Under car protection

[Richardp]

A random under car question.

What if anything should I be doing to the stainless steel under the car.? While the suspension is out, should I be polishing it? Clear waxoil?

I only ask because it has rusty marks on some welds, and where mild steel bolts etc have touched it. This may very well be my fault, since I drove on the beach :-(

thanks for any tips

[Hairy Santa]

change them for stainless 

[paintman]

Bit of waxoil would do no harm or a smear of grease.....wouldn't worry too much if you can't see it and its only cosmetic.

[Richardp]

change them for stainless 

I've done some of that, but in the interests of structural soundness, I've been replacing one 8.8 bolt, with two A2 stainless. Some of the suspension mountings, and where there isn't room for another bolt, will have to stay. The bolts themselves, given a good coat of cold galvanising primer, and either underseal, or paint, should be ok.

Maybe I'm a bit paranoid about bolts shearing, but having worked on rotary compactors, and screw conveyors. I've seen far too much of that sort of thing.

[Richardp]

Bit of waxoil would do no harm or a smear of grease.....wouldn't worry too much if you can't see it and its only cosmetic.

I guess :/

Maybe the waxoil, that's easy at least. I did my daily with waxoil, and it got as far as the dashboard, and headlining.

[Richardp]

On giving this a bit of thought, I've decided on the following.

Where not highly stressed, replace 8.8 bolts with 2 of the same size in stainless, therefore maintaining the strength. Anything above an 8.8, or highly stressed, replace with the same type, and a good coat of zinc paint. Same for the non stainless bits of angle, plus a good coat of underseal, or stonechip, for good measure.

I'll give the underside a light coat of waxoil, after all that, just to protect the stainless.