Not sure why you ask.....it's not something I would use any place visible and there are better products for seals. Good old 303 is great for those and if you need something made just for seals, Honda makes a dedicated seal/weatherstrip grease.
fluid filmers
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Not sure why you ask.....it's not something I would use any place visible and there are better products for seals. Good old 303 is great for those and if you need something made just for seals, Honda makes a dedicated seal/weatherstrip grease.
Sorry, to elaborate. I was spraying the cavity of the LX upper lift gate, curiously, there is no visible hole on a 200 series hatch, unless you remove the two rubber dampers on either side of the push button. So, I sprayed into the cavity through the holes, not sure how far the mist reached. Then, I sprayed some into the gap between those metal brackets and the painted hatch body surfaces, on both vertical edges of the gate. So, this is where I felt some FF May touched the underside of the seals. BUT, MAYBE IM TOTALLY WRONG, because the glass and the seal is only mounted on TOP of the gate body, rather than gate body-seal-glass sandwiching each other. Therefore, IF I was spraying;g into the vanity, the FF wouldn’t touch the seal in the first place as the gate body sheet metal is in between.
Well, what I meant was, from base to top, it is sheet metal—-seal—-glass
If I use Rust Reformer before applying FF, should I go ahead and attempt to wire brush visible rust and use Rustoleum Primer first? Just want to do it once and right. Thanks
I suggest doing any preventative rust removal or painting before FF.
It will double the amount of elbow grease and surface prep needed if you were to try and paint something that has FF on it.
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My lx had surface rust on all the welds when I bought it. I started by cleaning some of it off, but it's really time consuming. I ended up just spraying it with fluid film last winter to see how it works.
Honestly it seems to have kept the rust in check. I live on a dirt road that is usually a combination of snow/mud/salt/magcl 6-8 months of the year. I can't keep the vehicles clean at all during those months. I applied fluid film and then just left it for six months without washing the underside. I am super impressed with how well it worked. I washed the underside yesterday to prepare it and many spots of the frame were still beading the water away.
I sprayed the fluid film today with their sprayer and it is really worth the money if you plan on doing it. So much easier then rattle cans and better coverage.
Honestly it seems to have kept the rust in check. I live on a dirt road that is usually a combination of snow/mud/salt/magcl 6-8 months of the year. I can't keep the vehicles clean at all during those months. I applied fluid film and then just left it for six months without washing the underside. I am super impressed with how well it worked. I washed the underside yesterday to prepare it and many spots of the frame were still beading the water away.
I sprayed the fluid film today with their sprayer and it is really worth the money if you plan on doing it. So much easier then rattle cans and better coverage.
As a cheaper and easier alternative to rust reformer, naval jelly, ect is a simple diluted phosphoric acid solution in a spray bottle.
https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Grade-Phosphoric-Remover-Clean/dp/B06XZSW3QX/?tag=ihco-20
Get a spray bottle, and fill it up to 66% (2/3) of it's capacity with water. Wear gloves and add the acid until it's full. (always add acid to water, NOT water to acid) The bottle will get warm. Spray liberally onto rust.
Phosphoric acid will convert rust inert. It forms a white substance which shows you it's working.
Use your head, and try not to get it into your eyes or breathe a ton of it in. A gallon will last the rest of your life.
I did this on my 80 series prior to painting the entire underside. I intend to do the same thing to my 200 prior to FF application next month.
https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Grade-Phosphoric-Remover-Clean/dp/B06XZSW3QX/?tag=ihco-20
Get a spray bottle, and fill it up to 66% (2/3) of it's capacity with water. Wear gloves and add the acid until it's full. (always add acid to water, NOT water to acid) The bottle will get warm. Spray liberally onto rust.
Phosphoric acid will convert rust inert. It forms a white substance which shows you it's working.
Use your head, and try not to get it into your eyes or breathe a ton of it in. A gallon will last the rest of your life.
I did this on my 80 series prior to painting the entire underside. I intend to do the same thing to my 200 prior to FF application next month.
This may be a dumb question, or even blasphemy, but it is an honest question:
what is so great about FF? I'd never heard of it until getting on Mud, so I was /am naturally skeptical, but open-minded -- clearly there are some big FF people here! Since FF seems to wash off (or wear out?) wouldn't a coat of paint protect the steel bits and last longer? Or even a "traditonal" undercoating? What am I missing besides the sweet smell of sheep hair oil?
what is so great about FF? I'd never heard of it until getting on Mud, so I was /am naturally skeptical, but open-minded -- clearly there are some big FF people here! Since FF seems to wash off (or wear out?) wouldn't a coat of paint protect the steel bits and last longer? Or even a "traditonal" undercoating? What am I missing besides the sweet smell of sheep hair oil?
