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Undercoating

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Tacomaislife, Jun 27, 2019.

  1. Jun 27, 2019 at 10:00 AM
    #1
    Tacomaislife

    Tacomaislife [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I'm going to fluid film my tacoma tommrow and on the frame there spots that have little rust would i need a wire brush to scrape it of or a drill brush
     
  2. Jun 27, 2019 at 10:03 AM
    #2
    SR-71A

    SR-71A Define "Well-Known Member"

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    Southern Maine
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    2012 DCSB, TX Baja Edition. Barcelona Red
    255/85/R16 Falken Wildpeak MTs, Mobtown sliders, ARB bar, SOS front skid, Icon RXT leafs, extended & adjustable Kings, JBA UCAs, OVS wedge RTT, dual AGM batteries, Gen2 xrc9.5 winch, CB, GMRS, S1 ditch lights...
    If its flaking type of rust, its a good idea to wire brush as many of the big chunks off as possible. If its just minor surface rust you can FF right over that. (you could still wire wheel those spots, if you really want to..)
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  3. Jun 27, 2019 at 1:41 PM
    #3
    Tacomaislife

    Tacomaislife [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Should I paint over after I wire brush or just straight fluid film
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  4. Jun 27, 2019 at 2:33 PM
    #4
    Blue92

    Blue92 Well-Known Member

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    I use a wire brush then sand down to shiny metal. Primer and paint, then wait a few weeks to top coat with fluid film.
     
  5. Jun 27, 2019 at 2:54 PM
    #5
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    309km east of Hazard ...the good life
    Vehicle:
    '97 black SR5 0g ~ MT @ 176k ...
    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
    how does the fluid film hold up with the frequent winter washings?
    do you or anybody have experience with this situation, i like to hose my truck down thoroughly best I can until my knuckles flirt with frostbite sometimes in the brutal dead of winter
    I hear/read this fluid film application will wash right off :notsure: so a wasted effort of time and money or maybe its more permanent then I am leading myself to believe?
     
  6. Jun 27, 2019 at 2:59 PM
    #6
    Blue92

    Blue92 Well-Known Member

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    I do not wash my undercarriage in the winter. If we get constant snow storms Ill do it, but the fluid film should be thick enough to prevent any salt from getting through.

    It does not wash right off. Ive had mine sprayed on for a year now, still really snotty under there despite monsoon rains, car washes etc. Its like trying to wash off grease with just water. It aint happening lol, as water just beads up on it and drips off.
     
    TWJLee and GQ7227[QUOTED] like this.
  7. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:04 PM
    #7
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

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    Think of it as any oil. It takes a bit of effort to wash it off. FF is designed to be persistent. Is fairly persistent on rough porous surfaces; e.g., rusting metal.
     
    GQ7227[QUOTED] likes this.
  8. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:05 PM
    #8
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    309km east of Hazard ...the good life
    Vehicle:
    '97 black SR5 0g ~ MT @ 176k ...
    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
    ok I am gonna have to do trial and error this coming winter on it once I figure out the costs of product and application, it seems easy enough to apply from what I have been reading
    I like to keep my wheel wells and rocker panels good and clean from the salty monster, we often have many feet of dirty city snow piled up and melting slowly for weeks and months sometimes
    the black gets dirty roadspray very quickly :cool:
     
  9. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:08 PM
    #9
    Blue92

    Blue92 Well-Known Member

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    I wash the body/wheel wells after every snow storm. But I trust the fluid film to protect my undercarriage. Like I said, if I wash underneath during winter I just use a garden hose, but not on high pressure, mainly to get the salt off the cab and other stuff that I didnt spray.
     
    GQ7227[QUOTED] likes this.
  10. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:13 PM
    #10
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    309km east of Hazard ...the good life
    Vehicle:
    '97 black SR5 0g ~ MT @ 176k ...
    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
    i may have to change my spray habits, i wash that nasty stuff off with the power setting at half-sheltered DIY car wash, make sure its all gone
    but recently I have read that some of these places use 'salty' recycled water from the prior vehicles in their soapy wash and rinse cycles and that the only 'pure' water is the spot free rinse
    I use all three cycle so i must change that routine
     
  11. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:15 PM
    #11
    Blue92

    Blue92 Well-Known Member

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    Carwashes are required by law to recycle most of their water. Id just do it at home.
     
  12. Jun 27, 2019 at 3:16 PM
    #12
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    309km east of Hazard ...the good life
    Vehicle:
    '97 black SR5 0g ~ MT @ 176k ...
    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
    i don't want the outside faucet (covered up & insulated) or hose to freeze! or icy driveway!
    it gets down to sub-zero temps here often enough!
    but its hot and very humid out today
     
    Luv my yota likes this.
  13. Jun 27, 2019 at 5:56 PM
    #13
    jjsul

    jjsul Well-Known Member

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    I bought a CA truck and have had it here in MA for three winters. I’ve applied FF every fall and the undercarriage is looking good, but there are some rust spots beginning to appear. Most of the rusty areas are by the front and rear wheels. I’m assuming those areas just get splashed more heavily than other areas, so the winter salts and water work their way past the FF.

    I do not rinse the undercarriage in the winter, as that is the purpose of the FF in my mind. I also want the FF to stay on there and do it’s job. Sometimes I pressure wash the undercarriage in the summer to clear out all the FF goop and start with a fresh application in the fall.

    If I’m smart I will clean up the rusty spots before winter comes...
     
    Blue92 likes this.
  14. Jun 28, 2019 at 4:48 AM
    #14
    SR-71A

    SR-71A Define "Well-Known Member"

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    You could if you want to make your truck look really good (and you have the time..) But if you just want to stop the rust, yearly or even twice yearly applications of fluid film should do the trick!

    FF kind of "sets up" after a while on the truck (once it gets covered in dust and road grime and everything). Only way to remove it is with rags or a really good pressure washer. A garden hose wont do much besides maybe knock the top layer of grime off.
    Areas like the cab mount, UCAs / LCAs, or other places exposed to direct road spray will wear off way faster than other areas, just from the constant abrasion
     
    GQ7227[QUOTED] likes this.
  15. Jun 28, 2019 at 6:24 AM
    #15
    TWJLee

    TWJLee Well-Known Member

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    2001 Tacoma 4X4 2.7 5spd access cab 2020 Tundra DC LmTD 2020 F150 5.0
    2020 Tundra GFC 33’s Borla Pro XS FOX 2.0 2020 F150 33’s Magnaflow FOX 2.0 2001 Tacoma 4x4 2.7 5spd access cab new frame 217k 2” lifted Always for sale.
    I like to put the 2003 Tacoma and 2002 4Runner in the garage all winter and drive the 2019 Tundra
    :gossip:
    Really tho- 1st yr using the FF. I also plan on wire wheeling a few sections of the rear on the 4r, prime/paint then ff.
    Just FF on the new framed Tacoma from here on out.
     
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