Best undercoating for bare clean metal?

[Heckraiser]

Hi folks. Sorry, I tried searching but did not turn up much. I am going to chop off my rocker panels to make way for sliders (I did this on my old 60 and really liked the added clearance). Since I'm not a great welder and I'm a little intimidated by body work, the plan is to seal off the exposed inside of the rockers and call it a day. It should be clean, rust-free metal underneath, although I haven't opened it up yet *knocks on wood*

Keeping in mind that this area will probably get some kick up from the tires (sliders will block some, but not all), what would be the best way to protect the area?

I was thinking POR15, urethane primer, and then bedliner or rubberized undercoat or ??? as the top layer. What have you guys had success with?

 

[SteveH]

I was thinking POR15, urethane primer, and then bedliner or rubberized undercoat or ??? as the top layer. What have you guys had success with?

That's not a bad combination, but I would inspect it yearly and be sure rust hasn't gotten started underneath the bedliner. Be sure you don't seal up any areas - you want to be able to wash out trapped mud and salt and let water evaporate. I would install some sort of mud flap (ahead of the slider) to limit the dirt and rocks flung at your rockers.

 

[norsk]

Well I used Rust Bullet on my frame after de-rustifying it. Then looked at the underbody and said, Let's try it. So I cleaned the underbody and did Rust Bullet on that as well. We shall see over time as I will check regularly for its status. If there is a problem I will touch up or put something else on it. The goal is to protect for another 30 years. In my build thread listed in my sig

Other mudder did Monstiliner bedliner under there as well.

just options

dougbert

 

[dbleon]

Good primer/paint, then Fluid Film or the like? Would have to re-apply I'm sure but it would allow for inspections?? I dont know if I like the idea of bedliner in that area, esp. in salt/snow conditions. I have zero experience with this stuff (living in AZ = no rust worries ), just speculation.

Good luck and post pics of the chop!!

 

[TobyB]

Start with an etching primer, then something tough.

The primer will protect the metal (and stop any rust you can't see)
and the tough stuff will protect the primer.

I've used epoxy primer with etchant added, and then epoxy paint with pretty good results.

hth

t

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Heckraiser with 666 posts, hehe.
Know that we have a paint and body section here on 'Mud.
Also poke around on autobody101.com (typed from memory so look for variations)

 

[Paul4560]

Cold galv?

Im planing on using it on body work but i am not sure how clean i can get the underside of the vehicle so might use a rust converting primer for there, and cold galv everywhere else where i have clean metal.

 

[Heckraiser]

So at this point I'm shying away from using bedliner or rubberized undercoat on it, just because if I do develop any rust, I would like to at least be aware that it's happening rather than have it go undiscovered under the textured surface. I see that POR15 also makes a tie-coat primer, so I think I might do POR-15, Por-15 primer and then IH tractor enamel over the top (planning on painting the whole truck in IH white).

Any thoughts?

 

[AdamKFarmer]

Heck - What did you decide?

 

[Heckraiser]

Sold the truck before I ever got around to chopping it up

 

[AdamKFarmer]

dangit.