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Cleaning Underneath?
- Thread starter timmmah
- Start date
106 GTi
Jack, Axle stands, and lot of patience. Really is a mispent youth!
At the risk of getting abuse a guide I did on another forum copied and pasted.
On a car that has had real use unlike my own I will be honest a pressure washer and TFR/ Degreaser are the first stage and then lot os hours on your back!
A guide !!!!
Took these pics ages ago when doing a detail on the 205 GTi to show the process used for Wheel Arch and Undercarrige Detailing. It's not the ideal car to show you everything on as the arches and floorpan are quite textured (Does not allow easy polishing) or have much in the way of Arch liners (Like more modern cars) will try and dig some 306 Pics out to show these later, but will try and include detail of what to do even though the pics might not show these aspects.
It is possible to do this detail with the wheels on and just jacking the car up, but the ideal way is wheels off which I have shown here.
1992 80K Odd Daily Drive 205 GTi
Step 1 - Loosen Wheel Nuts
With the car still firmly on the ground loosen the wheel nuts, I find a proper wheel brace rather than the car one supplied does a much better job. You will need the locking wheel nut key if fitted and on some cars you may need to remove the wheel centre caps/nut covers.
Step 2 - Jack Up The Car
Please refer to your car manual as to where the correct jacking points are. Again I find a proper jack is more suitable than the one supplied by the car.
Jack the car up and remove the wheel, before going any further get an axle stand in a safe point. (Again this will be specific to your car).
At these stage you can decide weather to do the job arch by arch or back end/ front end.
I decided to do the back end first so repeated the process on the other back wheel, leaving the whole back end ready to clean.
At the risk of getting abuse a guide I did on another forum copied and pasted.
On a car that has had real use unlike my own I will be honest a pressure washer and TFR/ Degreaser are the first stage and then lot os hours on your back!
A guide !!!!
Took these pics ages ago when doing a detail on the 205 GTi to show the process used for Wheel Arch and Undercarrige Detailing. It's not the ideal car to show you everything on as the arches and floorpan are quite textured (Does not allow easy polishing) or have much in the way of Arch liners (Like more modern cars) will try and dig some 306 Pics out to show these later, but will try and include detail of what to do even though the pics might not show these aspects.
It is possible to do this detail with the wheels on and just jacking the car up, but the ideal way is wheels off which I have shown here.
1992 80K Odd Daily Drive 205 GTi
Step 1 - Loosen Wheel Nuts
With the car still firmly on the ground loosen the wheel nuts, I find a proper wheel brace rather than the car one supplied does a much better job. You will need the locking wheel nut key if fitted and on some cars you may need to remove the wheel centre caps/nut covers.
Step 2 - Jack Up The Car
Please refer to your car manual as to where the correct jacking points are. Again I find a proper jack is more suitable than the one supplied by the car.
Jack the car up and remove the wheel, before going any further get an axle stand in a safe point. (Again this will be specific to your car).
At these stage you can decide weather to do the job arch by arch or back end/ front end.
I decided to do the back end first so repeated the process on the other back wheel, leaving the whole back end ready to clean.
106 GTi
Step 3 - If you car has a spare now is a good time to drop it down to allow full access to the back floorpan
Chances are it will be quite dirty!
Step 4 - Degrease
To help shift any stubborn muck liberally spray a good cleaner to the arches and floor pan, allow few mins for it to do its stuff, agitate with a soft brush also helps
You can now start to attack the dirt with some water, either hose pipe with some decent pressure or if the area is really dirty a pressure washer helps.
Attack both arches and the floorpan
Chances are it will be quite dirty!
Step 4 - Degrease
To help shift any stubborn muck liberally spray a good cleaner to the arches and floor pan, allow few mins for it to do its stuff, agitate with a soft brush also helps
You can now start to attack the dirt with some water, either hose pipe with some decent pressure or if the area is really dirty a pressure washer helps.
Attack both arches and the floorpan
106 GTi
Sponge time yes sponge !
Step 4 - Scrub It!
