Frame protection

Up in the north east the winters take their toll. My truck is an 06 so its headed for its sixth winter. The truck is in excellent condition and that inludes the frame. I noticed some rust/flaking around the welds and a few other areas so I decided to take of it and prevent further rusting.
I started but wire brushing the loose and bubbled areas.

Then I applied a rust converter made by Lawson. Goes on real easy, dries black and supposedly seals and prevents against further rusting. And you can paint over it.


I also sprayed the exh. pipe with a high temp paint.

 

Another product to look into is PRO-15, realy tough stuff. Did my 4runner with it, I purchased it at napa but you can get it online aswel.

Just dont get it on your skin, It does not come off easily !

Another thing a ol' timer told me about is during the winter to spray up to frame with WD-40 . I have no research on this but he has a 1st gen tocoma with a frame that looked brand new. Seemed to work for him ?

 

Ive heard of places out in the south west that "oil and dust" the frame. They spay the whole underside with used motor oil then drive down a dust road. Ive heard old timers swear by it.

 

I use fluid film. Spray it on.

 

I just scrub it clean all the time.

 

Ya I heard this awswell, the guy told me it has to be used motor oil since its already broken down ??

 

I wd40 my frame all the time. it also helps repels water and stuff during rainy seasons. plus it add a cleaner look when its all shined up. Every time i hand wash it I WD40 the frame, inside the fenders and sometimes the rear end and all that under the spare tire area.

 

I had my frame, wheel Wells, floor pans, and suspension parts all professionally coated with rubberized undercoat for 250. It looks very good and is very durable. Ride is quieter too. I cant remember what product used unfortunately. Its worth doing.

 

POR-15. Stuff is a miracle in a can.
Speaking from personal experience, two coats of the stuff takes literally HOURS to sandblast off. But as Toy85 warns, don't get it on your skin......unless you don't mind wearing it for three weeks (or more!).

 

We do this every year with both our vehicles. There are several small shops around my area that will spray your car for around $40.00. I don't mind paying the price because it keeps the mess off me and out of my garage. The guy we go to only sprays from Sept. to the beginning of Nov. and he is always booked up by the end of July. He gets in all the undercoat holes for the doors, hood, tailgate etc.

My bro in law has a 95 Silverado and 99 Sierra that have both been done this way since new. They are both in really good shape underneath along with no rust on any of the panels.

POR-15 does work well also. If you don't use the whole can at once, make sure you clean the top of the can good and put a piece of saran wrap in between the lid and can. It will never come off if you don't!

 

POR-15 is designed for marine rust restoration and prevention. So long as you use the phosperous solution to "Blue" the metal and then paint over the effected areas the truck should stop rusting, or at least keep for many years of good use. I know a few guys around home that have used the stuff on their pre 95 pickups. The things will rot away in Nova Scotia from the constant salt and water, but once POR-15'd they tend to stay rust free for many years after the initial application.

I also use Fluid Film on my vehicles underbelly. It works, and tends to stick to the metal better then the Oil and Dust treatment.

 

I only know what has worked for me and my family in the past, and that has been Ziebart undercoating. Took my new Tacoma there first thing, before there was any chance of rust starting. A good looking job (I went into the shop to check it out with a flashlite before they took it off the lift). $139. They'll send me a notice in 10-11 months and I will get the touch up for $35. I can't imagine many things: WD40, used motor oil (ecological no-no) candle wax, other homebrewed concoctions, Putting a sprinkler under the vehicle to wash the undercarriage during the winter, ect that would work better.

Ziebart advertises that they can protect used vehicles as well. I do not know how that works out. As above, I just know what I have experienced, and I have confidence in Ziebart.

I'm in Michigan, lots of salt on the road.

 

yup..when I was a jeeper I took the whole inside of my jeep apart and coated it with POR-15 and the frame when I had my axles off..

I still keep a can around for touch up on anything black...

And when I had a 94 Cherokee with the bottom of the door panels on the outside starting to look sketchy I prepped them and then painted the bottom of them (like a liner) with POR-15 and never saw the rust again...


The details are in the prep, POR-15 has a prep solution called metal ease I believe, with good sanding and cleaning then prep with their solution you wont have rust back..

 

Tire shine works good on the frame and wheel wells. Not much dirt sticks to it and what does sprays off easy. One can goes along way.