Undersealing car

[Viper Scot]

I'm wanting to get my '96 RT-10 undersealed. The roads here are often wet and get heavily salted in the winter time so I think it'll be a good idea. Does anyone have any advice on doing this? i.e. what NOT to get the underseal on, what to make sure is well coated? I'm using Wurth products. I've already had the car up on the ramp and it's surprisingly clean underneath. Looks like it's just come out of the factory! However, some of the welding on the chassis is fairly shocking. Is this the case with Gen 1 cars generally?

 

[Mopar Steve]

Undercoating is a popular way of hiding stuff you dont want anyone to know about. I would never undercoat the bottom or a viper. This is also something that is done to protect a car that is driven in bad environments (salt, snow,etc) I think you would be sending a very bad message to future owners, not to mention some of the guys here are proud of how the undercarriage looks on their cars. If there is some frame rust or spots you dont like the looks of, go ahead and touch those up but the aluminum parts, and most of the floor will never need anything.

 

[Viper Scot]

People here in the north of Scotland would prefer that a car is undersealed I think. Our roads are notorious for getting excessively salted in the winter and corrosion to the underside of cars can be a big problem. Especially ones that aren't treated out of the factory. I can't imagine many people care too much what the underside of the car looks like. I like the body to look nice and for it to be fast and reliable mainly.

 

[plumcrazy]

bad idea. dont do it. just wash the underside more often.

 

[Mopar Steve]

Oh, my bad, I didn't look where you were located, and things may be different there. Here in the US these cars are toys that seldom see rain much less salt sand or anything corrosive. I spoke possibly too soon not knowing (looking) where you were asking your question from. Different situations dictate a different answer. Again, I would never undercoat a collector car here but your situation may be completely different. Good luck.

 

[whitebluevipe]

i would buy a cheap ****** car for the winter.

 

[PittsburghRT]

I'm wanting to get my '96 RT-10 undersealed. The roads here are often wet and get heavily salted in the winter time so I think it'll be a good idea. Does anyone have any advice on doing this? i.e. what NOT to get the underseal on, what to make sure is well coated? I'm using Wurth products. I've already had the car up on the ramp and it's surprisingly clean underneath. Looks like it's just come out of the factory! However, some of the welding on the chassis is fairly shocking. Is this the case with Gen 1 cars generally?

You should also post this over at Viper Alley for some input.

 

[Viper Scot]

I do have a daily driver but there is so much crap put on the roads here over the winter that it's an issue all year round. The climate here is such that it's inevitable that you'll be driving on wet roads sooner or later and all that corrosive crap will get thrown up onto the underside of the car. Given that these car's have no underside protection (and some of the welds on the chassis are just plain bad!), I'm going to be far more reassured with the car undersealed. I'd rather have a slightly less collectable car than one that's corroding rapidly. I don't have access to a ramp so cleaning the underside of the car every time I drive it in damp conditions isn't feasible. And what a pain in the **** to have to do that anyway...

 

[Viper Scot]

It has been done now! A good job too. I masked off exhaust, exposed bits of engine and gearbox. I can drive with more confidence now that the car's not dissolving around me!

 

[Ron]

Did you protect in inside of the frame tubes or just the outside? I'd suspect that any corrosion would start there (inside) as that's where the moisture and salt would be trapped. Corrosion on the outside of the frame would be easy enough to observe and touch up on an as needed basis.

Good luck

 

[mike & juli]

We notoriously here in Albany, NY have a 'slurry' they put on the roads beginning at first ice/snowfall, that's when the Viper is put away for the winter...this 'slurry' is horrendous, one year driving in it with my own daily driver put a hole under my HOOD, and I keep the car clean by drive-thru washes underneath. This 'slurry' is supposed to 'last' longer than salt. But, that's not answering your question....seems as if you drive your Vipers in the inclement weather? Guess that's something that's just not done here in NY, and we would not undercoat. You have a unique problem here! Hope you figure it all out~juli

 

[ViperTony]

We notoriously here in Albany, NY have a 'slurry' they put on the roads beginning at first ice/snowfall, that's when the Viper is put away for the winter...this 'slurry' is horrendous

If you wondered why its more difficult to wash off the slurry compared to prior winters it's because the slurry is now mixed with calcium so it sticks to the road better. This is how the State of CT orders it every winter. FYI.

 

[mike & juli]

Yeah, the stuff is horrendous on vehicles....I'd much prefer sand/salt, than this corrosive stuff...never saw such damage from one winter's driving on my own vehicle. I'm vigilant about keeping that crap off best I can. Mike drives truck, and his trucks' parts get absolutely coated with the calcium...washing is imperative, but he maintains his own truck weekly vigilantly as well. ~juli

 

[WOT!]

I would take before and after pics so you could prove that you protected the car, and did not cover up existing problems. Based on our situation, I think doing it is better than not.

We use salt here as well. I just wait until a few good rain storms move through to wash the roads.

Can't tell you what I would and would not protect other than the obvious places.

 

[GTS Bruce]

I have no problems with the Viper because I don't drive it in that Shi..My dodge ram pu is 10 yrs old.Trading on an 08.NO RUST.Have a sticky oil prep sprayed on the underside late fall.Don't wash until spring.Stuff starts seeping up out of the door handles,gas cap area and top of the tailgate after a few weeks. Schmidts auto body uses it but I think it was developed in Canada.Have seen a 20 yr old car driven every winter with no rust on it.Silences all the squeeks too for a while. Costs around $100 per application. GTS Bruce

 

[Paul S Lacey]

I wouldnt do it either there are better products in the Uk than underseal such as Waxoyl can be sprayed into the box section via the tie down holes on the chassis and is available in black which lets you do the chassis with no funny looks at sale time.

Its a wax based fuild with a rust killer and inhibitor works very well

 

[Cop Magnet]

It sounds like he made up his mind from the get-go. Also sounds like it's already finished.

 

[Denny Wagner]

You should also post this over at Viper Alley for some input.

....I was just thinking the SAME THING!!