Fluid film hits the sweet spot of easy, cheap, and also works.
Arguably the best thing to do would be to take the entire underside of the truck apart, and have it all galvanized - but that's not cheap or easy.
Painting the correct way is also a good option. But technically it requires a heck of a lot of surface prep. (rust elimination, degreasing, disassembly) And would need to be redone in a short period of time (relative to expense) to ensure protection (all paint chips, and chips hold road salt). I recently repainted my 80 series chassis in a somewhat half-assed way and it took me several weekends and the paint was $100 a gallon.
Traditional rubberized undercoating really should have the same surface prep as above. But it can be sprayed without much prep. Unfortunately, not doing surface prep is really shooting yourself in the foot as you're generally just trapping rust and moisture.
Fluid film is cheap at about $50 a gal, and you can just go under the truck and hog it on there in a half hour or so. It requires no surface prep, and since it's essentially a greasy oil it creeps into spots that you might not have hit directly during application. Yes, it requires re-application but short of galvanizing everything you do will eventually require re-application.
I don't think we're fluid film fanatics, as much as we're ongoing maintenance fanatics. It's generally accepted that having a clean rust free baseline, and hitting it with some sort of greasy goo twice annually is the best way to keep the undercarriage rust free.
Arguably the best thing to do would be to take the entire underside of the truck apart, and have it all galvanized - but that's not cheap or easy.
Painting the correct way is also a good option. But technically it requires a heck of a lot of surface prep. (rust elimination, degreasing, disassembly) And would need to be redone in a short period of time (relative to expense) to ensure protection (all paint chips, and chips hold road salt). I recently repainted my 80 series chassis in a somewhat half-assed way and it took me several weekends and the paint was $100 a gallon.
Traditional rubberized undercoating really should have the same surface prep as above. But it can be sprayed without much prep. Unfortunately, not doing surface prep is really shooting yourself in the foot as you're generally just trapping rust and moisture.
Fluid film is cheap at about $50 a gal, and you can just go under the truck and hog it on there in a half hour or so. It requires no surface prep, and since it's essentially a greasy oil it creeps into spots that you might not have hit directly during application. Yes, it requires re-application but short of galvanizing everything you do will eventually require re-application.
I don't think we're fluid film fanatics, as much as we're ongoing maintenance fanatics. It's generally accepted that having a clean rust free baseline, and hitting it with some sort of greasy goo twice annually is the best way to keep the undercarriage rust free.
How do you paint or undercoat the inside of a boxed frame? I can spray fluid film in there with the various adapters on my spray gun. I can also spray it in door panels, and other rust prone areas. It creeps with time and with repeated applications I bet the entire interior of my frames are covered.
I have learned after trying to keep trucks from rotting out in a salt heavy state that you can’t paint well inside a boxed frame and paint and undercoat doesn’t last.
I have had numerous trucks that I treated rust, sealed painted undercoated in every fashion you can imagine but that boxed frame is tough. Granted some of the trucks were rusting to start but I have learned that undercoating with paint or other undercoating is basically a waste of time. I did several frame up restorations of 4x4 Toyota mini trucks as well as a fj62 and lost all of the frames to rust. I even had drilled additional holes and tried to spray the inside of the frame after treatment with multiple rust abatement techniques.
Fluid film can be used on existing rust and it will keep it in check. It is cheap and easy. I have found that after several years there are very few spots that need repeated applications. Granted I am very liberal with my application. You don’t have to prep and don’t have to be precise to apply. Once applied it lubricates as well do removal of hardware is much easier.
Napa has a gallon for 39.99 and you get 10% off to reserve online.
Read about its origins. They used it to coat the navy ships ballast tanks to keep them from rusting. If it can protect the hull and tank of a ship from saltwater I suspect it works on a car.
I have had great luck with it and will
Keep using it as I have used lots of other things and find this to be the easiest and most effective. I don’t really have any interest in this other than keeping as many cruisers as possible on the road and protected from rust. It is not permanent or perfect but neither am I.