The degreaser and water will do a good job of cleaning up the arches and floorpan quite well. But a scrub with soapy water will really be needed to get them properly clean. Some cheap car wash and a sponge cut in half is ideal to scrub the areas really well. Again a soft brush may help. In stubborn areas re-apply a degreaser if needed as well as something like Autoglym Tar Remover as required.
With the car in the air its an idea time to do the sills properly too.
Rinse off shampoo with the pressure washer or hose. While it dries off a bit, this is the ideal time to tackel the wheels, again I use the same products as above inside and out on the wheels.
While these are drying off a bit, dry the undercarrige and arches of with an old towl or cloth. Old Autoglym Chammys are ideal for this.
The same process is needed on the front end, I normally do the whole back end first, get the wheels back on. Lowe the car down and repeat on the front end.
Step 4 - Scrub It!
The degreaser and water will do a good job of cleaning up the arches and floorpan quite well. But a scrub with soapy water will really be needed to get them properly clean. Some cheap car wash and a sponge cut in half is ideal to scrub the areas really well. Again a soft brush may help. In stubborn areas re-apply a degreaser if needed as well as something like Autoglym Tar Remover as required.
With the car in the air its an idea time to do the sills properly too.
Rinse off shampoo with the pressure washer or hose. While it dries off a bit, this is the ideal time to tackel the wheels, again I use the same products as above inside and out on the wheels.
While these are drying off a bit, dry the undercarrige and arches of with an old towl or cloth. Old Autoglym Chammys are ideal for this.
The same process is needed on the front end, I normally do the whole back end first, get the wheels back on. Lowe the car down and repeat on the front end.
106 GTi
Step 5 - Wheel Sealant.
Dry the wheels off and then its an ideal time to polish and seal inside and out.
After washing, degreasing and tar removing, polish and seal. Autoglym Super Resin and Extra Gloss or Klasse AIO and SG are ideal for this task. Can then be followed by a dedicated wheel seaalnt if you desire
Step 6- Polish and Dress
Some cars are easier than others here, Arche liners on some cars mean there is very little to polish. These Plastic liners can be dressed with you favourite plastic dressing, but I have yet to find a product that does not attract dust day to day, so reserve this until I arrive at a show.
If the paint your wheel arches/floorpan is nice and smooth you can polish, wax or seal them if you like. I dont go to mad here, normally a one step product such as AIO or AG Super Resin is ideal. This should stop muck sticking, make it easy to clean at each normal washing and look good to. In my experience paint qulaity here is not the greatest, but if inclinced you could treat this like the paint on the uper half of your car!
Other parts like struts, suspension components, shocks, rear beams, cables and wires can be polished or dressed as required depending on finish/material, stainless parts such as exhausts can be polished up with some metal polish.
Amend - Since writing the above I know cover the brakes with plastic bags
Dry the wheels off and then its an ideal time to polish and seal inside and out.
After washing, degreasing and tar removing, polish and seal. Autoglym Super Resin and Extra Gloss or Klasse AIO and SG are ideal for this task. Can then be followed by a dedicated wheel seaalnt if you desire
Step 6- Polish and Dress
Some cars are easier than others here, Arche liners on some cars mean there is very little to polish. These Plastic liners can be dressed with you favourite plastic dressing, but I have yet to find a product that does not attract dust day to day, so reserve this until I arrive at a show.
If the paint your wheel arches/floorpan is nice and smooth you can polish, wax or seal them if you like. I dont go to mad here, normally a one step product such as AIO or AG Super Resin is ideal. This should stop muck sticking, make it easy to clean at each normal washing and look good to. In my experience paint qulaity here is not the greatest, but if inclinced you could treat this like the paint on the uper half of your car!
Other parts like struts, suspension components, shocks, rear beams, cables and wires can be polished or dressed as required depending on finish/material, stainless parts such as exhausts can be polished up with some metal polish.
Amend - Since writing the above I know cover the brakes with plastic bags
106 GTi
Step 6 - Refit Wheels
If you are planning on showing the vehicle it is worth dressing the inside profile of the tyre and spare wheel if fitted.
