Rust on suspension, should I fix that?

[MMT5]

Originally Posted by canis

If you can poke a screwdriver through it, you must. It's the only way to be certain there's any strength left. And if there isn't, all your farting about with unicorn horn rust converter magic potions will achieve nothing.

If the metal is sound, you should abrade away the rust, then prime it and paint it. Both sides. It may be quite a fiddle, you might even need to remove the chassis leg to get access. Paint the underneath the same as the top, and then apply underseal on top of the paint. Any colour will do, it's under the bonnet after all.

If the metal is not sound, and you plunge the screwdriver through easily, then it'll need plating or even cutting out and a new turret put in. I hope they don't mind me hotlinking their image, but I found this picture online:


Here you can see the turret has been replaced with perhaps a pattern part, but you could also get one cut off at a breakers. This is serious metalwork, though, and you really need to know your stuff and be competent at welding. A decent bodyshop would be able to perform the work.

With any luck you've caught it in time, and hopefully it won't come to that.

That looks like an Astra Mk2 bodyshell thats had a good welding session.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by MMT5

That looks like an Astra Mk2 bodyshell thats had a good welding session.

Indeed , old volvos don't have gaping holes like that in the inner wing , for the steering rod i daresay ...

[canis]

I didn't say it was a volvo. I was explaining a bodywork repair procedure to the original poster. I'll agree it's not very tidy, but it beats using potions. You do know they offer no strength at all, right? They do not convert rust back into metal. All they do is prevent rust deepening, as rust doesn't offer protection the way a patina does on, say, copper. In that respect, you might as well paint it with PVA glue!

If the strength has gone, it needs welding. No chemical treatment can fix it.

[volvolv]

How much would this repair cost in the UK?

[volvolv]

Should have posted this picture long time ago.

It's fixed, been a while now.

[mrfixer]

My father in laws V70 failed its M.O.T last year with the same problem bit more severe than yours needs welding

[BillDD5]

Originally Posted by volvolv

Should have posted this picture long time ago.

It's fixed, been a while now.

How extensive was the welding? The pictures show a lot of what looks like thick paint covering the whole structure.

Thanks, Bill

[oragex]

Originally Posted by volvolv

Should have posted this picture long time ago.

It's fixed, been a while now.

Underneath as well?

[volvolv]

Underneath as well.

The area they covered was not so extensive.