rust prevention coatings

Chorky

Observer
Question about rust prevention coatings underneath on body, frame, etc...

Living in western MT and traveling the rockies we do have pretty corrosive road spray, although maybe not as bad as the east. I have previously treated my Jeep and truck with Eastwood interior frame coating (the green stuff) and the exterior frame/body with the rubberized undercoating (aerosol since that's all I can do currently).

On another thread, while researching undercoating options for a different vehicle, I suddenly saw a few folks say the 'rubberized' stuff actually causes more corrosion. I personally have not experienced this but maybe time will tell. Anywhoo, said discussion started talking about other coatings like Vesco, Krown, or Texaco? Things I have never heard of and didnt find through a very quick and dirty search. Also, I have previously asked a few shops in my area specifically about undercoatings, and every single one of them, even a paint shop, said they dont do them nor could refer me to someone who does. Which makes me think it's not really a thing here despite the salt spray.

So I'm curious what the community here knows about this topic. Maybe I can learn something or find some better info than what I have found up till now. Considering a new vehicle, and want to make sure it is protected seeing as how expensive vehicles are these days. Also wanting to make sure that I change things up on my Jeep if claims of rubberized undercoatings being bad is in fact true - which I have never heard about before today.
 

Zeep

Adventurer
On my last 2 new vehicles, '19 Ram,'21JLU, I have also applied Eastwood frame coat. I used it on most lower body seams, and blew it inside the rockers, and wheel wells. I also removed the tail lights, and applied to the body corners. Salt is used regularly on every road here, in S.E. Michigan. We'll see, as only time will tell. I plan to wear out the Ram, so I will see rust on it eventually. The wife drives the Jeep, so ????
 

Chorky

Observer
m,'21JLU, I have also applied Eastwood frame coat. I used it on most lower body seams, and blew it inside the rockers, and wheel wells. I also removed the tail lights, and applied to the body corners. Salt is used regularly on every road here, in S.E. Michigan. We'll see, as only time will tell. I plan to wear out the Ram, so I will see rust on it eventually. The w
I did the same and have kept using eastwood the last 5 years. it seems good products thus far to me from my experiences, however now being in a more salt use area i have heard of other products that are supposedly better and a few poor reviews of eastwood (specifically the ruberized stuff), so just checking to see if there is truth to it or not. Especially considering if I ever got a new vehicle, rust prevention would be the first thing to do.

IMG_6934.JPG
 

RoamIt

Well-known member
I have always used POR15 as well with good results. The rubberized coating gets it's bad rap from if you miss a spot, or a hole/crack forms, water gets in and then it's trapped under the coating against the metal. At a glance it may look fine, but you don't see what's happening where the water has collected.

With a coating like POR15 (and there are other similar products) if a rock strike, or scrape removes a section of coating, the area around it doesn't collect water. and you can just touch it up.
 

Joe917

Explorer
Any rubber or sealant coating works well until it is compromised, then it seals water in instead of out.
Oil and wax based undercoating creeps and heals displacing water. It requires yearly recoating but does a better job.
 

Chorky

Observer
I have always used POR15 as well with good results. The rubberized coating gets it's bad rap from if you miss a spot, or a hole/crack forms, water gets in and then it's trapped under the coating against the metal. At a glance it may look fine, but you don't see what's happening where the water has collected.

With a coating like POR15 (and there are other similar products) if a rock strike, or scrape removes a section of coating, the area around it doesn't collect water. and you can just touch it up.
I have heard the opposite. POR15 is SO tough that it cracks easy on older trucks with flexible C channel frames - letting water get in and rust. Which is why I opted for ruberized for the OBS. But for a more rigid system POR 15 proably works really well?


Any rubber or sealant coating works well until it is compromised, then it seals water in instead of out.
Oil and wax based undercoating creeps and heals displacing water. It requires yearly recoating but does a better job.
Yes agreed. However I havent been able to find much specifics on said 'oil' based coatings. Care to share manufacturer names so I can look them up? I am thinking the reason I haven't found them thus far is I'm just outside the rust belt...and apparently its not as big of a concern here as it is further east. Heck, most people here dont even think about their frames - well maybe but not till 15 years down the road by then theyre upgrading most the time.
 

Joe917

Explorer
I have heard the opposite. POR15 is SO tough that it cracks easy on older trucks with flexible C channel frames - letting water get in and rust. Which is why I opted for ruberized for the OBS. But for a more rigid system POR 15 proably works really well?