John
I have learned after trying to keep trucks from rotting out in a salt heavy state that you can’t paint well inside a boxed frame and paint and undercoat doesn’t last.
I have had numerous trucks that I treated rust, sealed painted undercoated in every fashion you can imagine but that boxed frame is tough. Granted some of the trucks were rusting to start but I have learned that undercoating with paint or other undercoating is basically a waste of time. I did several frame up restorations of 4x4 Toyota mini trucks as well as a fj62 and lost all of the frames to rust. I even had drilled additional holes and tried to spray the inside of the frame after treatment with multiple rust abatement techniques.
Fluid film can be used on existing rust and it will keep it in check. It is cheap and easy. I have found that after several years there are very few spots that need repeated applications. Granted I am very liberal with my application. You don’t have to prep and don’t have to be precise to apply. Once applied it lubricates as well do removal of hardware is much easier.
Napa has a gallon for 39.99 and you get 10% off to reserve online.
Read about its origins. They used it to coat the navy ships ballast tanks to keep them from rusting. If it can protect the hull and tank of a ship from saltwater I suspect it works on a car.
I have had great luck with it and will
Keep using it as I have used lots of other things and find this to be the easiest and most effective. I don’t really have any interest in this other than keeping as many cruisers as possible on the road and protected from rust. It is not permanent or perfect but neither am I.
John
To second @Mixelplix, this forum has owners who want to preserve their vehicle as long as possible. The typical new jeep owner isn't thinking they might keep their truck for 25+ years or 300k+ miles. FF is inexpensive, easy, and works surprisingly well at temporarily stopping rust. Painting the frame would be the best solution but it's a big undertaking to do proper surface prep and you can't get to all the places rust might form unless you're willing to remove the body from the frame... and even then you'll need to regularly touch up the undercarriage. I really need to climb under my truck and take a photo but my sliders have 6 self-tapping bolts into the underside of the frame (as well as 3 bolts that go through the frame). Of the 6 self-tapping ones, I can tell 4 were hit with FF last year and 2 look like they were missed based on the level of corrosion on them.
Thanks for the replies, folks, and the benefit of your real-world experience. I try to take good care of my LC but have to guard against my own obsessiveness sometimes!
$50 seemed like a lot but then I haven't priced auto paint (ever). The application points (and migration) make a lot of sense as pros for FF. I may give it a shot this fall. My 08 was sprayed in some gooey undercutting by PO. Seems to be working OK for the most part, but there are some spots I'd like to give some supplemental protection to.
$50 seemed like a lot but then I haven't priced auto paint (ever). The application points (and migration) make a lot of sense as pros for FF. I may give it a shot this fall. My 08 was sprayed in some gooey undercutting by PO. Seems to be working OK for the most part, but there are some spots I'd like to give some supplemental protection to.
I am super interested in getting my 4 Runner coated as well if you wouldn't mind messaging your number!
I am super interested in getting my 4 Runner coated as well if you wouldn't mind messaging your number!
Sorry for my absence guys. I had no idea me inbox was full, regardless, I am spraying again this fall on a smaller scale. I’ve been doing single days at my house and knocking trucks out first come first served. My next available day is Sunday November 11. If you’re interested I’ll have some beers in the fridge and football on the garage TV. Nothing fancy and you may have to be patient if someone else is getting sprayed but if you show up I’ll get you coated before the salt trucks roll this season. Just to make sure I don’t wear myself out again hit me up with a PM (I cleaned out my inbox) and I’ll shoot you my address. I cannot spray for 14 hours a day like last season. I’m getting started at 8am Sunday November 11th, it’s a hundred clams cash per vehicle unless you have something exotic like a delivery truck, a pick up or a vintage conversion van.
I love nothing more than making my neighbors wonder what the hell all these sweet Yota 4X4’s are doing in the neighborhood.
I am located in Wheaton IL, about 10 minutes from ChiTown4X4 if you’re familiar with where they are located.
These trucks are worth protecting, I got your back in the fight against the evil salt monster.
Peace and love,
Kevin
I love nothing more than making my neighbors wonder what the hell all these sweet Yota 4X4’s are doing in the neighborhood.
I am located in Wheaton IL, about 10 minutes from ChiTown4X4 if you’re familiar with where they are located.
These trucks are worth protecting, I got your back in the fight against the evil salt monster.
Peace and love,
Kevin
I'm in, just let me know the place.