Rust protect a Mercedes-Benz Ponton
For a long time I've been searching for an instruction, preferably from Mercedes, on how to protect the car from new rust attacks. By "accident" I finally found the following material on an MB-market i Rimforsa 2015. It shows how to rust protect your Ponton and it's official. At least it is published by an authorized re-seller, Philipson. So who were they? The brief history goes: Philipsons (formerly Philipson Automobile AB) was a Swedish car importer. Under the leadership of Gunnar Philipson 1931, the company became Sweden's first general agent for Daimler-Benz, and has largely been associated with the import and resale of Mercedes cars. Mercedes-Benz Sweden AB was formed in 1994 when the current Daimler-Benz AG decided to take over all the Swedish import business for Mercedes-Benz from Philipson Bil AB. At that time I was very active within the Mercedes clubs in Sweden, among other things being president of MHS' Mercedes-Benz Register and later also Mercedes-Benz Gruppen Sverige (one of the two clubs that merged into today's Mercedes-Benz Klubben Sverige). Philipson supported the clubs in very nice way and I still have fond memories of my contacts there.
Click the picture to download in PDF-format
Based on this instruction, but also on common sense when I worked with repairs or - above all - assembly with or around closed areas of the chassis etc I sprayed Dinitrol ML into all cavities where ever I could. There are many. All this work is "proved" by photos like the one below.
Example of my, during the restoration, continous rust protection, here the A-pillar
Spraying Dinitrol ML into all the beams and cavities in the C-pillar, with the light grey cloth dome in place, was scary and had to be done meticulously. I actually first took pictures with a endoscope camera in order to familiarize myself with the construction before I started.
Endoscope picture during rust protection in C-pillar in order not to damage the cloth dome
Translation of the Swedish instruction
And here comes a quickly cleaned up “google translate” version of these instructions. You will for sure find errors in the text. It can be noted that the original text was a bit “old style” Swedish so the automatic translation had some difficulties. Feel free to send me corrections.
Page 1
Philipsons rust protection treatment of cars
Since the first instructions for rust protection treatment of cars was produced, experience on methods and equipment has increased which justifies the complementary of these instructions.
In the first place is becoming increasingly clear, that one should distinguish between the term rust protection treatment and the also earlier common protection against stone-chip. The latter thus has nothing to do with rust protection although anti rust products are used.
These instructions - which are based on earlier published Service bulletins from the Service department - form the basis for the rust protection treatment of particularly exposed details, which each car today undergoes at the Delivery centers. By repeated treatment of the car, since it entered into service, these guidelines should also be followed along with the Service bulletins. A deviation from the guidelines is not to advise.
In regards to stone-chip protection, the instructions give information about in what areas undercarriage mass undercoating is not to be applied. In addition, it is recommended that an underlying layer of thin anti-corrosion oil, before the “mass” is sprayed on. In subsequent treatments should “mass”-areas be carefully covered with thin rust protection oil, which provides effective protection against rust in those areas.
PHILIPSON'S AUTOMOBIL AB
Delivery centers
Page 2
Brands covered by these instructions: Mercedes-Benz 220a, S, SE, 219, 180-series, 190, 190b, 190 d, 190Db
Supplementary instructions for RUST PROTECTION TREATMENT
Drilling
Ensure that spray distance 40 — 50 cm is not exceeded. Drilled holes are sealed with rubber plugs.
Spraying
A. Inside with thin rust protection oil.
A, B, C, and so on. = existing holes, rubber plugs removed and thereafter put back.
1, 2, 3, etc. = holes drilled, one on each side unless otherwise noted.
Each hole is for a cavity, which must be sprayed in all directions.
Exception indicated by arrows, showing spray direction.
Note: Air resistance decreases spray effect: therefore, spray long enough - as a rule of thumb until runoff can be seen. "Twist" the nozzle even when a certain direction is specified.
B. External
1. Thin oil: under fenders, around/behind reflector housing, around jacking points, rear door pillar
2. Thick, drying oils: the entire underside of the chassis, around/behind reflector housing, around jacking points
3. "Undercarriage mass": under fenders - but not in the end parts - double layer where the stone chipping occurs.
4. Alternating thick or thin oils: Bumpers and wheel caps insides.
Note: No “undercarriage mass" in the end parts, i.e. outside the marking lines. (Håkan: Can someone explain to me why those areas shouldn't be covered?)
Page 3
Work order for rust protection treatment
A. Clean the undercarriage
B. Anti-corrosion Work
Low position
Canted beam in the engine room "1" is drilled.
The doors’ rear edge "2b" is drilled.
Spray thin oil "1", "2b", front pockets in the hood "A", middle door pillar "B", rear door pillar "C".
Cover drilled holes.
Mid position
Splash plate in front wheel arches "3" drilled.
Spray thin oil "3" and the drainage hole in the rear wheel arche "D"
Cover hole "3"
High position
Fork member’s front ends "4" drilled.
Outer lengthwise beams "5" and "6" drilled.
Front door pillar "7" drilled.
Front jacking point "8" drilled.
Outer lengthwise beams "9", "10" and "11" is drilled.
Rear jacking point "8" drilled.
Outer beam in the rear wheel arch "12" and "13" drilled.
Doors drilled "2a".
Spray thin oil "2a", "4" to "13", outer beam "F" by the cross member "G", inner beam at the gearbox "H", cross member "J", inner beam "K", cross member "L" and curved beam "M".
Cover drilled holes.
C. Other underbody coating
Thin oils: Spray under fenders, brush the outside of the rubber profiles.
Thick oil: spray under fenders.
"Undercarriage mass": Spray under fenders where stone-chipping occurs.
Page 4
The canted beam "1" against the wheel arch in the engine compartment
Drill a hole on both sides.
Spray up- and downwards
Doors "2"
Drill the trailing edge and in the bottom.
Spray so that outer sheet metal is well covered by the oil.
Cutaway door
From above
a. Hole in bottom
b. Hole in trailing edge
From behind
Middle door pillar "B"
Spray downwards through the square opening.
Rear door pillar "C"
Spray through the round opening in the luggage compartments side wall, at the front. Use spray gun of the type "kerosene spray" and spray once, not too much. Spray with care, so that headliner is not damaged by spraying through the large openings in the same sheet metal part.
"D" drain hole.
Page 5
Splash plate in front wheel arches "3" has the form, as is indicated in the accompanying image
Drill approx. 300mm from the lower edge of the plate.
Spray in all directions.
Note: The rear, vertical joints of the front fenders should be sprayed with oil.
Fork member’s front ends "4"
Drill a hole behind torsion bar mount.
Spray forward and backward.
Outer lengthwise beams
Drill above mount for front fender’s strut "5". Drill at the corner "6".
Widen the existing hole "E". Drill a hole directly under the middle door pillar "9". Drill a hole in the bottom of the front door pillar "7" and in the bottom of the jacking point "8".
Spray in all directions.
Outer lengthwise beams (continued)
Drill 200 mm from rear jacking point "10". Drill in the bottom of the jacking point "8". Drill behind the existing hole under the jacking point "11".
Spray in all directions.
Page 6
Curved beams over the rear axle "12" and "13"
Drill as shown in the picture and spray in all directions.
Beams’ rear ends "F" in the corner at the rear cross member "G"
Spray in all directions through the two holes in each corner.
Beams on either side of the gearbox "H"
Spray through holes in all directions.
Cross member "J" and beams on either side of the gearbox "K"
Spray in all directions.
Beams on either side of the drive train "M", "L"
Spray through holes in all directions.
