# Need advice on underseal and sills (Best way to sort this out?)



## Suberman (Aug 16, 2010)

Hi fellas, i need some opinion on what's the best way to deal with peeling underseal and a slightly bent sill.

Some background information:

Car is an Impreza Spec C (so theres only a thin layer of underseal along the chassis sills) The car although is an '07 is only registered for road use in 2010. So it's really new, but the underseal/rubber coating is peeling. Strangely every Spec C (even the press pictures) i see on the web has similar issues (flaking rubber coating)

Firstly, the peeling underseal.

What's the white part? Primer? I was told it's some form of antirust coat of somethng. It's smooth.









The black part is what i think is rubber coating? Easily cleaned off with solvent. Below that, is paint over a thin coat of stoneguard

I'm thinking leaving the white part exposed to dirt, grime and water is just a bad idea in the long run?

Then recently i realised someone (most likely my tyre shop) has lifted my car up at the wrong points in front! Even with a 4 post lift, the fool placed a piece of wood 3" - 4" after the factory jacking point. This must have taken place more than a year back but i never noticed it until recently

The bottom edge of the front right fender is slightly folded.

The redline shows the part being slightly bent. 









Bottom picture, looking directly up 









Compared to the passenger side









Under the car, looking outwards.









Compared to the passenger side









Slight bulge from the fold









Compared to the passenger side









As you can see, the paint is so thin, it's a joke. The car is really new with just 6k miles. Quite obvious these cars were built for competion and not really to be "kept" in this sense.

So far, i've these 3 options in mind.

*Option 1*: Bend back the folded bit of the fender and maybe knock to straigten out the sill and remove all existing coating (down to the white part) and reapply stoneguard and spray over? But it won't look OEM would it?

*Option 2*: Bend back the folded bit of the fender and maybe knock to straigten out the sill and just touch up with paint and rubber coating. But will moisture and dirt be trapped in since it's already peeling?

*Option 3*: Bend back the folded bit of the fender, but leave the sill as it is as it is not obvious at all then touch up with paint and rubber coating. But will moisture and dirt be trapped in since it's already peeling?

I'm hoping to get some advice and maybe more suggestions. My goal is to sort it out with the best option while keeping it looking OEM. What do you reckon is the best way?

Will there be any issues from knocking the sills? Is there any way to knock it without chipping the paint any further?

The rest of the car is in a really good condition so i intend to sort this out as best as i can. 









Sorry for the lengthy post, but thanks for reading.


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## HEATH (Nov 2, 2011)

lOVELY CAR MATE AND i UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION! I Had same thing happen on my 12 months old VW Jetta by local garage but only noticed it a few months after so didnt go back!! A friend at my body shop, bent the cill back in line, and cut the under seal off tback to the point were it was stuck firmly with no danger of water / dirt becoming trapped between the two surfaces, the grey is a primer uses on the vehicle floor pan before underseal is applied so dont worry it wont rust if you deal with it now before the winter.
Once the rubber seal is taken back ensure the surface is clean and if your doing the repair outside ensure its dry and not to cole (prevent moisture trap) re apply a liberal coating of underseal, not bitumen based ( maybe something similar to stone chip) oce a caot or maybe 2 or 3 are applied and its brought to the same level as the original seal, apply a couple of coats of paint to bring back to original finish.
If your not confident and you want a piece of mind and to stop you being paranoid as I was keep looking at it, take it to a body shop your looking at no more than £50 to sort it out (less than a tank of fuel) let me know how you went on please, good to know for future reference.


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## Suberman (Aug 16, 2010)

HEATH said:


> lOVELY CAR MATE AND i UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION! I Had same thing happen on my 12 months old VW Jetta by local garage but only noticed it a few months after so didnt go back!! A friend at my body shop, bent the cill back in line, and cut the under seal off tback to the point were it was stuck firmly with no danger of water / dirt becoming trapped between the two surfaces, the grey is a primer uses on the vehicle floor pan before underseal is applied so dont worry it wont rust if you deal with it now before the winter.
> Once the rubber seal is taken back ensure the surface is clean and if your doing the repair outside ensure its dry and not to cole (prevent moisture trap) re apply a liberal coating of underseal, not bitumen based ( maybe something similar to stone chip) oce a caot or maybe 2 or 3 are applied and its brought to the same level as the original seal, apply a couple of coats of paint to bring back to original finish.
> If your not confident and you want a piece of mind and to stop you being paranoid as I was keep looking at it, take it to a body shop your looking at no more than £50 to sort it out (less than a tank of fuel) let me know how you went on please, good to know for future reference.


