Thread: The restoration of Wombat

Sounds like a plan... except I don't have a steam cleaner.

Actually, what'd be more useful for this project (as a purchase... assuming I can afford either), a steam cleaner or a pressure cleaner? Obviously, if I got a steam cleaner, I'd need to use the garden hose to clean out inside the chassis members that are open.

Got the radiator and grill off today

No, it wasn't as easy as you might think. All of the nuts and bolts were rusted solid. Many (most?) of them sheered off which was nice when it happened early but an unfortunate percentage slowly worked the nut to the end of the bolt before jamming and then snapping off.

Then there were the three bolts under the wheel arches that you need to be built like a chimpanzee to reach, not like a rotund old phart. Fortunately, after the first one (why is it always the first one that makes life hard?), they all snapped off early... apart from the last one that required gentle application of the angle grinder.. and a cold chisel.



Now I have to get off the mudguards. Simply removing the grill started the procedure, but they are rather firmly attached to the firewall. Some of the bolts I can't even get at and they are all thickly coated in rust. Oh joy. Next weekend can't come quickly enough.

Originally Posted by crackers

Sounds like a plan... except I don't have a steam cleaner.

Actually, what'd be more useful for this project (as a purchase... assuming I can afford either), a steam cleaner or a pressure cleaner? Obviously, if I got a steam cleaner, I'd need to use the garden hose to clean out inside the chassis members that are open.

The prices for the hot pressure washers seem to be a bit stiff (to me anyway) - can you plumb a "normal" pressure washer up to a hot water tap ? I cant think - I'll have a look at my Karcher and see if it says anything - it wouldn't be anywhere as near as hot but any bit of heat would help I should think.
cheers,
D

You need it to make STEAM, (not just hot water under pressure) that's why they are called steam cleaners, and for something that is going to be any good to you be prepared to part with $$$$$$, I used to have access to one a few years ago but sadly that was lost, keep an eye on the Govt surplus auctions as they do come along at times, cheers Dennis

That's what I thought. I've got a feeling it'll be the long, hard, manual method for me - I've got an angle grinder and a random orbital, I should be able to find the right fittings to do the job (those flappy 'sanding' heads spring to mind rather than sand paper). Still, that has yet to be investigated. There are a lot of panels that need cleaning as well as the chassis so anything bought will cop a lot of use, and that's just on the Landy.

Originally Posted by Dinty

You need it to make STEAM, (not just hot water under pressure) that's why they are called steam cleaners, and for something that is going to be any good to you be prepared to part with $$$$$$, I used to have access to one a few years ago but sadly that was lost, keep an eye on the Govt surplus auctions as they do come along at times, cheers Dennis

Its so cold here at the moment even my teas making steam.
cheers,
D

Originally Posted by Dark61

Its so cold here at the moment even my teas making steam.
cheers,
D

Cold? It's so cold here, the back yard isn't underwater any more, it's under ice. The dog came inside, I patted him, and great chunks of frozen hair fell off. Last night, a possum tried to walk the phone line from the house to the street - his feet froze to the wire half way and it wasn't till lunchtime that he'd warmed up enough to get moving again. The bloke next door parked his van in the driveway and had to light a fire under it to thaw the engine oil before he could start it.

Originally Posted by crackers

Cold? It's so cold here, the back yard isn't underwater any more, it's under ice. The dog came inside, I patted him, and great chunks of frozen hair fell off. Last night, a possum tried to walk the phone line from the house to the street - his feet froze to the wire half way and it wasn't till lunchtime that he'd warmed up enough to get moving again. The bloke next door parked his van in the driveway and had to light a fire under it to thaw the engine oil before he could start it.

I had a neighbour do that to an old Diesel back in Pommyland in the early 80's - he used a "disposable" barbeque.
cheers,
D