Undercarriage Protectant

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Hornd said:
It is grease. Like a stick of butter it can be vicious and creep into crevices and it is also quite solid when cold. This is why it is best to apply when it's warm out (80°+ out). Mud won't really stick to it but sand readily will. It is very nice that you can stick the tip of your spray gun in the many holes in the frame and even do the inside. Wrap newspaper loosely around exhaust system. Wear junk clothes when spraying.

Oxidizing or rust of steel is caused by oxygen reacting with iron. Grease or any other coating prevents the oxygen from getting to the metal. The more expensive coating have great durability, but you MUST have clean metal to begin with or the rust bubbles underneath and moisture and air are trapped next to the metal making the rust worse than if you had done nothing. When replacing parts coating will have to be burned off and redone. With FluidFilm replacing the film is as easy as filling a tire. I have the spray bottle full on shelf, hook up air and go.
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Yes. I would never, ever have a truck undercoated with a rubberized membrane again. I had a Tacoma that was part of the frame recall that the PO had Toyota apply their undercoating to as their solution. I bought the truck thinking it was rust free since it was from CA and it had only been in WI for a couple of winters. Three winters later, the truck had holes in the frame and the rubber coating was still intact over many of them. That stuff is just bad news and as you say, unless it is 100% rust free before you apply it, it just makes things worse.

A grease or oil product is more labor intensive due to the need to reapply, but you can see where it is getting dry and just spritz on another layer and be good to go for another 6 months.
 
04UZJ100 said:
Do you cover the exhaust when you apply fluid film?
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I would say no, as the exhaust isn't what you're looking to save in the grand scheme of things, it's the frame and sheet metal that is difficult/expensive to repair if rust takes hold. I'd expect it to just burn off the exhaust anyways.
 
New to this forum, what do you guys think of this undercarriage. Looking to buy.

IMG_3540.webp
 
It's a 2004. Finding it hard to find one with good maintenance records, reasonable rust/miles and price.
 
Red Merle said:
It looks OK, but if you are from Dallas, I would think you could find something cleaner. By WI standards, that is not bad. That's not an 80 though, what is it?
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Looks like a 100 series.

Got a good amount of rust but needs much better pictures to see just how bad.
 
What do I look for concerning rust when buying? Any specific areas I should be concerned with?
 
LapuLapu said:
Probably should have started a ne thread sorry guys.
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Try asking in the 100 series forum for specifics as most of us drive 80's.

I was born into rust and I have lived rust for most of my life. The things to check on a rusty truck are things you can't easily unbolt and replace. This means frames, axles, areas where springs attach, anything on the body, especially lower doors and frames and rocker panels. Look for places that have been freshly painted and for signs of overspray. Anywhere near the gas tank is also a good spot to check, Toyota's are notorious for rusting out on the frame between the tank and the inner channel of the frame. Also look at the tank skid plate. The one in your pic is suspect and needs attention. Look up there and see how the filler pipe looks and make sure it isn't leaking. Fixing any of those areas are expensive and difficult. Also see if the spare tire mechanism works. Check the brake lines and where they attach to whatever they are attached to. Look over the front end and see how far the rust has gotten on the suspension. Check wheel wells and especially around anything like an external flare, running board, or body trim panel that is made out of a material other than steel. There are seams everywhere on those that salty crud can find and hang out until they cause paint bubbles around the holes for the plugs that attach them go. Once that happens, things move fast. Any paint bubbling will explode in two winters if you don't address it.

I have had at least 10 Toyota trucks that I can think of and I can say for sure that they have never figured out how to make a truck that doesn't get rusty, quickly. You have to search for the least rusty ones and sacrifice other defects like interior(unless it looks like a grizzly bear got into the truck, most interior repairs are cheaper than fixing rust. A fresh set of leather skins for 80 seats are like $700, versus ten hours of rust repair for the same price) if you want to keep it clean over the long run. You also have to actively work to keep up your prevention/reduction regime, or you will lose more ground and things will become more difficult to work on and thus more costly.
 
My favorite is Eastwoods heavy duty anti rust. sprays on thin/ black or amber and looks 95% dry but actually has an ever so slight moist layer to prevent oxygen from contacting any existing rust or exposed metal.

here it is under my 40 and on axle/springs etc. lasts a few years depending on how much use. But very little build up and cakeing due to it spraying on super thin/rattle can-paint like.

IMG_0815.webp
 
Red Merle said:
Nope, it just smells like sheep for a few minutes until it heats up and burns off.
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Ok. Last year I wrapped my exhaust in tin foil before applying it. I won't do that this year but I'll do my best to avoid it.

I got about a year of protection from FF. Less in areas that are constantly subjected to splashing etc.
 
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