Undercarriage protectant

LEDAVE

LEDAVE

Member
(New to the forum) I just ordered a sport and was curious if anyone was familiar with the spray on rust preventer. It is not offered at the dealer, however local shops offer it due to the crap they put on the roads here in CT during the winter. What about the 3m scotchguard application that they do offer at the dealer, warranties the interior and exterior for five years...gimmick ?? Thanks
 
I use Fluid Film, works well and is safe on all rubber and plastic. I have it reapplied every year, lots of salt used on the roads here in Nova Scotia.
 
I'm in Toronto. Canada. I don't know if u guys in the states have a rust proofing company called Krown operating around u. But there oil is absolute magic! I've been bringing my vehicles to them since I got my licence over 20 years ago. I spray it once a year like clockwork. Never seen a spot of rust ever!..if they're not around. Find a company that uses the same ingredients in they're oil. I'm telling u. It's the best stuff
 
Sorry to reanimate the dead, but is this something anyone bothers with the salt belt areas?

I'm planning on the entire rig-morale to wire wheel the rust I picked up during the first winter, paint where needed with the rustoleum rust reformer, then it's a choice between a lanolin product or a cosmoline product. But if someone can spray the product for me, that would be nice.
 
do you have pics of how bad it is?
what area of salt belt are you in
i am in western Iowa so its bad at times but not as bad the further east and north one goes

iltwort said:
but is this something anyone bothers with the salt belt areas?

I'm planning on the entire rig-morale to wire wheel the rust I picked up during the first winter, paint where needed with the rustoleum rust reformer, then it's a choice between a lanolin product or a cosmoline product. But if someone can spray the product for me, that would be nice.
Click to expand...
 
Back in the day when i had my tundra i had a connecticut shop do fluid flim every year, but still had a lot of surface rust mostly due to our wet roads washing the fluid flim away.
This time i bought a bunch of cosmoline and did my 2020 tacoma myself. Been over 2 salty wet winters and the job looks the same as it did. I'll keep the fluid flim for my tractor decks.
 
tacojoel said:
Back in the day when i had my tundra i had a connecticut shop do fluid flim every year, but still had a lot of surface rust mostly due to our wet roads washing the fluid flim away.
This time i bought a bunch of cosmoline and did my 2020 tacoma myself. Been over 2 salty wet winters and the job looks the same as it did. I'll keep the fluid flim for my tractor decks.
Click to expand...
Is that cosmoline difficult to remove if needed?
doing some experimenting with it recently and it was difficult to apply and still look nice lol
I even put some on the stove to turn it to butter before application and still not a happy camper with it

Way too many promote the FF that there must be something not exactly kosher with it IMO

And I cannot crawl under taco to see how it's working when it's 30+ below freezing outside in January
 
JayQQ97 said:
do you have pics of how bad it is?
what area of salt belt are you in
i am in western Iowa so its bad at times but not as bad the further east and north one goes
Click to expand...

I don't have pics right now, but he rust isn't terrible on my 9 month old truck.I just feel that there really shouldn't be any, other than a little surface rust. I think I'm deciding that I want to make rust prevention a part of regular maintenance, if it's not too hard or overly time consuming.

Detroit Michigan, or just north of there is my location int he rust belt.
 
Last edited:
tacojoel said:
Back in the day when i had my tundra i had a connecticut shop do fluid flim every year, but still had a lot of surface rust mostly due to our wet roads washing the fluid flim away.
This time i bought a bunch of cosmoline and did my 2020 tacoma myself. Been over 2 salty wet winters and the job looks the same as it did. I'll keep the fluid flim for my tractor decks.
Click to expand...

I was just reading that the cosmoline could seal in moisture similar to rubberized undercoatings and accelerate rust, even though I'm still leaning towards cosmoline. How big of a job is it to spray the undercarriage properly? Couple of hours, or are we getting into over a day? I hear it's probably best to get it on jack stands with the wheels off.

 
iltwort said:
I don't have pics right now, but he rust isn't terrible on my 9 month old truck.I just feel that there really shouldn't be any, other than a little surface rust. I think I'm deciding that I want to make rust prevention a part of regular maintenance, if it's not too hard or overly time consuming.