Replace the spare back under the car and re attch the road wheels.
Dress the tyres.
Step 7 - Torque!
Jack the car up and remove the axle stands. Lower the car back onto its wheels. IMPORTANT - check and tighten all of the wheel bolts with a torque wrench to the settings in the manual for your car.
If you are planning on showing the vehicle it is worth dressing the inside profile of the tyre and spare wheel if fitted.
Replace the spare back under the car and re attch the road wheels.
Dress the tyres.
Step 7 - Torque!
Jack the car up and remove the axle stands. Lower the car back onto its wheels. IMPORTANT - check and tighten all of the wheel bolts with a torque wrench to the settings in the manual for your car.
106 GTi
Added step - I forgot to add it is worth applying a small amount of copper grease to each wheel bolt and even between the wheel face and hub (if you not showing the car) to stop bits sticking together. I know some people recommend not doing this and don't do. Up to you. Helps removal next time round.
PS See Paul I can clean dirty high mileage undersides too
PS See Paul I can clean dirty high mileage undersides too
106 GTi
DRESSING AND POLISHING ARCHES
With Smoother paintwork it is possible to apply products such as Klasse AIO easily to the painted areas. This makes cleaning them on a weekly basis very easy. Even on daily drive cars I try and do this twice a year. Once in the Autumn to give some winter protection, and once in spring to clean up the winter grime.
On my show car this was done before each show.
It may be worth keeping any MF's you care about from these tasks. A mixture of old MF's and a throw away AG Polishing cloths works well here. Apply the polish as you would to the paintwork on any painted areas you can here. Arch paintwork, painted calipers, suspension parts etc.
Modern cars tend to have plastic arch liners fitted. These can be cleaned wshed and tar removed as described earlier. You then have the choice weather to dress or not. On a daily drive car doing this will lead to dirt sticking to them with some products. Autoglym Bumper Care Gel works well if you rub it in well and then buff it off. These seemed to leave a non greay or sticky finish that repelled water and does not attract dirt. When applied in this way it is very factory in apperance.
At shows AG Vinyl and Rubber works well, leaves a dressed apperance but will attract dirt.
With Smoother paintwork it is possible to apply products such as Klasse AIO easily to the painted areas. This makes cleaning them on a weekly basis very easy. Even on daily drive cars I try and do this twice a year. Once in the Autumn to give some winter protection, and once in spring to clean up the winter grime.
On my show car this was done before each show.
It may be worth keeping any MF's you care about from these tasks. A mixture of old MF's and a throw away AG Polishing cloths works well here. Apply the polish as you would to the paintwork on any painted areas you can here. Arch paintwork, painted calipers, suspension parts etc.
Modern cars tend to have plastic arch liners fitted. These can be cleaned wshed and tar removed as described earlier. You then have the choice weather to dress or not. On a daily drive car doing this will lead to dirt sticking to them with some products. Autoglym Bumper Care Gel works well if you rub it in well and then buff it off. These seemed to leave a non greay or sticky finish that repelled water and does not attract dirt. When applied in this way it is very factory in apperance.
At shows AG Vinyl and Rubber works well, leaves a dressed apperance but will attract dirt.
106 GTi
PAINTING PARTS
Keeping the calipers, hubs and brake dust shields clean is one of the harest parts. The car nature means dirt seems to get ingrained in these bits and will not come clean, cleaners tend to discolour these parts.
Painting these parts works quite wheel enabling them to easily clean up with soap and water, and be polsih and sealable like other parts.
There are specialist products out there to do this job, but smooth finish hammerite seems to work as well, hold up to high temps at the fraction of the cost. It is worth getting the thinners and thining it down a little even for brush application as it goes on better.
Clean up the calipers with a wire brush first to remove any corrosion. Mine had already been painted i the pics so another coat was being added. A once yearly job on the 306 as it was used in concours events.
After brushing clean and degrease you calipers and hubs. A mixture of Autoglym Engine and machine cleaner followed by brake cleaner works well in preping for paint.
