Rust Prevention or reductions: Fluid Film Product any good? (1 Viewer)

[stonepa]

Salt-Away sprayed everywhere followed by Fluid Film will keep the rust critters away. FF is available in one/five gal sizes, sprayed w a gun goes a lot further/easier to manage than the rattle can.

I find the 'hard setting" stuff can sometimes be problematic on some of the underside mechanicals.

Yeah the ‘hard’ coating solutions also trap water and cause more, often catastrophic, rust even while looking good on the outside. When the coating gets a crack water gets in and stays in. The lanolin based solutions may not be permanent but they are self healing and work extremely well with only needing a yearly application. My experience is they work extremely well, even when my LC is sitting 50 feet from the Pacific Ocean for 25 years.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Yeah the ‘hard’ coating solutions also trap water and cause more, often catastrophic, rust even while looking good on the outside. When the coating gets a crack water gets in and stays in. The lanolin based solutions may not be permanent but they are self healing and work extremely well with only needing a yearly application. My experience is they work extremely well, even when my LC is sitting 50 feet from the Pacific Ocean for 25 years.

This is exactly what happened to my poor beloved Chevy K5 Blazer with the hard rust proofing coating.

 

[99toylc]

Lps3 if it's good for airplane wheel / suspension systems in the rust belt its good for my 200 too.
Waxy, self-healing protection layer - perfect

 

[Blue Phoenix]

FWIW another vote for fluid film... it's easy to apply and when you need to wash it off it's not a big deal with a pressure wash.

I live in Michigan, my LC is my primary vehicle and I do frequent trips between my home and Indianapolis. Tons of snow and salt.

My truck was a southern truck with no rust and remains 90% rust free 3 years in. The only spots of rust I have are areas I neglected to spray from the get-go.

 

[KLF]

I live about 20 mins from the main headquarters for NHOU, so I just have them do it. Much better than FF, IMO. I'm done crawling under vehicles to spray and getting that crap all over me and my clothes. I always drop the spare and remove all the skids before taking it over, so they have easy access.

My other preferred product is Amsoil HD Metal Protector. It's like chain oil, sprays on liquid then cures to a waxy coating that doesn't wash off. I spray that on things that are easy to reach. My trailer hitch receiver still looks brand new thanks to this stuff.

 

[Mad Jack]

Living in an area they send good Yotas to slowly rot away and die, I am a fluid film believer. I have used woolwax as well but FF is just been my choice. I try to do it 2x a year, late spring and late fall to hit peak salty road and beach seasons. Get an air gun and buy it in bulk. I do use rattlecans for touch up. As others have said, it will wash off over time on high exposure parts and areas. Not a fan of hard coatings or undercoating meant for the life of the vehicle. More harm than good imo.

 

[Ronel2020]

Does anyone regularly coat their undercarriage in the SE? I live in Charleston. We have shallow saltwater flooding. I regularly trailer my boat to the landing (multiple times per week). I also enjoy a couple of beach/surf/fishing trips to OBX and similar places ever year. I have seen some minor surface rust on my previous vehicle. Not the same as a harsh NE winter, but I wonder if it is worth coating the undercarriage?

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Does anyone regularly coat their undercarriage in the SE? I live in Charleston. We have shallow saltwater flooding. I regularly trailer my boat to the landing (multiple times per week). I also enjoy a couple of beach/surf/fishing trips to OBX and similar places ever year. I have seen some minor surface rust on my previous vehicle. Not the same as a harsh NE winter, but I wonder if it is worth coating the undercarriage?

I do FF every other year. Started it in Nov 2019 and there's virtually no rust on my 2018. I'm from MD.

 

[Rednexus]

Here in MO - where we have some salt but not a lot - I can get buy with a 3-year coating cycle. It's very easy to DIY the application with the Kellsport gun and a small air compressor. I use normal Fluid Film inside the frame and Woolwax Black on the outside. Zero rust progression since coating my rig first in 2021, and the frame had a fair amount of existing surface rust on it. Overall the coating more or less killed the rust by cutting it off from water and air.

2021 pre-application

2021 post-application

2024 pre-application, post- pressure washing (you can tell that the UBJ and sway bar end link - which went on after I coated the rig - rusted while nothing else did).

2024 post-application

 

[M1911]

I live about 20 mins from the main headquarters for NHOU, so I just have them do it. Much better than FF, IMO.

Which of their coatings do you have them put on? Do you redo it every year?

 

[KLF]

Which of their coatings do you have them put on? Do you redo it every year?

I just do the clear stuff. It's actually more of an amber color.

I am behind, it's been 2 years, so I am due for another treatment. What's crazy is I still have the stuff seeping out of the front edge of my hood, onto the plastic cover right in front of the radiator. I had to replace the weatherstrip piece that goes across there, it expanded almost 5" and wouldn't stay on anymore. I'm sure it's the NHOU stuff doing it, a friend has his Ram pickup done every year and all his door gaskets are falling off now.

 

[M1911]

I just do the clear stuff. It's actually more of an amber color.

I am behind, it's been 2 years, so I am due for another treatment. What's crazy is I still have the stuff seeping out of the front edge of my hood, onto the plastic cover right in front of the radiator. I had to replace the weatherstrip piece that goes across there, it expanded almost 5" and wouldn't stay on anymore. I'm sure it's the NHOU stuff doing it, a friend has his Ram pickup done every year and all his door gaskets are falling off now.

Ugh. That would suck.

 

[Rednexus]

I've never sprayed mine in the hood/door area or inside body psnels. Just on the undercarriage. I know lots of the professionals hit up every single cavity but that seems overkill IMO, and Toyotas don't typically have hood or door rust issues.