It's currently snowing here.

My plan is to complete this before the surgeon takes my foot of to try and fix it back on again straight this time. Roll on Feb 1st. Left is how it looked two years ago, right is what it looks like now. the plan is to put a couple more bolts and possible a plate across the joints marked in blue
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4558/...01b0bbb0_c.jpgAnkle by WCA!, on Flickr

So with that thought driving me on I bought a fan heater to take the edge off the chill. Might also help the drying process when applying the degreaser, metal prep, POR15 etc
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4671/...65610320_c.jpg20180121_111534 by WCA!, on Flickr

Crawling under the car showed very little corrosion or damage on the middle section immediately behind where I finished yeasterday. I was glad.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4695/...229fbb9b_c.jpg20180121_113957 by WCA!, on Flickr

There was this rusty bracket just in front of the driver side rear wheel. I also realised I still had the rear wheel on and very little room to try and remove in. A problem for later in the day.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4631/...9b25788e_c.jpg20180121_114010 by WCA!, on Flickr

A little possible bubbling on the rear suspension but nothing like as much as the front end. I wonder what the wire wheel will reveal.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4670/...48357cfc_c.jpg20180121_114020 by WCA!, on Flickr

There was just one bit of the old under seal that was lifting around this bracket. I am hoping not to disturb the rest which still looks good. Possibly just degrease and paint over with top coat for a nice consistent finish.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4700/...9fa74675_c.jpg20180121_114102 by WCA!, on Flickr

Looking at the earlier pictures there was surface rust on the bits behind the rear diff and possibly in the brake pipes. I will check this out when I get back under the car with the garage door open.

Nick the photo series is excellent, stay with it.

A day of some success, some challenges, some dirt in my eyes and finally a problem.

Rusty Clamp
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4666/...facd81e5_c.jpg20180121_121300 by WCA!, on Flickr

Less rusty clamp
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4650/...4dacf762_c.jpg20180121_121952 by WCA!, on Flickr

Just a little bubble of rust...
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4757/...4d9f2843_c.jpg20180121_123417 by WCA!, on Flickr

Grew as I ran the wire wheel over it
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4656/...6d84f876_c.jpg20180121_125010 by WCA!, on Flickr

The rear diff didn't show much rust but had a bumpy silver surface. I prodded it with a screw driver and a big lump fell off (top of picture, side of diff)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4746/...fc5a1d9b_c.jpg20180121_125249 by WCA!, on Flickr

A bit more prodding got most of the silver stuff off.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4660/...c36dcf81_c.jpg20180121_130145 by WCA!, on Flickr

This was properly thick like a tarts make-up
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4658/...67d98683_c.jpg20180121_130306 by WCA!, on Flickr

A final buzz over with the wire wheel got down to metal eventually
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4619/...6ea4c3e4_c.jpg20180121_131443 by WCA!, on Flickr

Rear ARB looked rusty
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4707/...2401247a_c.jpg20180121_153704 by WCA!, on Flickr

and the drop link rubber was clearly knackered so they would need replacing which would make it easier to clean the rear ARB once removed.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4654/...b7a905b9_c.jpg20180121_153734 by WCA!, on Flickr

No more photos at this point.

There is one nut holding each of the drop link brackets on. The passenger side one undid, the drivers side didn't and is currently soaking in WD40 until I get another chance to attach it but it is so far gone I am not sure how I will get it off.

There is one nut holding each of the ARB bush brackets in place. Neither of these move even a little bit and the 12 point socket just spins. I will see if I can get a 6 sided one but again I fear the worse.

Any suggestions less drastic than the angle grinder are welcome.

If you can get in there to cut through the bolt that is often the quickest and easiest way. You can struggle for hours trying to get rounded nuts off a seized bolt. First rule with badly rusted bits, "If in doubt, cut it out"

As well as 6 sided sockets being better than 12, the sockets which use the flats are much better than both 12 or 6 sided! I've got some seriously rounded nuts off with wall-bearing sockets.:thumb:

Jeff you absolute bastard. Every photo I show now will look crap. I aspire to your level and ability.

YOU INSPIRE ME, THANKS MATE

��

As I said, thanks. I will be trying my best but I start from a point of no experience and learning as I go along. I listen and look at those that know and attempt to copy.