When dry mak up any parts you dont want to get paint on, on the calipers bleed nipples and where the pipes join the caliper is advised. Taking the brake pads out makes things easier to. For those handy with the spanners taking the calipers of the car and using a spray version of hammerite works even better.
If you are trying to imapart a factory look, the silver and gold paints in the smooth line look better than the hammered finished equivilents.
With the wheels back on with an open type design you can see the worth in painting the hubs, rusty ones ruin the look of nicely detailed wheels and arches.
More on Painting Calipers
They are really easy to do.
1. Clean up an rust/corrosion etc with a good wire brushing.
2. Clean and Degrease - AG engine and machine cleaner and a tin of Brake Component. This can be sprayed on the calipers, discs hubs etc. It allows braks down the dirt and self dries, leaving everything grease free, so ideal to paint.
3. Mask up bits you dont really want to get paint on, pipe work, bolts/pins that allow the caliper to slide, move/open up/ for changing pads etc. Mask up and avoid painting any rubber seals or the bleed nipples. Taking the pads out makes things easier still.
4. Painting - I used the Smooth finish Hammerite, mixed with some of he thinners which allows it to brush on a bit easier. A variety of Artist brushes in a range of sizes is usefull, this way it is easy to carefully paint what you want. When I did my ex g/f's they where off the car and I used the spray version which was easy and quicker still. Just needed a bit more masking.
5. Allow to dry for about 24 hours before driving.
Keeping the calipers, hubs and brake dust shields clean is one of the harest parts. The car nature means dirt seems to get ingrained in these bits and will not come clean, cleaners tend to discolour these parts.
Painting these parts works quite wheel enabling them to easily clean up with soap and water, and be polsih and sealable like other parts.
There are specialist products out there to do this job, but smooth finish hammerite seems to work as well, hold up to high temps at the fraction of the cost. It is worth getting the thinners and thining it down a little even for brush application as it goes on better.
Clean up the calipers with a wire brush first to remove any corrosion. Mine had already been painted i the pics so another coat was being added. A once yearly job on the 306 as it was used in concours events.
After brushing clean and degrease you calipers and hubs. A mixture of Autoglym Engine and machine cleaner followed by brake cleaner works well in preping for paint.
When dry mak up any parts you dont want to get paint on, on the calipers bleed nipples and where the pipes join the caliper is advised. Taking the brake pads out makes things easier to. For those handy with the spanners taking the calipers of the car and using a spray version of hammerite works even better.
If you are trying to imapart a factory look, the silver and gold paints in the smooth line look better than the hammered finished equivilents.
With the wheels back on with an open type design you can see the worth in painting the hubs, rusty ones ruin the look of nicely detailed wheels and arches.
More on Painting Calipers
They are really easy to do.
1. Clean up an rust/corrosion etc with a good wire brushing.
2. Clean and Degrease - AG engine and machine cleaner and a tin of Brake Component. This can be sprayed on the calipers, discs hubs etc. It allows braks down the dirt and self dries, leaving everything grease free, so ideal to paint.
3. Mask up bits you dont really want to get paint on, pipe work, bolts/pins that allow the caliper to slide, move/open up/ for changing pads etc. Mask up and avoid painting any rubber seals or the bleed nipples. Taking the pads out makes things easier still.
4. Painting - I used the Smooth finish Hammerite, mixed with some of he thinners which allows it to brush on a bit easier. A variety of Artist brushes in a range of sizes is usefull, this way it is easy to carefully paint what you want. When I did my ex g/f's they where off the car and I used the spray version which was easy and quicker still. Just needed a bit more masking.
5. Allow to dry for about 24 hours before driving.
Last edited:
106 GTi
FINISHING TOUCHES
It can be hard to know where to stop when doing this kind of thing on a car which is judged and scruntised all over by judges at a show. You really need to pay attention to every inch of the car.
If something can be cleaned it needs to be. The main problem is certain parts sometimes ar beyond cleaning, painting will either look wrong, or lose you points on origionality if you are in a standard type car class at a show.
In my last season doing concours the exhaust system would not clean up and was replaced despite being in full working order! Some people paint it, but it never lasts, and looks non factory and cheap, and would lose your points in a comp.
