Rust Prevention and Reversal: Whats Your Experience?

[WVI]

I recently saw a video of a fisherman in Florida and he has been coating his Tundra with boiled linseed oil using a small hand pumped sprayer. It looked like it had been doing a very good job at keeping rust at bay.

 

[Ianfd1]

I've used POR-15 on a number of vehicles with good results, first one 30+ years ago; still rust free in Northern Minnesota. I always use their 3 step process and usually sandblast first, especially if there is any paint left on parts.
Never had luck with Rustoleum; no experience with the others you listed.
Rubberized undercoating doesn't work.

Before POR-15 I used the used oil method ripperj mentioned; messy to apply, must be periodically reapplied, not very environmentally friendly, works on underside of vehicle but not on vertical painted surfaces or hot exhaust components.

A couple of friends had their frames and suspension powder coated; seems to have held up well.
Another friend coated frame, suspension, and body with 2 part DIY bedliner (don't remember brand). It has held up well to Minnesota winter road seasoning.

Did you ever notice the POR15 cracking or worsening any rust? People seem to say some really good things about it, but when I went onto some autobody and paint forums the guys were opposed to it as they said it was "too brittle and would crack"

 

[Ianfd1]

Repair geek on YouTube is a great resource!

If you're too lazy to watch, things like fluid film are good. Things like ziebart rubberized coating are bad. In a nutshell.

Yup wasn't even going to consider rubber undercoating. Only heard bad things about it.

Ive heard some really good things about spray wax as kinda a "top coat" so I was really leaning that route.

 

[ripperj]

I’m not sure on the washing in the winter in New England plan if you have fluid film or other oil applied.
I plan on giving my truck a thorough wash at the end of winter.
If you just do a half baked rinse, you are not going to get anything but the easy to see stuff, and in the case of Fluid Film, probably doing more harm than good.

A good wash really needs to be large volume, but low pressure and you need to really flush the tops of everything (skid plates, frame, bumpers , hitch)etc , and up inside the fender wells and double wall bed.

I do it on a warm day and go under the truck with a garden plant shower wand. I get soaked and covered in dirt.


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[Ianfd1]

I’m not sure on the washing in the winter in New England plan if you have fluid film or other oil applied.
I plan on giving my truck a thorough wash at the end of winter.
If you just do a half baked rinse, you are not going to get anything but the easy to see stuff, and in the case of Fluid Film, probably doing more harm than good.

A good wash really needs to be large volume, but low pressure and you need to really flush the tops of everything (skid plates, frame, bumpers , hitch)etc , and up inside the fender wells and double wall bed.

I do it on a warm day and go under the truck with a garden plant shower wand. I get soaked and covered in dirt.


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I try to wash the body and the observable frame twice a month in winter. Ive found that it actually really helps for the most part.

I do the same as you in the summer though ill go right underneath and come out looking like i just rolled around in a pig pen

 

[Grassland]

My wife's WK2 unfortunately came from the dealer with undercoating. Vehicle had only 100ish KM on it maybe less when the coating was done.
Should I be worried?

For the Fiddy I wash put wheel wells and bumpers and skids etc several times during the winter. Had I known better earlier on about how the cab corners rust from inside out and how water gets in there I'd have used some of the methods here to spray up inside. The body shop I went to to clear up the stuff just starting under the door edges and along the pinch seam said it was in really good shape and had I cleaned out the voids covered with tape from the factory I probably wouldn't have had a problem.
If it's ever worth buying a new vehicle again I'm going to try some of the methods here right off the get go.

 

[javajoe79]

Did you ever notice the POR15 cracking or worsening any rust? People seem to say some really good things about it, but when I went onto some autobody and paint forums the guys were opposed to it as they said it was "too brittle and would crack"

I haven’t. The stuff is extremely tough. If it doesn’t perform well then something wasn’t right about the application process.

 

[Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee]

I haven’t. The stuff is extremely tough. If it doesn’t perform well then something wasn’t right about the application process.

I wonder if our experience or what we hear about these products is influenced more by our location, being in BC vs. Tn. or on the coast with salt air.
I'm in Mo. so my environment is much like Tn. and I'd expect to have similar results as yours.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I wonder if our experience or what we hear about these products is influenced more by our location, being in BC vs. Tn. or on the coast with salt air.
I'm in Mo. so my environment is much like Tn. and I'd expect to have similar results as yours.

Here in Iowa frame rust isn't a big deal for most makes.

What got my '150 was gravel dust packing into places and holding moisture more than anything. The body has created a lot more "weight reduction" because of that.

20yo, 200k mile dd and the frame is freaking perfect yet.

On our honeymoon in Hawaii, their stuff was rusting in very weird ways compared to here.

 

[Pntyrmvr]

I've been watching the aluminum clamps I used to hold wiring harness to the steel frame slowly dissolve over the 4 years and 10,000 miles of summer only use and have concluded it is time to bolt a few marine boat anodes onto the old girl.

Truck sat for almost 40 years in northern California and accumulated 7500 miles so it's got to be our environment here in Ontario.

 

[Ole Chipper]

I just take waste engine oil, prefer old diesel oil. Mix it with a product called Rust Fre. Heat it up a bit and spray the crap out of the truck. Warming it helps it flow into cracks and corners. Also spray it on a hot day. Have also heard of using chain saw bar oil as it clings to steel.

Life time in WI salt belt and oil is the best I've used. Yes it makes a mess. Better then the truck rusting away. Usually re-coat once a year as needed.

Best answer was to stay off the salt. Only drive when it's cold and not sloppy and wet with salt. Get that winter beater.

 

[gtbensley]

I have been using Fluid Film for the last 4 years on my current truck and 3 years on my truck before that. The stuff really works awesome as long as you put a lot on and often.

I just changed to PB Blaster Surface shield last year on my wifes car (new first time undercoating it) and that stuff works amazing so far. Creeps well but doesnt seem to wash off like FF does. I will be doing the truck this year with it

 

[NorthwestDriver]

Here in Iowa frame rust isn't a big deal for most makes.

What got my '150 was gravel dust packing into places and holding moisture more than anything. The body has created a lot more "weight reduction" because of that.
.

Same here. My F150 has seen salt maybe 5 times in its life, but what’s finally begun eating through the rear flares is due to dust from gravel roads accumulating where I couldn’t see it or easily clean it.

Of course once I saw the bubbling staring to happen on the outside, I started investigating and found the mess of caked on dirt. I hosed out a few pounds of dirt from above the wheel arch —a spot where only dust could get trapped. Nothing has rusted through but the paint started to bubble after 14 years. I’ll either need to live with it (might be fine if it doesn’t worsen) or repair and install some low profile flares.

The frame looks great though!