I post my threads so that other first timers don't need to make the same mistakes as me.

I don't mind being honest about my mistakes and learnings but sometimes just watching people who are experts can become daunting.

Having said that, can the experts keep on posting the right way to do things so I can continue to learn.

My thoughts entirely, utter, utter bastard. I'm going to inspect those pictures very carefully in the hope that I can spot a paint run.

Jeff is not OCD!
Simply focused. We can all take a lesson here. Well done.
We just need to keep on keeping on.

Jeff is what we aim for.

I am my best efforts

And that is how we should all should be!

Bloody typical - Sunday is pisses down the whole day and then Monday when I am back at work the sky is blue and not even a breeze. Fortunately I am working from home today so managed to nip out for a few minutes. I didn't have time to go under the car, getting dirty and trying to remove the remaining three nuts but I did manage to use the dry weather to take the front ARB I removed earlier outside to clean it.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4609/...98822d31_c.jpg20180122_104220 by WCA!, on Flickr

As the ARB is just a solid lump of metal and I was standing outside wather than tucked under the car I felt happy using the angle grinder with a big wire wheel on it. So I started with this:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4709/...71e4b485_c.jpg20180122_104257 by WCA!, on Flickr

And less that 2 minutes later I had this:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4672/...0bd41897_c.jpg20180122_104504 by WCA!, on Flickr

The whole thing done and dusted within 10 minutes, including getting the tools and stuff out of the garage and putting them back.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4697/...0eb9a7ea_c.jpg20180122_110218 by WCA!, on Flickr

I wish I was brave enough to use the angle grinder under the car, it would have been so much quicker. Having said that when using it standing I was getting hit in the legs with the occasional loose wire, if I was lying under the car then they would have been bouncing off my face and head.

looks good. If you need to really make sure all the rust is gone, then I recommend Hammerite Rust Remover, which does exactly that - I used it on the rear brake hubs for my Quantum over 10 years ago -(ok only 9 if those have been outside), but after painting they have stayed good (liquid or for this, the jelly version). I add that it's the only Hammerite product I'd use - I think Hammerite paint is the Devil's product!

The angle grinder is not as aggressive as you may think, try it on an old panel with paint on and you will see that it removes the paint but does not damage the metal at all. Just make sure you are using a metal brush with the gold/brass coloured wires, you can get heavy duty thick wire cups but they are very aggressive.
If working under the car I would suggest a balaclava (the one you go stalking in) and a good tight set of goggles and decent gloves.
I find the wires spin off into my jumper, real pain to pick out.

Mitchelkitman - I plan to treat the whole underside with this little lot.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4655/...b745c428_c.jpg20180121_104718 by WCA!, on Flickr

TFR350 - Metal degreaser dilute 1 :25 cleaner to water so 5L should last me the rest of my life.
POR15 Metal Prep - Creates the perferct surface for the rust treatment
POR15 Sliver - I whole silver so I would get good contrast to the black top coat rather than painting black over black
Gloss Black Top Coat - Covers the POR15 which degrades in UV apparently
Cheapest brushes I could find as POR15 does not clean out of brushed.
Gloves because POR15 does not was off skin, you literally have to wait for the skin to flake off. I got some on my forehead 2 weeks before a friends wedding and despite repeated scrubbing for 12 days I ended up using a razor to shave my forehead and remove it.

Hopefully I will never need to touch the underside again.

Wow - Certainly a thorough job! I like the idea of silver followed by an 'overcoat' of black - If any chips off you'll easily spot it. Re the brushes - have you tried cleaning them with acetone? The benefit of good brushes is being able to get a good even/brush mark - free finish very quickly, but I'd certainly not want to throw away a brush costing £8 :nono:

That is a pack of ten brushes for £8. Cheaper than cleaning them.

Bit pricey those brushes, I buy the 2", 24 brushes for £9.35 inc P+P Ideal for fibreglassing and slapping on some paint underneath. Postage is a bit slow.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RREM-I-24...kAAOSwubRXDkPu

Hmm...

I am now wondering about getting a slightly softer wire brush for the angle grinder and doing the whole underneath of the car.

Do I want the hassle and disturb what looks okay on the surface?
Do I want to do this all again in a years time when I realise there was rust under the original paint?

Decisions, decisions...