Detroit Michigan, or just north of there is my location int he rust belt.
Click to expand...
Heard your area has constantly salted roadways because of those big lakes and the freezing mist always in the air?

If you want to maintain a resale value above all the rest that just undercarriage wash, if they even do that! I would coat all chassis nuts and bolts and suspension parts
Cosmoline may not be suited to coat all of that IDK
 
I took a few pics of some gen3 on the local for sale lot with the crusty nuts already after just a few years

IMG_20220509_141857_462.jpg
 
JayQQ97 said:
Heard your area has constantly salted roadways because of those big lakes and the freezing mist always in the air?

If you want to maintain a resale value above all the rest that just undercarriage wash, if they even do that! I would coat all chassis nuts and bolts and suspension parts
Cosmoline may not be suited to coat all of that IDK
Click to expand...

Maybe the lake air. I've lived here all my life, and it's always been generous salt.

I had a new car wash open hear me: Greenway, all new equipment, fresh water, etc. It's a membership based place, so I was going 3 times a week during the winter. Then someone on another forum said that undercarriage water is separate and recycled water that contains a degree of salt, as opposed to the body wash that is fresh water. Not sure if it's true or not, but it made me think about coating the bottom and not washing it until after salt season. I don't know...
 
Try this on those chassis and suspension parts

https://www.woolwaxusa.com/Woolwax®-HV-Wheel-Well-Grease_p_60.html

I've been using this HV WoolWax aka Sheep Fat! for a couple years in the wheel wells and high splash spots
Even those new molding bolts in the wheel arches!
It's thick in the winter so it won't readily wash off easy and I have tried!
Best to brush on or can spray but it's a bit thick even in 90 degree summer heat and might gum up the spray gun if not super heated to butter liquid
I just brush it on by hand or use fingers to slobber it on LoL

The only spot it fails to stay on so far is the 3rd member in the rear
I believe it not to stick there because of the axle heat generated turning it to butter and then the wind tunnel effect underneath at freeway speeds just blows it right off!
The other side of the rear diff it has stayed on well and keeps it all black

This stuff does accumulate dirt and sand so that is a possible drawback
And can get on your elbows and everything if you are tooling around underneath

And I have not been through any undercarriage wash with it yet to see what happens
But I have held the wand sprayer onit whilst hosing the salted slop out of the wheel wells to prevent that nasty Toyota fender rottt

So far not enough HV WoolWax has washed off to be noticeable
The WW in the spray cans did wash off a bit in those wheel wells

the bigBoy pail here...
woolWax HV pail.jpg
 
Last edited:
JayQQ97 said:
Is that cosmoline difficult to remove if needed?
doing some experimenting with it recently and it was difficult to apply and still look nice lol
I even put some on the stove to turn it to butter before application and still not a happy camper with it

Way too many promote the FF that there must be something not exactly kosher with it IMO

And I cannot crawl under taco to see how it's working when it's 30+ below freezing outside in January
Click to expand...
As for removing cosmoline, you need mineral sprits or similar. I use RP-342 cosmoline thats sprayed on. You can buy rattle cans in black, or the standard amber color.
Pretty easy job actually to apply it once you put the truck on jack stands and remove the tires out of the way. Just suit up in protective clothing you don't want anymore with goggles and have at it.
Fluid flim works, but its lanolin based. As long as you keep on doing it, your good. Once it wash's away your back to square one promoting rust. I've used both, and the cosmoline so far works best for our climate.
 
iltwort said:
Maybe the lake air. I've lived here all my life, and it's always been generous salt.

I had a new car wash open hear me: Greenway, all new equipment, fresh water, etc. It's a membership based place, so I was going 3 times a week during the winter. Then someone on another forum said that undercarriage water is separate and recycled water that contains a degree of salt, as opposed to the body wash that is fresh water. Not sure if it's true or not, but it made me think about coating the bottom and not washing it until after salt season. I don't know...
Click to expand...
If your in an area where there are winters with salted snow, and icy roads, going to the car wash is not the greatest idea. Their tanks contain recycled water that gets pretty salty from all the vehicles they wash.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top