Chassis Cleaning

[Finemess]

Hey y'all, I now clean my chassis with a pressure washer. Is there a better way? The PW gets most of the stuff off, but I wonder about a APC and a brush. TIA

[Jimmie]

Pressure washer is good, but even better if combined with a degreaser. You can get the degreaser to a lot of hard to reach spots with a pressurized sprayer (like a hudson or garden bottle). I've never done much agitating with a brush on the undercarriage.

[Rsurfer]

Jimmie, your too old to be crawling under cars.:joking:

[BlkTAWS6]

Answer to your ? is Yes, there is a better way.

But you have to asked yourself what is too much for what you are wanting to achieve.

If its a car and you cant see too much of the chassis i would probably stick with the pressure sprayer, maybe even get a bucket of AP and water and scrub what I could see with a wheel well brush.

On trucks I try to use some stiffer long bristled brushes and AP/water mix and scrub on the more visible pieces. Obviously with the lifted trucks there is more to see/scrub/clean/polish.

For me on my truck, I do sometimes actually get underneath and scrub on the chassis. I think that it looks bad with a beauitfully cleaned and polished black truck to have grey wheel wells and chassis showing underneath.

But just do what you feel would meet your needs for your car.

[GMC83]

Keeping the underbody clean and dressed also keps it from rusting earlier than it should, just my 2 cents.

[Jimmie]

Jimmie, your too old to be crawling under cars.:joking:

yeah, no kidding. You ain't wistlin' Dixie there, lol.

[belcherm58]

I use a pressure washer and lay on the ground while doing it to get the best access. Yup, I get a little wet doing it but that won't hurt me.
After it dries. I get under it with some terrycloth rags and some APC mixed and do some wiping. When I get it clean. I get under it with a Bottle of Meguairs All Season Dressing and some WD40 and dress everything. I use a lot of WD40 underneath. I spray the inside of body panels and frame rails and cables and such to resist corrosion.
I took my truck in to get the nerf bars replaced under warranty. The guys that replace them said they had never seen a truck so clean underneath.

[Emile]

Every few washes or so, I just attach a sprinkler to the end of my hose and turn it on. I just push and pull the hose around while the sprinkler is spraying underneath....it actually works pretty well, but is no match for an all-purpose cleaner and my pressure washer if I have the time.

All cars come a rust/corrosion-inhibiting coating on the under-carriage of the vehicle anyways, so essentially you don't have to do anything. But then again, salt sprayed down during snow storms will eat its way through anything.

[eddie6th]

Steam cleaners are good,but can be quite costly.

[sohail99]

I was planning on detailing the under-body of my car.

Prior to that, I will be removing all the wheels one by one and detail them individually + the chassis parts behind the wheel and the wheel wells.

After that I'll get under the car(after pressure washing the underside) and clean with a citrus degreaser.

While doing that, I was thinking of polishing the whole exhaust pipe assembly and other bare metals which are visible there.

Any metal polish recommendations for that?(I also want to polish the exterior of the disc brake caliper with it)

Also, any protectants/sealant to use on the bare metal components + the exhaust assembly?? :confused:

[CEE DOG]

I was planning on detailing the under-body of my car.

Prior to that, I will be removing all the wheels one by one and detail them individually + the chassis parts behind the wheel and the wheel wells.

After that I'll get under the car(after pressure washing the underside) and clean with a citrus degreaser.

While doing that, I was thinking of polishing the whole exhaust pipe assembly and other bare metals which are visible there.

Any metal polish recommendations for that?(I also want to polish the exterior of the disc brake caliper with it)

Also, any protectants/sealant to use on the bare metal components + the exhaust assembly?? :confused:

Be careful not to remove the undercarriage coating unless you are going to replace it.

[sohail99]

Thanks! I'll definitely be extra careful there! :D

I was also thinking of putting a layer of collinite845 on the metal parts there after cleaning! (including the exhausts etc.)

Regarding the exhaust, will it get too hot for the wax to remain there?

[CEE DOG]

Thanks! I'll definitely be extra careful there! :D

I was also thinking of putting a layer of collinite845 on the metal parts there after cleaning! (including the exhausts etc.)

Regarding the exhaust, will it get too hot for the wax to remain there?

I think so. From what I've read I think most waxes melt around 180 degrees and sealants around 300.
I think Ultima Tire and Trim lasts up to 500 degrees but I don't remember for sure. Have to look at my Ultima book.

[DARK HORSE]

I think so. From what I've read I think most waxes melt around 180 degrees and sealants around 300.
I think Ultima Tire and Trim lasts up to 500 degrees but I don't remember for sure. Have to look at my Ultima book.

Yes Corey, you are correct. Here is a small excerpt from their website. I sealed my exhaust TIPS with it a few weeks ago :D

Can I really use Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus on my engine?
Yes! We have tested Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus to temperatures in excess of 500 degrees f. The only surface that gets too hot for Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus is the exhaust system (exhaust manifold, turbocharger, exhaust heat shields, etc.). On these surfaces, Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus will gracefully evaporate without discoloration.

[sohail99]

^Nice!! :D

Never seen such a tyre/trim protectant!

Will check it out.

Thanks guys! :D