Sorry if this is old news, but I hadn't heard of this before so thought I would post . . . .

I'd never had much luck being able to completely clean out the inner rockers on our 240-series cars. I'm never able to get the vacuum's hose more than a couple of inches into the access holes on the inside of the rockers. The situation is even worse on our 1991s as they have fewer access holes.

I was thinking about how to add a flexible extension to the shop-vac hose today while at the big-box hardware store. Looked at a variety of tubing types on the plumbing aisle when ("Eureka") I came across a corrugated washing machine discharge hose. While it's diameter is smaller than I would have liked (only ~ 1"), its flexibility, 5-foot length, and rubber coupling that slips over the end of the shop-vac hose make it pretty much ideal for this application. (Just cut off/remove the 180* hook on the other end).

I tried it out on both 1991 cars this PM. I was able to work about 4+ feet of hose from the front towards the back of the car--and while I can't say I got all of the crapola out of the rockers, I'm sure I got most of it.

Maybe next time I'll use a light and a mirror so I can see/steer the hose a little better, but even without it, this worked pretty well.

Total cost was less than $10 (including tax)--definitely worth the $.

Hope this helps!

Steve A-

Oh, here's a link to the hose at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-5-ft-Corrugated-Washing-Machine-Discharge-Hose-HRBDIS01EB/206578694?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-BASE-PLA-D26P-Plumbing%7C&gclid=CNK4sNfg288CFckehgodWqoIRQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

The second hose pictured in this post is found in the electrical section - a plastic equivalent to Greenfield, if you will. Been too long to remember how much it cost, but it is rigid enough for vacuum while remaining very snakeable.

https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1386847/220/240/260/280/1992_cowl_vent_cleaning_plug.html
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

The taste of low quality lingers long after the satisfaction of low price.

That (blue) hose is what I was originally looking for . . . but the rubber adapter that fit right onto the shop-vac swung the deal for me.

The photo is a good refresher--thanks! Hate to admit it, but I had forgotten about pulling the seat belt retractors to get additional access.

Thanks again!

Steve A-

Great idea! I've been contemplating using a cloths dryer duct brush kit. It has screw together shaft sections. I'm thinking of drilling a small hole for the shaft inside the rear fender to get a straight shot down the rockers and a reversible hand drill to power the brush.

My '81 242 has supports in the rockers which have openings in their centers. The brush might go through them or be detached and reinstalled at each section using the access openings.

Does anyone have info on a system to spray rust proofing inside the rockers?

Great photo! As for tools, I use this one:
http://images.biltema.com/PAXToImageService.svc/article/xlarge/15457

The handle is made to fit cans of rust proofing oil, and the nozzle is designed to spray the stuff to the sides and slightly backwards. I insert the hose as deep into the rockers as possible, start spraying and pull the hose slowly towards me.

Erling.
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Thanks Erling. Great tool. Where or what type of store would I get that tool? I've never come across rust proofing oil either.

How do you get it into the right place? IS there an access port?
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1985 Volvo 240 sedan

You have to first remove the black thresh hold pieces from the door sills. Then peal back the carpet and then look for the plastic body plugs on the inside. These you remove and vacuum away. If you don't want more crap going down find some plastic screen material and make a covers for the outside fresh air vents.