rust???????

[pistonbrokescooby]

hi all
anyone on the forum look under their cars , is there anywhere that they rust?
normally lag my cars underneath with waxoil and grease.
the air where we live is very salty .i have had a look at a few and they seem quite robust cars and look mostly rust free..
any answers would be appreciated.
thanks piston

[maggi112]

Re: rust???????

Well panels won't rust, and I've not noticed any rust on my 1 year old chassis on the surface, only on the hubs, wheel bolts and on the drive shaft is there rust. Easily dealt with though and no biggie. Someone with an older smart might highlight more areas though.

[RacingSnake]

Re: rust???????

Your abs reluctor rings will most definitely disintegrate in the sea air. There is a big plastic floor pan which will largely protect the trid floor from any exposure to salt.

[10:45PM]

Re: rust???????

You'll still get the normal road spray round each wheel area, not actually in the arches cos they also have covers , but it'd do no harm to protect bits of the suspension

[Thrumbleux]

Re: rust???????

This is a question I have been meaning to ask for a while. Not about bolt on parts but about the shell itself.
My fortwo is 5 years old and no sign of rust except for at the rear where the main engine earth strap attaches, the section right at the rear visible through the engine hatch by looking in and back. It's looking a bit scuzzy.
Apart from that I once saw an early fortwo advertised that sited some corrosion around the base of the windscreen. And that is all I have encountered.
What are others finding with the earliest of fortwos? Are they going to turn into rust buckets, or are they well protected? Galvanised even?

[Hogster]

Re: rust???????

Mine has rusted very slightly around two chips on the tridion under the windscreen, but it's very very minor ... haven't really looked around the engine bay enough to see if anything else has rusted ...


David

[10:45PM]

Re: rust???????

I noticed some rust starting on a previous smart in engine bay on some welds

around two chips on the tridion under the windscreen

that's how it's gonna start - unrepaired stone chips

[heinkeljb]

Re: rust???????

Body work is well protected, except where it get damaged (e.g stone chips) and is not repair quickly.

The major place it will show rust on early cars is the rear sub frame.

John
(1999 City coupe + passion)

[tolsen]

Re: rust???????

Rust areas:

Structure
Engine subframe
De Dion tube
Jacking points

Components
Brake pipes
Callipers
Discs & drums
Hand brake equaliser mechanism
Handbrake cables
Drive shafts
Struts
Splash guards
Wishbones & drop links
Exhaust manifold
Exhaust (internally - will eventually split at lower fold)
Sump
Turbo oil pipes
Oil sounding pipe
Alternator (stator and rotor may seize to each other if engine is left standing)

[Thrumbleux]

Re: rust???????

Thanks Mr.T!
Not too bad overall then. The jacking points (sills?) are the only non replaceable things there, anything else being a bolt on replacement.
That part of the shell that the engine subframe bolts into at the rear, where the earth point is, is worth watching though. Mine is definitely looking a bit scuzzy.

[otisb]

Re: rust???????

hi piston
i have a 11 year old 4-2 and ive had all the panles off, the sills off and the under tray off and i havent seen any rust on mine i did think under the car would have some rust and was shocked to see none at all.

[pistonbrokescooby]

Re: rust???????

hi all
thanks for the replies,tolsen hit the biggie there , i have done all those areas a couple of days ago and quite surprised how much paint is on all the metal work thumbs up to the makers , now has a extra coat of waxoil. engine bay is getting it in the morning . de dion tubes ,i sprayed wax into the open end as much as i could . overall quality i am surprised how much of the body work is covered up with plastic trays and panels , why don't all manufactures to this , emm i know why. you would never have to buy another car. money making world eh.anyway car now stinks for a few days , will check again at December time and touch up if necessary..before i bought the car i did look at a few older models underneath and thought they were ok .going back to the de dion tubes , can you buy end plugs for the tubes to stop water and rubbish getting in ????. .
even had a few people wave to me with other smart cars . friendly lot .went in a tuned one yesterday 110 bhp and i was shocked how fast it was ,what must they be like with a gsxr 1000 motor in . thanks again for the replies .
piston:thanks:

[Thrumbleux]

Re: rust???????

Tolsen: Any particular point of the subframe that is vulnerable?
Ditto the de Dion? Do they corrode from the inside or at the external junctures? The hub mount looks to be a bit of a mud trap.

[TallOrder]

Re: rust???????

Mine has rusted very slightly around two chips on the tridion under the windscreen, but it's very very minor ... haven't really looked around the engine bay enough to see if anything else has rusted ...
David

Same as David really in outward appearance, although on both our :silvertri (02) and my roadie (06) the driveshafts, di-dion tubes and sump seem to get it the most...

Looked under a branny 451 in the show room of Smarts Of Bristol and even that had rust starting on the driveshafts!

[otisb]

Re: rust???????

Looked under a branny 451 in the show room of Smarts Of Bristol and even that had rust starting on the driveshafts!

paint the driveshafts with hammerite thats that i did