Body and subframe (Transit 2)

The condition of the car body is an extremely important factor. Maintenance should be simple but regular. Neglecting maintenance and minor repairs, especially after minor damage, can quickly lead to further deterioration of the bodywork and much more expensive repairs. Hidden areas of the body, such as the wheel arches, frame, and engine bay, also need to be kept in good condition, although they do not require as much attention as other body components.

Experience shows that the main procedure for car body maintenance is washing - preferably with a large volume of water from a hose. This will remove any dirt, rocks, or hard objects that may get into your vehicle. It is important to wash the body with a stream of liquid, since this method, although relatively, prevents scratching of the body by sand. The wheel arches and subframe need to be washed in the same way to remove accumulated dirt, which absorbs moisture and tends to encourage rust. Oddly enough, the best time to clean the subframe and wheel arches is wet weather, when the dirt is damp and soft. During heavy rain, the subframe usually clears out large buildup automatically, so rain is a good time to inspect.

Periodically, except on vehicles with a waxed underbody, it is advisable to steam clean the subframe and engine bay so that a complete inspection can be made to ensure that nothing is missed that needs minor repairs or reconstruction. Steam cleaning is a common practice in many garages and is essential for removing grease build-up, which can be quite thick in some areas. If steam cleaning is not available, you can use grease and lubricant removers such as Holts Engine Degreasant, which is applied with a brush and then the dirt can be simply washed away with a stream of water from a garden hose. Please note that all of these methods should not be used on vehicles with underbody wax, as this will dissolve the protective coating. On such vehicles, the underbody should be washed and thoroughly inspected once a year, preferably at the beginning of winter, and any damage to the protective wax should be restored using Holts Undershield. It is best to completely coat the underbody with a new layer of protective wax. It also makes sense to spray wax into door panels, window sills, compartment cuts, etc., as this provides additional protection against rust in cases where such protection is not provided by the vehicle manufacturer. After the painted surface has been washed, wipe it with a chamois leather to make it absolutely clean. Applying a coat of protective wax polish, such as those from the Turtle Wax series, will provide added protection against airborne chemical pollutants, and if the enamel has become dull or oxidized, use Turtle Wax Hard Shell shine-restoring cleaner and polish. This will take some effort, so remember that this type of dullness is usually caused by not cleaning it regularly. When working with metallic paint, special care should be taken and a special non-abrasive cleaner/polish should be used to avoid damaging the enamel. Always ensure that the door and fan openings and drain pipes are completely clear to allow water to drain freely. Metal cladding requires the same care as painting. Windshields and windows can be cleaned of the often-forming film of dirt using Holts Mixra, a proprietary glass cleaner. Never use wax or other body or chrome polishes for this purpose.