Can I skip rust prevention? (1 Viewer)

[TXlandcrusher]

Hey everyone. I just bought my first land cruiser earlier this summer. It's a 2021 with 80,000 miles on the odometer. I'm looking for input on something - since I live in Texas, rust prevention spray is not something that is typically done. At least I've never heard of anyone doing it. That said, I plan to take this vehicle on week-long ski trips to Colorado, likely once per year (maybe even twice per year if I'm lucky) going forward. I've read about how rust from road salt can be a serious issue with Land Cruisers. The vehicle that I purchased has spent its whole life (thus far) in Texas and so it currently has no visible rust.

Do y'all think it's reasonable to skip treating the undercarriage, given that this vehicle will live 98% of the time in Texas? After ski trips, I would just spray the undercarriage with a hose or pressure washer as soon as I got back home. Is that low risk, or would y'all still recommend Fluid Film or a similar product? I'd like to keep this vehicle for a long time, so I'm trying to take care of it but also don't want to waste time/money on unnecessary precautions.

Thanks!

 

[stonepa]

I live in Seattle, which has never seen salt. But i do go to Idaho, Montana, Utah, and BC to ski. You wouldn’t think these states would use salt but they most certainly do. Also note - Texas is now using salt brine on winter roads. I have also found states now using salt brine from oil and natural gas wells to keep dust down on gravel roads. Including states that don’t see snow. So salt seems to be just about everywhere.

Even though I can clean the underside of my LC when I get home, I do fluid film my Land Cruiser to prevent any rust. Overkill? Maybe. But I keep my Cruisers literally forever and any rust would drive me nuts. May not be right for you depending on a once a year trip to salt country and how long you keep your vehicle. But if you will actually keep it 20 years it may make sense.

 

[Mingus Dew]

I live in Florida and recently purchased a 21 200 as well. The truck had ~30,000 miles on it all in South Florida.

Some minimal surface rust below. Exhaust as well but I am not worrying about that.

I had a hell of a time finding anyone to apply Fluid Film for me because, like Texas, people don't really worry about rustproofing here. Ended up finding a body shop to clean up and paint where needed and apply the fluid film. I'll apply it myself going forward - it's really straightforward with the rattle cans and you can buy a sprayer that is supposedly even better.

It's cheap peace of mind in my opinion. The only downside is that it makes your car gross to work on, but it's a small price to pay and if you aren't doing the work yourself then it's even more of a non-issue.

There are definitely parts of this truck that like to rust, even when there's no road salt involved. If you want maximum longevity undercoating is an easy way to get a few more years.

 

[linuxgod]

If you’re not dropping a boat in the gulf and not driving to places that use salt in the winter you don’t need to use fluid film or any other preventative. My one exception would be to put some marine grease on the heads of the KDSS valve as those seem to rust easily and a good marine grease will last for years

 

[dudemancool1904]

I live in so cal and my truck has seen snow in CA and NV, both use salt brine. I picked up a trick from a friend, he’s got one of those old school sprinklers that attach to the hose. We just leave it on under the truck for about 20 minutes and it gets about 90% of the underside.
When I get back home I’ll jack up the truck and use the pressure washer to clean the inside of the frame.

 

[bloc]

I live in Texas and for seven years have driven to Colorado or further up the rockies at least twice per year for skiing. While my frame is not perfect, it looks nothing like a real salt-state rig and there is no need for undercoating. And I’m pretty militant about avoiding rust.

For us it’s just not worth having that stuff in the way of everything we need to do under the truck.

Just grease your KDSS valve and rinse it all down when you get back from each trip. Pay special attention to the body mount legs off the frame under the rocker panels.. gravel gets stuck inside them. Also the pockets that mount the front bump stops.

 

[TXlandcrusher]

Thanks everyone for the input. I am still on the fence about whether to do Fluid Film, but it helps to hear others' perspectives, and I've got a bit of time still to decide on it. Glad to hear at least one other fellow Texan makes a couple ski trips per year and hasn't had issues with rust yet. That gives me hope....though there's always a chance I get scared as ski season approaches and I buy a bunch of cans of Fluid Film. We'll see. Thanks!

 

[MRego]

Another perspective to consider if you are not a DIYer, is that shops here in the south - TX specifically - hate to work in rigs coated with fluid film and all the gunk that collects once you go through a gravel or sand road. When I had my 80 and it was fluid filmed I got turned down more than once by shops refusing to work on it.

 

[stonepa]

Another perspective to consider if you are not a DIYer, is that shops here in the south - TX specifically - hate to work in rigs coated with fluid film and all the gunk that collects once you go through a gravel or sand road. When I had my 80 and it was fluid filmed I got turned down more than once by shops refusing to work on it.

Strange. Here in seattle they just hit the spot with brake or suspension cleaner and it just wipes/washes off. The mechanics comment every time that they hate dealing with rust and prefer cleaning off Fluid Film over seized bolts.

All that being said, all they do is fluid changes and a driveshaft lube anyways given everything else has been bulletproof on my rig.

 

[Mingus Dew]

Any shop that turns away a customer because they took steps to rust proof and take care of their vehicle shouldn’t be working on your cruiser in my view.

 

[Bunga]

This chassis rusts quickly. Fluid film or the host of other products is needed. Just to save yourself when taking stuff off.

 

[bloc]

Shops can take whatever work they want. Considering 99.9% of vehicles in Texas have no FF or other goop to deal with, I can understand them refusing the work.