With the rear box of it does enavle you to see and clean up alot more of the floorpan.
Metal parts are polished with metal polish, and can be followed up with AG Super Resin and Extra Gloss if you want to protect the finish more.
Painted Suspension parts such as rear beams, trailing arms, torsion bars can be polished to agin a good one step product such as AG SRP or Klasse AIO works wheel. The floor pan if not undersealed can be treated the same way, as can brake lines etc.
Undersealed areas can be cleaned up with soapy water, or even have a fresh coat applied if you are so inclined. Rubber and plastic parts can be dressed.
The spare wheel can be cleaned polished and sealed in the same way as the road wheels, and the tyre dressed.
The more attention to detail you pay here, the more points you will pick up in the competiton. You may get some odd looks from the MOT man when you go for your yearly test though!
A standard car is much harder to maintain than a modifed one where yoy could do as the RS boys do and remove all the underseal paint the whole pan, and replace everything with stainless parts for easy polishing (...oh and not ever drive them at alland trailer them to shows! ) but trying to maintain the factory look is another thing all together!
Anything I may have forgot just ask.
The above was done on my old Concours Pug 306 I competed with , the 205 was my daily car. I have gone nowhere near as far a on my Clio, ie nothing repainted everything just kept clean.
It can be hard to know where to stop when doing this kind of thing on a car which is judged and scruntised all over by judges at a show. You really need to pay attention to every inch of the car.
If something can be cleaned it needs to be. The main problem is certain parts sometimes ar beyond cleaning, painting will either look wrong, or lose you points on origionality if you are in a standard type car class at a show.
In my last season doing concours the exhaust system would not clean up and was replaced despite being in full working order! Some people paint it, but it never lasts, and looks non factory and cheap, and would lose your points in a comp.
With the rear box of it does enavle you to see and clean up alot more of the floorpan.
Metal parts are polished with metal polish, and can be followed up with AG Super Resin and Extra Gloss if you want to protect the finish more.
Painted Suspension parts such as rear beams, trailing arms, torsion bars can be polished to agin a good one step product such as AG SRP or Klasse AIO works wheel. The floor pan if not undersealed can be treated the same way, as can brake lines etc.
Undersealed areas can be cleaned up with soapy water, or even have a fresh coat applied if you are so inclined. Rubber and plastic parts can be dressed.
The spare wheel can be cleaned polished and sealed in the same way as the road wheels, and the tyre dressed.
The more attention to detail you pay here, the more points you will pick up in the competiton. You may get some odd looks from the MOT man when you go for your yearly test though!
A standard car is much harder to maintain than a modifed one where yoy could do as the RS boys do and remove all the underseal paint the whole pan, and replace everything with stainless parts for easy polishing (...oh and not ever drive them at alland trailer them to shows!
) but trying to maintain the factory look is another thing all together!Anything I may have forgot just ask.
The above was done on my old Concours Pug 306 I competed with , the 205 was my daily car. I have gone nowhere near as far a on my Clio, ie nothing repainted everything just kept clean.
106 GTi
Looks great after all the cleaning and detailing but in reality would it be possible to keep your car that clean underneath ?
You'd need to have another car as a daily driver
Once you get it clean you will be surprised how easy it is to keep on top of it I did loads of miles in the 205 GTi and it was still clean underneath when I sold it. Though all depends how much time and effort you want to go through, I would not bother now on a daily drive car.
106 GTi
There is an actual thread on DW that it was all taken from , best of linking that TBH
I am not quite as bad anymore !
No probs was all written a while ago.
106 GTi
The 306 I was not bothered by got good money for it and it became a normal car. When it came to the 1.9 that was even sweeter as I made made money on it and stuck plenty of miles on it. Also it eventually ended up in the hands of a collector then has 30-40 205 GTis already so doubt I will see it again !
Once they are gone they are gone does not bother me.
Once they are gone they are gone does not bother me.
+1, I mean i like having a nice clean car inside and out. And my missus always says im mad for taking my wheels off to clean them.