Thanks for replying and the kind words Heath. Is the current black coating bituman based? I think it's a type of spray on rubber coating (same as what you're talking about?)

And the underseal that you're talking about is something that dries to a hard and slightly wrinkled finish?


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## Suberman (Aug 16, 2010)

I was hoping for more suggestion fellas...

What are your thoughts on the options 1,2 and 3?


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

thats nothing really

id get a small block and carefully tap it until its straight , the black doesnt look original looks very much like 3m aerosol stonchip/underseal


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

Its nothing really, I would not be trying to bend it back to be honest. Yes clean any loose stuff and use a protection covering of your choice.
If you want to, knocking the edge back into shape will not harm the spot welds, I fail to see how it could. Use a flat piece of steel or heavy hammer against the rear side and tap/form the edge with a flat hammer (do you know any tin bashers who could lend you facing hammers).
It should not take much to manipulate straight again.


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## Suberman (Aug 16, 2010)

steveo3002 said:


> thats nothing really
> 
> id get a small block and carefully tap it until its straight , the black doesnt look original looks very much like 3m aerosol stonchip/underseal


I know it isn't too bad but i just know it's there even though it isn't very obvious. Glad to hear that it could be tapped straight. What about slowly twisting it with mole grips? I read that once metal is twisted, if you twist it back it'll weaken? Does the same theory apply to tapping?

Yeah, that's what i think it is - some 3M rubber spray on underseal or something, but the car came like that.

If you look at picture 2, you can see that below that black coat of spray on stuff is another coat of underseal that's covered in blue paint. It's wrinkled in finish. What underseal would that be?



RedUntilDead said:


> Its nothing really, I would not be trying to bend it back to be honest. Yes clean any loose stuff and use a protection covering of your choice.
> If you want to, knocking the edge back into shape will not harm the spot welds, I fail to see how it could. Use a flat piece of steel or heavy hammer against the rear side and tap/form the edge with a flat hammer (do you know any tin bashers who could lend you facing hammers).
> It should not take much to manipulate straight again.


Thanks for replying. Would i risk chipping off the factory primer if i tap with a flat hammer?


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

you wont weaken anything by carefully bashing it straight , i suggested a block of wood as molegrips might leave more marks , but yeah pliers /molegrips /small hammer will sort it ...it would only weaken when bend round 180 degs and moved back n forth many times , really dont worry 

3m 08877 would be my choice if you want the same finish, just went and checked my can , i recon thats what it is , or any rattle can black stonechip will be close


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## Suberman (Aug 16, 2010)

steveo3002 said:


> you wont weaken anything by carefully bashing it straight , i suggested a block of wood as molegrips might leave more marks , but yeah pliers /molegrips /small hammer will sort it ...it would only weaken when bend round 180 degs and moved back n forth many times , really dont worry
> 
> 3m 08877 would be my choice if you want the same finish, just went and checked my can , i recon thats what it is , or any rattle can black stonechip will be close


Cheers for the advice Steve :thumb:

So since it's fine with some light knocking/tapping, what would be your choice then?

*Option 1:* Bend back the folded bit of the fender and maybe knock to straigten out the sill and remove all existing coating (down to the white part) and reapply stoneguard and spray over? But it won't look OEM would it?

*Option 2:* Bend back the folded bit of the fender and maybe knock to straigten out the sill and just touch up with paint and rubber coating. But will moisture and dirt be trapped in since it's already peeling?

I would not really want to strip everything down and reseal and paint, but with all the underseal on there, it's a little hard to see if it's perfectly straight is it? Sorry, bit of an OCDer here. :lol:

If i just touch up the flaking paint and apply 3M 08877, would i risk sealing in dirty and moisture?


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## Naranto (Apr 5, 2007)

I am having my SAAB 99T restored by a specialist and he is using this:

http://www.wurth.co.uk/catalogue/pdfs/UK-CD_05_0265.pdf
When dried it feels like a harder version of a pencil rubber. it is certainly more rubber like than the oil based alternatives out there.
BUT you will need a special applicator and industrial compressor to apply it. Fortunately the specialist, JamSAAB has both. :thumb:

Pics can be found here:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=236467&page=6

HTH


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

straighten it 

peel back any loose sealer ,gently sand the area with a red scotch pad , if theres bare metal prime it with zinc primer , then 3m underseal

make sure its done on a dry day , if you feel it might be damp then warm the area with a hot air gun or hairdryer


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

^^ That's what I'd do as well. 

@ the OP: you have a reply to your PM :thumb:


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

I agree with them two:thumb:


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