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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
Chassis clean
Hello All

My first post, so a brief introduction. FFRR driver in the week, but just placed an order for a 110 SW for the weekends which is due early December.

Chassis treatment seems strongly recommended. I'm in the North West, and the closest reputable treater seems to be Chassis Clean (I'm not going to attempt it myself).

However, I've only found a couple of mentions re Chassis clean by Defender owners. Can anyone recommend them for my new pride and joy when she arrives?

Many thanks
Post #362234 4th Oct 2014 8:35pm
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ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
Never saw that company mentioned on here. But their website surely looks good, and the step by step treatment process is well elaborated on. I would suggest you talk with them, and ask specific questions as to how they plan to treat your rear crossmember, how they will access/treat the bulkhead, do they plan to treat the front bumper, etc. All these should be treated with a specific soft transparant Dinitrol wax (forgot the product code) but you can find that in our Zagat sticky on the site. http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic10467.html
Ask them besides the wheels what else will they remove for access (rear lights for instance are an easy one), how high up will they treat the A/B/C piles, etc. and what do they plan to remove as interior trim to access that. Are they doing something about the doors, and will they remove the interior trim for doing so. (Also soft Dinitrol wax all this).
I also know that Dinitrol have an official treatment manual for each and every car, including the Puma Defenders, which they should follow. Carefully try to figure out if they know of such manual, etc.
By asking such questions you should get a good feeling about their approach, and then you decide.
The first company here in our area which I asked gave the wrong answers. When I asked them about how they would treat the bulkhead, the answer was that the access to that was not really possible as the engine was blocking it. Rolling Eyes
The second company here was just being expensive, but when asking when they had treated their last Land Rover, it sounded like 10 years ago....
Thereafter I even went all the way to Belgium to get it done, as Land Rover Belgium steered me in the direction of a Volvo dealer who also does Dinitrol treatment since ages now, and when speaking with the owner, I just got all the right answers.
Good luck, and look for the right company now before you have the truck, and get it all done right from new. Thumbs Up
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #362262 5th Oct 2014 5:32am
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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
Thanks for such a helpful and informative reply. Much appreciated.
Post #362273 5th Oct 2014 7:36am
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munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
reading there process looks good , I like the bit about spraying a wax first then the underseal

undersealing straight on chassis etc is a waste of time as far as im concerned as the water will get under it and rust away unseen

my late dad and I have always rust proofed our own cars from new and done a few customers cars as well , I have the same waxing guns as there using in the pictures on there process page

even if you have a brand new vehicle I would not want underseal sprayed on anywhere , it sticks well but water WILL get under it after time and all it will do is hold it there

there is two sides to rust proofing / coatings etc

soft coating (just wax) something you can scratch with your nail
good points , wont hold water, will self repair with time as wax creeps with heat . can be removed by steam cleaning if needs re doing , easier to check condition of metal undernearth , can be sprayed on gearbox/engine block NOT exhaust/turbo/manifold and can even be sprayed over damp as damp will dry through it leaving wax behind , creeps deep into corners and into welded joints , can be sprayed much thinner to soak in

bad points harder to clean as small bits of dirt will stick in soft coating , will need re doing in wear areas . repairs/maintenance easier

hard coating (underseal/stone chip )
good points easy to clean , maybe bit of noise reduction , harder wearing

bad points peels off in lumps , holds water behind , hides any rust starting , doesn't self repair , doesn't kill rust like some waxs that have a acid to kill rust , looks like your trying to hide rust , makes repairs/maintenance harder as normally thicker and harder to get sockets etc on bolts/nuts makes repair a bl@@dy pain , you cant remove as easy to redo , burns/catches fire if you want to weld anything , must be bone dry , doesn't creep , cant check metal underneath

any cavity has to be wax and a wax that stays soft


Last edited by munch90 on 5th Oct 2014 8:20am. Edited 5 times in total
Post #362277 5th Oct 2014 8:03am
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GUM97



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3555

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Stornoway Grey
Where abouts are you based? There may be a few other options in the areas too... Thumbs Up An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"
Post #362279 5th Oct 2014 8:09am
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landys1