Yes agreed. However I havent been able to find much specifics on said 'oil' based coatings. Care to share manufacturer names so I can look them up? I am thinking the reason I haven't found them thus far is I'm just outside the rust belt...and apparently its not as big of a concern here as it is further east. Heck, most people here dont even think about their frames - well maybe but not till 15 years down the road by then theyre upgrading most the time.
Krown https://www.krown.com/en/products/aerosols/rust-protection-lubricant/
 
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DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Any rubber or sealant coating works well until it is compromised, then it seals water in instead of out.
Oil and wax based undercoating creeps and heals displacing water. It requires yearly recoating but does a better job.
I'm of the same mind regarding anything that cures or hardens.

Never had a new car to start from truly fresh but with the used trucks my approach has been to spend the first summer cleaning and repairing whatever rust I find. Follow this with an Eastwood internal coat inside the boxed section and chassis black on anything I can see.

Then I do an annual Fluid Film or now Wool Wax each fall.

It's effective as near as I can tell based on the transition from undercarriage to body is my rock sliders. The part bolted (or welded on my last truck) on the frame is still good paint and no rust. The exposed part that I don't want oily under the doors so as not to ruin trousers is where the rust starts inevitably.
 
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85_Ranger4x4

Well-known member
The rubberized coating gets it's bad rap from if you miss a spot, or a hole/crack forms, water gets in and then it's trapped under the coating against the metal. At a glance it may look fine, but you don't see what's happening where the water has collected.

I have ran into that with powdercoat. That is why I prefer spray paint for my projects, if it needs touched up or repainted... easy to strip and do over.

I have been on interwebs truck forums for a lot of years, the only complaint I have heard about POR15 is the price. C channel frames flex some but I have never heard of them stretching enough to crack paint (I mainly travel in Ford circles FWIW)
 

ripperj

Explorer
Surface shield is supposed to last 2 years. I will be finding out if that's true.
View attachment 699254

I went with this too. It’s pretty new to the market, but a few low key you tube tests seem to prove it stays on the frame longer than Fluid Film.

Fluid Film (very popular in the North East) and Blaster Surface Shield are Lanolin based. Fluid film works great, but doesn’t last very long. It needs to be reapplied every year.

Surface Shield has different stuff mixed in with the Lanolin, so it stays on the frame longer. The you tube video I saw had a guy with a pressure washer on a sample and the Surface Shield didn’t immediately wash off(Fluid film will wash off, even water spray from your tires will wash it off eventually)

Confusing the situation a bit is all these products that use Lanolin are sometimes just called Woolwax. (Woolwax actually comes from the wool of sheep)

There is a product branded Woolwax (I think it’s the same company that makes Fluid film). It’s thicker than Fluid film and supposedly more resistant to spray.

On my new Ram 3500 CC LB, I used 12 cans of Blaster Surface shield on the exterior frame and body panels.
I used another 10 cans of Fluid Film inside the frame and door panels etc.

The nozzles(part that goes in can) on Fluid Film and Surface Shield are opposite (male/female). There are tons of options for long wands that fit on Fluid Film cans, so you can get into doors and frames etc.
I could not find at the time any for Surface Shield, that’s why used FF inside the frame.

My truck was brand new (100miles ) when I did it. It was a big, serious pain in the rear. I don’t have a lift, so I jacked it up on 4 big jack stands, took all five tires off, pulled all 4 wheel well liners and spent two long days doing it. I now know why they get so much money doing it commercially.
I was pretty meticulous with it.
I’ll probably pay someone next time.

I had paid $500 to a supposedly good vendor to have New Hampshire Truck oil on my other Ram. They did a lousy job, missed spots, got black tinted oil all over the place inside my truck.
I’ll never go black tinted again, it looks great, but never dries and makes a big mess anytime you touch the stuff(oil changes, greasing etc)

Fluid Film and Surface Shield are clearish and also never totally get hard, but I like them better than the black NH Truck Oil. And they both wipe off tools, gloves(you can actually treat leather with it) etc( and on the plus side if you are nursing, lanolin makes a good nipple cream :). )


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RoamIt

Well-known member
I have ran into that with powdercoat. That is why I prefer spray paint for my projects, if it needs touched up or repainted... easy to strip and do over.

I have been on interwebs truck forums for a lot of years, the only complaint I have heard about POR15 is the price. C channel frames flex some but I have never heard of them stretching enough to crack paint (I mainly travel in Ford circles FWIW)

I've never had it crack on me before, but I've never used it on a long wheel base rig. Based on what I've heard here, and some digging I've done since, I am going to try the Linseed oil on my rig. Proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks ;)
 

ripperj

Explorer
Isn’t POR15 only for already rusted metal?

I don’t think it’s even that good of a paint(on clean metal)

I believe it’s not even UV stable and needs a top coat.(and yes I get the frame is usually in the shade :). )


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