless you have a breathing respirator you cant really use it safely. There are a few exceptions. I have used Rustbuster EM121 which is great but cant be painted over for 2 months. Sets like rock though!
Robotsan
Club Member
Ah, ok that rules out 2k epoxy paint then.
Can I still use epoxy primer though? Or is that the same thing with the same issue?
Removing all the underseal is a big job for sure. I'll just have to make sure I really pick it back away from the holes in the underseal so that there's no air pockets under the old underseal to get trapped by the new stuff.
Rustbuster EM121 is a 2K epoxy primer free from isocyanates and safe to use at home.
Robotsan
Club Member
Perfect, thank you!
richiep
Club Member
The epoxy primers such as the Spraymax and similar ones in aerosol form (MIPA, Raptor epoxy) are isocyanate-free. Likewise, the MIPA EP epoxy and its E10 hardener are not isocyanate-based (unlike their H10 hardener which is a different matter!). Caution is still recommended as with any aerosolized chemicals. I now do almost all my spraying with a Citation 4 HVLP system that has a 4-stage spray turbine AND a separate turbine for a supplied air mask. It sits out on the patio about 30ft upwind of the garage spray area!
George - I'd go for the Lanoguard. Thin, easy to apply and remove in a DIY context, cost-effective, and you can see what's going on. That offers protection that can be easily removed should you decide to go a more permanent route with a strip down and stonechip/raptor/whatever approach later.
The problem with thicker wax/underseal coatings, e.g. Bilt Hamber, Dinitrol 4941 (of which I'm still a big fan) is that getting that stuff off is a much bigger hassle. I hate the fact that my red Z's underside is undersealed. It was when I got it and I ended up just topping it up with light coats of Dinitrol to refresh the protection, but I'd much rather see the red-painted stonechip coating that I know is underneath and treat it with something like Lanoguard.
Once I've swapped the Celica's suspension over to the adjustable stuff I have, that car will be getting Lanoguard-ed.
George - I'd go for the Lanoguard. Thin, easy to apply and remove in a DIY context, cost-effective, and you can see what's going on. That offers protection that can be easily removed should you decide to go a more permanent route with a strip down and stonechip/raptor/whatever approach later.
The problem with thicker wax/underseal coatings, e.g. Bilt Hamber, Dinitrol 4941 (of which I'm still a big fan) is that getting that stuff off is a much bigger hassle. I hate the fact that my red Z's underside is undersealed. It was when I got it and I ended up just topping it up with light coats of Dinitrol to refresh the protection, but I'd much rather see the red-painted stonechip coating that I know is underneath and treat it with something like Lanoguard.
Once I've swapped the Celica's suspension over to the adjustable stuff I have, that car will be getting Lanoguard-ed.
Robotsan
Club Member
Ah ok, if you think that would be best then I'm happy to just do that! Was just thinking maybe it'd be good to patch the holes in the underseal. But yeah it makes sense to have something you can see through.
I should still try and pick off any loose factory underseal before using Lanoguard though right?
The only other concern about using Lanoguard now was, would it then make it a really mucky, greasy job when it comes to taking all the hubs and suspension off etc to fit the BCs and the bushes!?
IbanezDan51
Well-Known Forum User
The areas you see that the underseal looks like its pealed off may never have had underseal on in the first place. I believe they stuck tape over the majority of the welded nuts to stop the undercoating going inside the threads before building the vehicles.
Though I may be wrong...every S30 I've seen is the same.
Though I may be wrong...every S30 I've seen is the same.
richiep
Club Member
I wouldn’t have thought so - it dries to a thin waxy film. Plus, you can use their stripping product to wash it off I think.Ah ok, if you think that would be best then I'm happy to just do that! Was just thinking maybe it'd be good to patch the holes in the underseal. But yeah it makes sense to have something you can see through.
I should still try and pick off any loose factory underseal before using Lanoguard though right?
The only other concern about using Lanoguard now was, would it then make it a really mucky, greasy job when it comes to taking all the hubs and suspension off etc to fit the BCs and the bushes!?
Robotsan
Club Member
You know what, you're right. On one of those oblong gaps there was a weird bit of ancient looking tape with the underseal over the top. So that'll be it.
Robotsan
Club Member
Ok cool, that settles it then! Thanks everyone.