Member Since: 04 Dec 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 134

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
Hi, I used chassis clean to do my 90 a few months ago - Richard (the owner) is very helpful. They did an excellent job with great attention to detail. This is not a quick spray over. Underside thoroughly cleaned, any rusty bits treated, then the two stage wax treatment, 3 days in all. Highly reccommended, the only downside is they have a very long waiting list, think I waited about 4 months for a a slot - but worth it! 1959 Series 2 Ragtop
1989 SWB Stationwagon
1998 300Tdi Hard Top and 2012 2.2 Puma Hardtop (at work)
2011 Puma 90 2.4 XS
Post #362280 5th Oct 2014 8:23am
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ericvv



Member Since: 02 Jun 2011
Location: Near the Jet d'Eau
Posts: 5816

Switzerland 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
The only thing I don't like in Chassis Clean process is that after the steam/water cleaning they let the car dry overnight with heated airflow. Overnight? I think to make the car bone dry you need much longer than that. When I drove my truck to Belgium, I first made sure it was fully clean already here in Geneva, then there was a warm dry week here, and I drove it in dry sunny conditions to Belgium, so the Dinitrol station got it from me absolutely dry.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o
https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I
https://vimeo.com/201482507
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw
Post #362283 5th Oct 2014 8:56am
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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
Wow - thanks all for your help and advice.

I'm based near Bolton.

Chassis Clean offer Dinatrol 4010 clear hard wax as an option. Is that worth it/a useful top cover to have?
Post #362292 5th Oct 2014 11:08am
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Cuthbert



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Up North
Posts: 1535

As Winter approaches I would argue that doing a high quality treatment in the UK is well nigh impossible at this time of year - unless your chosen contractor has a shed where ambient temperatures and humidity levels are appropriate and time is not of the essence.

The idea of someone jet washing/steam cleaning a chassis thoroughly and having the internals fully dried out in a heated shed overnight is quite frankly laughable. I'd wager their energy bill for getting the job done correctly would be more than they could charge for the anti-corrosion treatment stage.

As EricV has done his homework - read and learn. I note he had his vehicle done in the Summer and his chosen treatment would have flowed into the warm (dry) recesses of the chassis a lot better than tackling the job in Winter.
Post #362434 5th Oct 2014 8:24pm
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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
Cuthbert - thanks for your advice.

If I have a choice of doing nothing to the chassis until next summer, by which time it'll have been exposed to a winter of salty roads, or doing something straight away whilst not ideal, which option is best?

Or, do I just leave it completely and put a galv chassis on in 5-10 years time (I can't find anyone to have previously recommended this though).

Thanks
Post #362735 6th Oct 2014 8:39pm
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Tiger



Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Wales
Posts: 2265

2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Well my chassis is 10 years old and just starting to need a bit of love.

You have time Thumbs Up
Post #362741 6th Oct 2014 8:51pm
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adamatdraycott



Member Since: 11 Nov 2013
Location: Midlands
Posts: 299

United Kingdom 2014 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
I got mine done @ only 5 days old. Luckily between the 1st and 5th March was totally dry so my truck was lovely and dry... The 200mile drive to CSK helped to make sure Thumbs Up
Post #362743 6th Oct 2014 9:03pm
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RFT



Member Since: 13 Nov 2010
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 680

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Zermatt Silver
I had mine done a Chassis Clean, it is not just a barn with a lot of hot air, they have a small enclosed bay with pit and plenty of heat and correct ventilation. Their attention to detail was excellent.
Richard 130 Puma HCPU with an Artica 240LR Demountable Camper
Post #362749 6th Oct 2014 9:13pm
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landys1



Member Since: 04 Dec 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 134

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
captain_slow - I had same problem, bought my 90 last November. I just lightly sprayed some duck oil over the chassis every couple of weeks over the winter. Chassis looked as good as new in May when I had the treatment done at Chassis Clean. 1959 Series 2 Ragtop
1989 SWB Stationwagon
1998 300Tdi Hard Top and 2012 2.2 Puma Hardtop (at work)
2011 Puma 90 2.4 XS
Post #362780 7th Oct 2014 6:41am
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Fellrunner



Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey
Hi All

Thanks again for all of the advice so far received. I've now heard back from Chassis Clean, and they can't fit me in until March next year.

The consensus seems to be there's little point getting it done at this time of the year anyway, as conditions don't help in the preparation. Therefore I'm planning to give it a good coating with something like ACF50 and then get the proper treatment in early spring next year.

I'm a bit of an over-analyser, so would be grateful for any final thoughts and confirmations on the above approach.

Thanks again
Post #367974 29th Oct 2014 10:32am
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