Winterizing with fluid film?

[Ethel]

My question is less about whether or not I should coat my undercarriage with something like fluid film before the snows come… it’s more about what it’s like to work on the car afterwards. Will I be dealing with some sticky residue or other such mess once spring comes and it’s time to get under the 80 and do stuff again? I’d love to hear from those who have actually used Fluid film

 

[bhsdriller]

I'd rather have a film than rust

I use it here but we don't really get weather. It's not bad at all really and haven't noticed any ill side effects with working on things

 

[jonheld]

I spray my LX450 from tip to tail every October with Fluid Film. Yes, it makes working on the truck afterwards dirty and greasy. BUT, and this is huge, bolts come out easily and the underside does not rust.
Yes it smells, especially when burning overspray off the exhaust, but it smells like "my truck won't rust".
The only issue I've ever had was when I had a fabricator weld up the cracks in my frame by the steering box. It took some extra time to clean out the frame rail so he could get a good bead going.

 

[SpenserAK]

It will be fine. You don't need to overdo it either. I've been doing it since I bought this truck a few years ago, and I don't think I've ever gone to work on it and had a thought about fluid film.

I've had to do plenty of cleaning prep before jobs that had nothing to do with fluid film

Even if it were a slight annoyance, working with rust is far worse, as we all know...

 

[ZIFFFZJ80]

I’ve been doing it annually for years. Yes, like others have said, it makes working on the truck messier. My truck is still 100% rust free though and that’s what matters.

 

[SwissEd]

If you don't have a lift is it possible to do a decent job with Fluid Film using their aerosol cans or forget that and find someone with compressor and lift? Not easy around London, UK.

 

[Kabanstva]

I'd rather have grease on my hands than deal with rust falling on your face while you work on your car. Wear gloves, problem solved.

 

[duece71]

Fluid film smells like 3 day old dropped ass but the smell diminishes in a couple of days. I haven’t noticed lots of drips on my garage floor. I always wear eye pro and better to have FF dripping slightly than a rusting frame and components. All my HO.

 

[SNLC]

3M makes a cavity wax that doesn’t smell. It is also milky but dries mostly clear. They also make long wands with 360* nozzles.

It’s $40 a can though.

Cheers

 

[gaspain]

I did mine this year. Dont spray it in a garage, the concrete will absorb it.

 

[MUDZLLA]

I did mine this year. Dont spray it in a garage, the concrete will absorb it.

Good point. Maybe I'll use a drop cloth or 2 under the truck.

 

[jonheld]

I bought this truck in February of 2014 and have sprayed it with Fluid Film every October. I did a half-arse job of power washing my frame and other dangly bits this afternoon to mostly clean off the years of buildup and finally get down to the base. This was the first time i did this after 10 years as a daily driver in New Jersey. While I missed some parts with the power washer, the parts that got clean are rust free. The stuff works.

 

[Chronicle]

I've tried Surface Shield and RP-342 cosmoline. Surface Shield is like dirt-attracting snot after a year and the cosmoline is like hard wax. Really like the cosmoline.

 

[Mark W]

It will be fine. You don't need to overdo it either. I've been doing it since I bought this truck a few years ago, and I don't think I've ever gone to work on it and had a thought about fluid film.

I've had to do plenty of cleaning prep before jobs that had nothing to do with fluid film

Even if it were a slight annoyance, working with rust is far worse, as we all know...

But then, you live in Juneau! Practically IN the ocean, more water than that the AIR... and zip for decent service support. Id be dipping my rig in a vat of crude oil every year if I was in your shoes!

Mark...

 

[Devils Paw 80]

But then, you live in Juneau! Practically IN the ocean, more water than that the AIR... and zip for decent service support. Id be dipping my rig in a vat of crude oil every year if I was in your shoes!

Mark...

It's the winter road salt that's the primary contributor to rust here. We have frequent black ice conditions due to all the moisture followed by freezes.
Poor Spenser totaled his 80 last winter on Eaglecrest road.

 

[Mark W]

It's the winter road salt that's the primary contributor to rust here. We have frequent black ice conditions due to all the moisture followed by freezes.
Poor Spenser totaled his 80 last winter on Eaglecrest road.

From what I have seen, it is a toss up as to which is a worse used car to buy... one from Kodiak or one from Juneau. And that is just the rust and the moss growing on even daily drivers! I won't even get into the support available there.

Mark...

 

[family80]

Once a year I hit it with surface shield or fluid film. No issues when it’s maintenance time

 

[Eyedaho]

I just picked up a bunch of rattle cans of Fluid Film for half off ($5.70/can) at Home Depot from one of the clearance end racks. Might be worth checking if anyone is wanting some before winter.