Waxoyling

Coating the pipes is probably best done with a wax type product as opposed to under seal/stone chip. That way if you need to get to any of the unions or cut and splice the pipe it can be wiped off more easily. When Waxoyl spraying I spray the lot, linkages, pipes, valves, etc. After working on any of the hydraulics I brush a coating back onto the parts.

The worst part about using Waxoyl is that the first few days of really hot weather and your car begins to bleed...

Practical classics is a good magazine for such products.

Steve.

Ciaran,

Yes - either is fine to use on the hydraulic pipes. I suppose the ideal solution is to use both! Get them clean, apply the wax, let it dry and cover with the underseal.

Not sure what's used originally - but the same applies to re-treating it - obviously removing all the loose material first.

Yes - I'd say so.

Peter,

I think this is one of the best things about the XM - OK maybe they're old cars - but with the level of galvanising they have it makes them worth spending some money on (and preserving of course).

Having recently bought 2 new strut tops for one of my cars I'm now convinced the Bilt Hamber products can be used to preserve / restore these expensive components - provided they're not too badly rusted through off course. The rubber bonding on the underside of the tops on the other car are just starting to part company and so far there's no sign of rust on the upper surface. I'm going to experiment with the tops I take off first (and think it may still be possible to save them) and then have a go at the healthy tops on the other car. I can't bear just standing by and watching these things getting eaten away! Here's the plan:

Remove tops and degrease.
Mix 10% solution of Bilt Hamber Deox-C (using hot water).
Soak the tops for 24 hours (perhaps keeping solution warm) & rinse thoroughly.
Dry with compressed air.
Further dry with hot air gun.
Inspect!
Re-bond rubber to metal with engineering grade epoxy adhesive.
Apply Bilt Hamber Dynax S50 anti-corrosion wax - including crevices etc using nozzle.
Refit to car.
Coat underside again with Dynax S50 - and leave to dry.
Overpaint underside with flexible underseal.

I'll be using the wax & underseal paint on the new strut tops too of course - and may have to re-coat with wax / underseal every so often.

None of the products mentioned will harm the rubber and the Deox-C will bring the parts back to bright metal.

I'll let you know how it goes (with some photos) and if it works I'll create a "How To".

Roy

This post has been edited by mackay1 on January 28, 2008 07:14 pm

Hi All

Very interested in this thread but still not sure that we have the right answer for strut heads. From a detailed study over the last few years I am satisfied that they all suffer to varying degrees from a manufacturing fault that leaves large areas of millscale rolled into the surfaces that the rubber is bonded to. Over time vibration causes millscale to change from having a bond to the steel that is stronger than epoxy to separating from the steel along with whatever is added to it as a surface treatment. Capillary action then accelerates rusting. The atmosphere under the XM bonnet is subject to heavy condensation particularly if parked out overnight. This all helps corrosion get started and keep it going.

Regards

XMexc

Mackay

Silver 24v for sale? Can you let me know some details?

Cheers

Tony

Hi XMexc,

That's interesting - I wasn't aware of that. I'd assumed it was corrosion starting to work in from the outside (underside) edge that was responsible for the failure of the metal/rubber bond.

I'd really quite like to cut a cross section through a failed unit to have a closer look. (if anyone has a scrap one please let me know.) Have you done this already - or do you have any photos to illustrate the problem?

Having now seen the new ones - the whole thing seemed to be a lot clearer - but perhaps nothing's that simple!

Thanks

Roy

Hi Tony,

I've just PM'ed you.

Roy

Hi all

An area of difficulty with XMs for the future will be the front and rear subframes. We've all seen/heard of examples of extensively rusted ones, here and in otehr forums. Problem is the ones in the scrapyard will have got even worse by the time we seek them. So what do you do with these? Just waxoil them as any other bit of the underside?

cheers
G