New-to-me purchase. Looking to protect the frame.

I just purchased an ‘11. I bought this truck specifically because the frame had not been treated or coated so I could actually see what I was getting myself into.

From what I can see and have had opinions from others, the frame has surface rust, but thats it.

I’m looking to keep that up. I’ve read several threads about the issue and what to do. There are many ideas and products suggested, but i’m curious to see if there has been any consensus?

From what I can tell are the following steps:

1. Spot clean any loose rust (inside and outside of frame) with a wire brush
2. Use a CRC where needed (any suggestions are welcomed)
3. Apply protecabr (fluid film or amsoil mp) to external frame
4. Spray internal frame with a few cans of Eastwood Internal Frame Coating (btw no autostores around here have any idea what I’m talking about when I mention this)

5.??????

6. Profit

Please feel free to correct where need be!

Thanks

 

If you plan to Fluid-Film it (or apply some other water repellent product) I would recommend skipping steps 1 and 2, and use the FF both inside and out of the frame. Wire brushing will just expose more bare metal - good for primer and paint, but pointless if you're just going to soak it with oil/wax products. I bought my 2013 new, and it had some minor surface rust after two years of salt. I power washed it in the spring of 2015, soaked the shit out of the entire underside with FF (5-6 cans), and now I degrease and power wash each spring and fall and hit it again with 2-3 cans. This includes dropping the spare and pulling the wheels for access. The rust stopped. What's there is covered and nothing new has developed. FF migrates and persists, and has a straw to get inside the frame and other holes. It's a messy procedure, and it makes working under the truck pretty gross as well, but it works. I'm planning to get a cheap Harbor Freight paint sprayer and to buy my next batch of FF in the gallon can. The gallons are cheaper and will pay for the sprayer after a couple of uses, and the sprayer provides better atomization and coverage.

I like Fluid Film, but there are lots of others who prefer alternative products - Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector, Boeshield, WD40, etc. Anything is better than nothing, and I bet they all work more or less the same as long as you can commit to retreating regularly.

 

That sounds like an plan. It’d be easier for me as I am a novice at working with trucks. Can you pick up the gallons at the same places you pick up the cans? Also, the paint sprayer is a great idea.

 

Another question, is anyone familiar with Zeibart Rust Protection? I called them to see what the deal was with that and it sounds like all they do is spray the exterior of the frame which, from what I understand, is only half of the job.

 

It's all available on Amazon. I've only seen they spray cans at the store. The sprayer is thier idea, and the specs for the best results can be found on thier website.

 

DO NOT even think of going with Ziebart. No mater what they say, they're full of crap. I have their product on my truck and it's 100% overpriced junk that does not work. Oh, and that's if it's applied correctly - which mine was not. Need more details? PM me.

 

I posted this in another thread:

I bought a 2006 Tacoma a little over a year back that already had the frame and LCA's replaced, but everything else under there looked kind of crusty to me. So here is the approach I took (mainly based on another member's post), not cheap and took alot of time (mostly my 17 year old son's lol since I bought the truck for him) but IMO it's as comprehensive as you can get:

-Use an air scaler to remove any surface rust: -Prep / De-grease / Clean Everything then Paint Everything with POR15 (2 Coats):

POR-15 Semi-gloss Black 3 Gallon Rust Preventative Paint Kit

https://www.amazon.com/Por-15-Semi-...+Metal+Prep+/+Semi+Gloss+Black+-+3+Gallon+Kit

-Paint Inside of Frame Rails:

Eastwood 12515Z Internal Frame Coating Rust Prevention with Spray Nozzle, Green, Pack of 1

https://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-125...eywords=Eastwood+Internal+Frame+Coating+Green

-Spray Everything with Rubberized Undercoating:

$37 Automotive Spray-On Rubberized Undercoating Material, 1-Gallon RUS-1020F6

https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-R...16925&sr=8-9&keywords=rubberized+undercoating

-Spray Gun used:

$35 TCP Global Air Undercoating Spray Gun with Suction Feed Cup - Apply Sprayable Truck Bed Liner Coating, Rubberized Undercoat, Rust Proofing, Chip Guard Paint - Pneumatic Automotive Application Sprayer

https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Global-P...518617176&sr=8-13&keywords=spray+undercoating

-Make sure to use a Respirator with that POR15 stuff, very toxic smelling:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-Paint-Pro...18617779&sr=1-2&keywords=full+face+respirator


Leftover Supplies for sale:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/auto-rustproofing-supplies-tools.562286/#post-18478008

 

Fluid Film for the win, almost 5 years now in Saltachusetts.

 

Fluid Film - applied (and re-applied) correctly, is a great product!

 

Yes it is

 

regular reapplication is the key to FF and any of the competitive products.

 

$8 tube of grease and a grease gun some disposable rubber gloves and no rust in 7 years.

 

What type of grease do you use?

 

This is the first I’ve hears of someone recommending the rubberized spray. I’ve heard very bad things about this, including a video in which a mechanic displays the damade it (possibly) does. What is tour experience with it?

 

Yeah. I’m curious too.

 

Looks beautiful under there.

What was your method and was there existing rust before application?

 

Will do! Thanks for confirming my bad feeling about this. And sorry for your loss :/

Is there anything you can do about that work now?

 

I go to a Fluid Film Party and he is extremely thorough and gets it everywhere including popping out frame plugs.

 

2 years next month and holding up great.

 

Unfortunately, nothing one can do now. At least they cover up any new rust every year. That's one of the big lies about Ziebart.

Trust me, the last thing I'll do before I trade the truck in is get one of the free re-sprays done so it looks prefect.