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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Check for winter!
        
(Message started by: octanejunkie on Nov 22^nd, 2007, 10:18am)

Title: Check for winter!
Post by octanejunkie on Nov 22^nd, 2007, 10:18am

I've been breaking a few cars recently, and a recurring problem with most of them is ROT! Even in newer vehicles.
Some of you may already know the weak spots on your cars, but i thought i would post to advise anyway.
Inner rear arches rot terribly, where the spring seats onto the body.
Take off the rear wheel and have a prod round all of the exposed metal. You can take off the plastic arch protector for a better look. My Scorpio is beginning to rot here, but i've caught it early enough to prevent big welding issues. If you've taken the arch protector off have a good jab around the back of the sill, and around the jacking point (especially if your rear arch lips are crumbly).
The worst problem i've found which is difficult to check, and may well be missed at MOT time is the rear seatbelt mounting points. Several cars i've had recently (some with long MOT's too) have rotted right through round the bolts, meaning rear passengers could be in mortal danger in the event of an accident. This problem seems to be worse (though not isolated to) on estate cars for some reason.
Seeing as your checking ::) have a good look at your sills along their whole length. Get your wire brush out and clean off the inevitably flakey stuff and give it a good spalsh with rust eater and a decent under seal. Rust here seams to start at the drain holes and goes all the way along the seam. Catch it now before another years worth of salt gets in there and holes it.

If you need any pictures of examples of some of this rot pm me and i'll send you out some pics.

Title: Re: Check for winter!
Post by Simmo on Nov 22^nd, 2007, 11:12am

Have a look at THIS (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/rustproof3.htm) page which details some of the areas. No doubt any further areas,with pictures, would be a help. ;)