# Chassis corrosion treatment and maintenance



## Sandie (Jul 29, 2012)

Hello all,

My van is a Chausson Welcome 50  - (Fiat Ducato 2.3)  I have owned it for 6 years, it will be 10 years old in November. The underneath of the chassis is coated with a thick, grey, slightly rubbery paint, which I assume was as manufactured. In places, especially on the sharp edges of the seams, this has failed and rust is making an appearance. What is the best way to tackle this before any serious damage is done? Can you buy an equivalent of the original manufacturer's coating? Once the corrosion has been dealt with, is Waxoyl the best option, or would I be better just to keep on top of any future paint erosion?

Any help gratefully received!
Sandie


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## witzend (Jul 29, 2012)

Hi Sandy personally I like the waxoyl option and always have given my vehicles a good coating topping it up every now and then and am sure it helps keep them rust free to a certain extent. Probably would have been better applied 6 yrs ago though


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## Canalsman (Jul 30, 2012)

I had my Elddis professionally treated a year or so after purchase.

I also own an MG TF, and the guy who rustproofed the MG also does motorhomes.

The cost? £330 for my Elddis for a complete underseal, and waxoyl treatment of all body cavities i.e. sills, doors etc. This was 18 months ago.

The business is owned and run by a young man called Joe (hence JR), and he's brilliant.

Can't recommend him highly enough.

The business operates in Askern near Doncaster, which is an easy travel for you.

This is his website:

JR Classics - Vehicle Rustproofing and Valeting Services

Regards

Chris


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## Sandie (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks, Chris. I will give him a call. 
I expect the cost for me would be more as he'd have to deal with the existing corrosion, which, although minimal, is still more work. I have thought about having the van professionally treated at my local garage who MOT it. They said they could waxoyl it for much less than the £330 you mentioned, but I am not convinced that they would be aware of any special requirements for motorhomes, such as avoiding the water tanks. I am assuming it's not a good idea to waxoyl plastics. In any case, the price tehy suggested seemed to cheap to be done properly. 
Sandie


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## fishy & Nina (Jul 30, 2012)

I have rebuilt a couple of classic cars in the past and would thouroughly recommend Waxoyl - the only thing to remember is that the rust does need to be cleaned off and treated first otherwise it will carry on eating away behind the coating until the obvious occurs.

Have you thought about cleaning off the manufacturers coating in the are of rust just to see how far it has spread?  You may find that it is in small patches and you could 'localise' any treatment to save some money.

There was a time when we used to use old engine oil on the chassis of an old Morris Minor - that worked very well, but it does dry out and need recovering every year - not quite so practical on a Motorhome chassis!

Good luck
ian


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## Canalsman (Jul 30, 2012)

Sandie said:


> Thanks, Chris. I will give him a call.
> I expect the cost for me would be more as he'd have to deal with the existing corrosion, which, although minimal, is still more work. I have thought about having the van professionally treated at my local garage who MOT it. They said they could waxoyl it for much less than the £330 you mentioned, but I am not convinced that they would be aware of any special requirements for motorhomes, such as avoiding the water tanks. I am assuming it's not a good idea to waxoyl plastics. In any case, the price tehy suggested seemed to cheap to be done properly.
> Sandie



Let us know how you get on ...

I really think you'll be pleased with his approach. He does all the work himself - a 'one man band' - so his standards are high. 

He has all the specialised equipment you need to do the job properly, which your garage probably does not.

He set up the business with the help of the Prince's Trust. And he's been running the operation for some years now, and he can be pretty busy - a good sign.

Be aware that you won't be able to use your motorhome for a couple of weeks after treatment. The vapour from the treatment fluids can smell quite strong!


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## Sandie (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks for the info Chris - I went up to Donacster and was very impressed with Joe. He had a good look under the van and said that although there was some areas that needed a good cleaning off of rust, there was nothing that could not be dealt with. I have bitten the bullet and booked it in for the full treatment including door pillars, injection into box sections etc. He must be very popular as he can't fit me in until November! I felt it was worth paying to have this done professionally as I do intend to keep the van for some years and this will give me peace of mind over the areas that I can't easily maintain myself.

Sandie


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## Canalsman (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks for the update - he'll do a good job.

I'm going to take my 'van back for a check-up soon. He's keen to have the vehicles back at regular intervals to make good any weak areas - that's free for the first year and a nominal charge (£25?) for later years. Well worth a trip and a couple of hours.

My MG is going back for its annual check in a couple of weeks.


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