Removing Underseal & Seam Sealer

[Cameron 16]

Has anybody got any tips for removing underseal and seam sealer? I've had a go at the sealer before in some very small areas using an old screwdriver and a mallet, but there must be a better way for removing it en-masse? Same question for the underseal, what's the best way to go about removing this? I've never tried before, so is it a simple enough job of heat gun and scraper or are there any tricks?

[SurGie 54]

I'v always used a few methods and found that having a hot room, heat gun, gasket scrapers/hammer and a big grinder, big brush seems the quickest/easiest way iv found.

[S@m 156]

When i had a catastrophic oil leak in my 306 it stripped the underseal off quite nicely. All it took was a slightly unseated core plug and job done!

 

Sam

Edited January 25, 2012 by Sam306

[Cameron 16]

Take car to sauna / cause massive oil leak. Got it.

[toddydal 1]

heat gun or blow torch

[stu8v 68 1 Cars]

A radial type wire wheel on my angle grinder and about a month of my life..................................................

 

All told I used a mixture of heat gun, blow torch wire brushes and scrapers.

 

Must be the most soul destroying job ever.

 

 

Good luck

[205wrc 16]

It works better if you heat the floor pans from the inside of the car while scrapping the underside. The heat melts the glue and comes off much cleaner.

[CosKev 16]

If your car has got aftermarket underseal/waxoyl on it use petrol on a rag first and it dissolves with ease

 

Another tip sharpen your scrapers up with your grinder,just watch your fingers if you slip

 

As above heat gun and sharp scraper will get the bulk of it off,then use wire wheels etc to get the last stuck on bits off.

 

Just done the underside of my Evo back to bare metal on the complete underside/inner arches,need commitment for sure

 

Start with this:

 

Remove crappy underseal/rubbish mitsi seam sealer:

 

Back to bare metal:

 

Painted with Rust Bullet:

 

Seam sealed and a few top coats:

 

Start bolting on powdercoated parts:

 

[M@tt 77]

I saw somewhere someone welded a scraper blade onto a cut down cheap air chisel bit and used the heat gun and air chisel with this modified scraper to whip it all off, seemed to work a treat

Edited January 25, 2012 by M@tt

[clen666 2]

Kev, what did you use to take it back to bare metal? I have a twist knot wire wheel attachment for my grinder but unsure if it's a bit to aggressive for body work?

[Cameron 16]

Wow, that's pretty impressive Kev!

 

Ergh.. I hate those wire grinder wheels.. you end up looking like a porcupine after a while.

[SurGie 54]

I use these tools No 1 My favorite.

 

Using heavy wire grinder brushes does tend to take some steel away which makes it harder if welding is needed in these areas. With the above tools it makes it easier and you dont end up looking like a porcupine that catches tetanus

 

Personally i prefer stonechip primer than rust bullet paint, it may be a hard pant but im not sure how strong it is for stones etc.

 

If i had the air breathing apparatus tools etc i would paint mine with 2k epoxy primer then 2k epoxy paint, its the best stuff compared to all the others at stopping rust etc. Its the stuff iv had my sub frame/ wishbones painted in.

[welshpug 1,620]

if the steel comes away with the wire brush it'll be s*ite for welding to anyway!

[SurGie 54]

That's 205's for ya then

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Blasting removes it effortlessly. But makes a bloody mess.

[tommy gun 6]

Take car to sauna / cause massive oil leak. Got it.

 

 

pmsl

[kyepan 291]

all of that is going to make a mess of your lovely jig!! perhaps remove the boards before you do it.

[clen666 2]

Thanks for those links surgie, might have to try some of those. I ordered one of those 'cleaning fleece' discs of Ebay but got sent a set of flap wheels instead and didn't bother changing them.

[HERMAN 33]

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-wire-brush-twist-cup-65mm-m14/81337 by far the best method I have used but you need good goggles and think gloves. I use welding gauntlets.

Neil

[Cameron 16]

all of that is going to make a mess of your lovely jig!! perhaps remove the boards before you do it.

 

Tarpaulin is my friend!

[CosKev 16]

Kev, what did you use to take it back to bare metal? I have a twist knot wire wheel attachment for my grinder but unsure if it's a bit to aggressive for body work?

 

As above this type of disc are spot on:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-3-Polycarbide-abrasive-wheesl-100mm-x-6mm-shank-poly-rust-remover-disc-/290619950487?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43aa4c8597

 

 

 

Personally i prefer stonechip primer than rust bullet paint, it may be a hard pant but im not sure how strong it is for stones etc.

 

 

Not sure how strong it is????

 

You've never used it then

[SurGie 54]

I have some but yes you are right, iv not used it yet.

 

I'm thinking of constant stones hitting it, road salt etc. Iv quickly skim read the instructions and it says that if the paint gets a crack in it it will let water in and rust. Stonechip is flexible but has also been known to crack and letting water getting behind it but with etch primer behind it, its much less likely to rust.

 

There is no real fool proof way of stopping the rust/water etc, except 2k epoxy primer and paint

 

The flap disks i linked do wear out quickly, so if you get some it's best to get a few. The poly disks on the grinder are really good, they do last longer, especially on sealant removal.

[CosKev 16]

 

I'm thinking of constant stones hitting it, road salt etc. Iv quickly skim read the instructions and it says that if the paint gets a crack in it it will let water in and rust. Stonechip is flexible but has also been known to crack and letting water getting behind it but with etch primer behind it, its much less likely to rust.

 

 

It states IF it chips the bare metal exposed will rust,which is obvious,but it then says it will not let water in around the chip,like normal paints/stonechip do

 

You really do need to try some,paint something with it and then when its fully cured hit it as hard as you can with your hammer,you will see how strong it is then

 

Stone chips willl not touch it

[m_attt 31 1 Cars]

considering what your doing to the car would it not be easier and quicker to take it and have the whole car acid dipped or sandblasted

[SurGie 54]

Acid dipping can cost a fair few pounds to have done.

 

 

How about painting rust bullet, stonechip then top coat, all three will no doubt be almost as good as 2k epoxy if not as good