Old man winter will be upon pretty soon and for those of us that live in the "rust belt," what are guys doing to protect the bottom half of your rig from all of the salt?
Undercarriage Protectant
- Thread starter Tommy Argh
- Start date
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I just went through this with mine.
Power washed the entire underside
Sprayed on cleaner
Power washed the underside
Sprayed on a rust converter (SEM Rust Mort)
Power washed underside
Waited a week for everything to dry
Sprayed a layer of Wurth black wax over the entire underside, followed by Rust Cure Formula 3000 into all the body cavities and the inside of the frame using a gun with a long flexible wand.
Power washed the entire underside
Sprayed on cleaner
Power washed the underside
Sprayed on a rust converter (SEM Rust Mort)
Power washed underside
Waited a week for everything to dry
Sprayed a layer of Wurth black wax over the entire underside, followed by Rust Cure Formula 3000 into all the body cavities and the inside of the frame using a gun with a long flexible wand.
Anytime my grandpa changed the oil in his car he would dip a rag in the old oil and wipe down the frame. I inherited a rust free 1950 dodge, so there must be something to it.
Fluid film
I know someone who would put old tranny fluid into a sprayer to do the underside, it worked...
The Toyota fix for corroded frames on Tacoma is to use this stuff...
Rust Protection Products | Eco-Friendly Rust Proofing
They have a phosphoric acid cleaner and some waxy fluid coating to convert existing rust provide protection. For inside the frame they spray something else, but I can't recall the product name the tech told me. Not sure how well it does, but if its the official fix, must be ok if it is applied properly.
Also a guy I work with went the route of spraying everything with "Ospho" (phosphoric acid cleaner) and then coated with "Fluid Film" (Lanolin oil). I'll be curious to see how it holds up over this coming winter.
Rust Protection Products | Eco-Friendly Rust Proofing
They have a phosphoric acid cleaner and some waxy fluid coating to convert existing rust provide protection. For inside the frame they spray something else, but I can't recall the product name the tech told me. Not sure how well it does, but if its the official fix, must be ok if it is applied properly.
Also a guy I work with went the route of spraying everything with "Ospho" (phosphoric acid cleaner) and then coated with "Fluid Film" (Lanolin oil). I'll be curious to see how it holds up over this coming winter.
One of the products in the link was tested by a british car magazine against other products for THREE YEARS, much longer than other tests I've seen.
Here's the test and the results:
3-year anti-rust test results | Classics Monthly
I was looking to buy a '96 80 once that was regularly taken on the beach in Connecticut and had NO underside rust. The owner said he sprayed used motor oil on it twice a year.
Sure can't beat the price...
.
I been using corrosion-x for years, comes in regular and heavy duty. I think the regular gets into more nooks and crannies but @scrowley uses the HD with good results. Comes in spray cans and gallon containers, I use both.
Cruiser rust
Cruiser rust
Fluid Film. Inexpensive, easy to apply, non toxic.
My father did the same only using a pump up bug sprayer, we never had any rust and this was in the Philly area where they use unreal amounts of salt on the roads.
- Thread starter
- #11
These are all great suggestions. Thanks for taking the time out to reply. Looks like I better get started!
I take mine to a place and have it oil undercoated, they spray inside the body panels and the complete underneath, it was done by the PO before I got it and there is almost no rust underneath, and for NH that's great! At $200 I figure if I cheap out and it gets rusty I'm gonna feel really bad.
- Thread starter
- #13
I got started with a few cans of Fluid Film. So I've covered most of everything on the undercarriage, frame, wheel wells, and I've even sprayed the rockers and bottom sides of the doors. I think I'll door one more can just to hit those spots I missed and touch ups.
I did my LX450 last week with a compressor and spray gun in my driveway. Used about 1/2 gallon of Fluid Film. Sprayed the crap out of everything from the inside of the ARB bumper to the inside of the rear frame cross member.
Don't forget to spray inside the door panels and inside the rear lower quarter panels. Remove the handle trim and plastic trim on the lower part of the upper hatch. Spray the crap out of that area and try to get behind the sheet metal and up to the lower part of the rear windshield. You'll need a flashlight.
Remove the front side marker lamps and get the sheet metal behind them.
Get the top of the frame by the steering box and shock towers.
Don't forget to spray inside the door panels and inside the rear lower quarter panels. Remove the handle trim and plastic trim on the lower part of the upper hatch. Spray the crap out of that area and try to get behind the sheet metal and up to the lower part of the rear windshield. You'll need a flashlight.
Remove the front side marker lamps and get the sheet metal behind them.
Get the top of the frame by the steering box and shock towers.
Cleaning the under carriage regularly during the winter, re-applying oil/fluid film... Bah I ain't got time for that s***
Only thing I do is mine through a carwash once a month during the winter salt fest (Dec / Jan / Feb). I'll start paying more attention to possible rust formation after the coating has passed the 15yr mark, I won't have to start worrying about rust from salted roads till after that time period.
Master Series Silver & AG111 for the win!
Winter is coming!!! What to do?
Only thing I do is mine through a carwash once a month during the winter salt fest (Dec / Jan / Feb). I'll start paying more attention to possible rust formation after the coating has passed the 15yr mark, I won't have to start worrying about rust from salted roads till after that time period.
Master Series Silver & AG111 for the win!
Winter is coming!!! What to do?
I would like to try something like this
It took me a whole hour including laying out drop cloths and cleaning up afterwards. I can spend 1 hour each year protecting my ride.
By reducing the level of preventive maintain my vehicle requires, I gain some extra free time in my life that I can put to better use elsewhere.
There's multiple options with regards to protecting your undercarriage. I like the path I choose and have no problems recommending it others, even though I know this route isn't forcheap bastards everyone... different strokes for different folks.
There's multiple options with regards to protecting your undercarriage. I like the path I choose and have no problems recommending it others, even though I know this route isn't for
- Thread starter
- #20
I'm curious to see the undercarriage of your vehicle.
I've owned the vehicle a little less than a year and this is the first time in my possession that it will be driven in the snow/salt. It's not in the worst shape but it's also not in the best shape. I'd like to preserve that and get to enjoy it a little more when the nicer weather comes along.