Rusty chassis: dry ice cleaning and rust treatment on a Ford

The underbody of this Ford was covered in mud and attacked by rust: chassis rails, front subframe, brackets and spare wheel. We combined dry ice cleaning, with no water or chemicals, with a rust treatment of the affected areas.

Four steps, from bare metal to protection

Dry ice cleaning comes first: it removes deposits without damaging the parts and reveals the true condition of the metal. The treatment is then adapted to what is uncovered.

1. 01

   Dry ice

   Cleaning

   Dry ice at −78.5 °C removes mud, grease and deposits, with no water or chemicals.

2. 02

   Sanding

   Preparation

   Heavily rusted areas are sanded to remove loose rust.

3. 03

   Converter

   Treatment

   The product reacts with the remaining rust, turns it black and stops it from spreading.

4. 04

   Black paint

   Finish

   A topcoat completes the protection and restores a uniform appearance.

On the floor pan, the three stages follow one another: cleaned metal, converter applied (blue before it reacts), then the finishing paint.

Front axle

Deposits covered the subframe and cross members. Cleaning revealed the corrosion, which was then treated and painted.

Front subframe and steering

Cleaning revealed extensive rust on the subframe and its brackets. These areas were sanded, treated with rust converter and then painted.

Transfer case

The aluminium casing regained its original colour through cleaning alone. The rusty steel bracket was treated and painted.

Chassis rails

The chassis rails showed surface rust along much of their length. After sanding, converter and paint, the metal is protected, brackets included.

Spare wheel

The heavily rusted steel rim of the spare wheel received the same treatment as the chassis.