Rust proofing

Hi soon to be new tacoma owner. I just ordered a 21 TRD OFF ROAD With the lift kit.
I live in Michigan and rust is an issue. What is the best and most effective product to have applied?
Thanks.

 

I use KROWN Rustproofing. Not sure if you have it in your neck of the woods

But the most effective is yearly rustproofing, none of those 1 time applications...

 

Cosmoline. Black is easier to monitor.

 

I find parking it on salt days and drive my winter beater works best

ETA: I paid for rust proofing my 2019 Silverado. The only visible thing was sound deadener on the frame rails.
Keep it clean and touch up when needed.

 

Indiana here. I get mine treated at Ziebart. Not sure what they use but I’ve got a rust warranty fwiw.

eta: just noticed you were asking what’s the best option. For that I have no idea, mine’s less than 2 years old.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld
Rinse off road salts often.
Every Spring and Fall apply Fluid Film, Wool Wax, Cosmoline or other soft rust inhibitor.
NEVER apply rubberized or bitumen based undercoating. They harden and crack sealing in salts while looking pretty, all black and shiny.
Ziebart is the worst.

 

Writing from Ontario, Canada. Lots of salt on the roads.
I get a yearly Krown application on my truck. So 5 years now anyway. I plan on keeping the truck for as long as possible, so that is why I get it done. If you are leasing or plan on trading it in after 4 or so, I wouldn’t bother.

 

Tagging along here. Do the newer models need additional treatment on top of factory? Just wondering.

Just jacked up my 2021 and put a scratch in the rail. Will need to touch it up, but not sure if need to do anything else as well like OP. I am in NC and snows only 1x a year. Mild weather.

 

Krown.
Living in Nova Scotia we have tons of salt used on our roads in the winter. Krown is awesome.

 

Tacomas rust because the frame has multiple layers and pockets that collect silt, coupled with the fact Toyota can’t paint metal to save their lives.

A couple times a year do this:

Drop your spare and put the truck up on Jack ramps. Accept you are gonna get wet and get right under there with a hose. Wash all the silt off the frame, paying close attention to the crossmember brackets, fuel tank hangers, rear cab mounts, and the C-channel trough. These areas collect salty/wet/silt. Also hose out the front boxed sections (you may have to remove the plastic shields).

Once washed, coat the frame, especially the trouble spots mentioned above, with a non-hardening rust preventative like Woolwax / Fluid Film / Krown / cosmoline etc.

Toyota frames general rot where the cross members meet the frames, the gas tank and spare tire hangers, the back c-channel under the bed, and in the front box sections. Keep an eye on these areas.

 

Here we go again!!

 

Do you need to go as far as spraying in a cavity wax with a wand in boxed areas?

 

I have mixed feelings about 3M cavity wax. I sprayed it up in there once, but found it glued some dirt and pebbles that were up in there in place as it hardens quite a bit. Now I use fluid film and the long nozzle you can buy to apply the cavity wax.

$30 KBS Coatings 75015 36" Cavity Wand with 360 Degree Spray Tip (Cavity Coater Aerosol Can NOT Included)

https://www.amazon.ca/KBS-Coatings-...Cavity+wax+spray+nozzle&qid=1627261276&sr=8-1

 

I do. If I can get a wand in it, salt can too.

 

Here come another weekend project.

Unless I trade in soon.

 

Cosmoline

 

Once you do a really good coating (I use Wool Wax) I found the hardest areas to get have almost none washed off. You really just have to get the high-wash areas yearly, but I know some do a heavy coat every year. It’s not necessary from what I’ve seen on mine. It’s not too bad with a crawler and some jacks….dare I say enjoyable. lol

 

Many areas have moved away from traditional road salt to a spray on product. Salt gets less effective as the temperature drops below about 20 degrees, the spray product keeps working well below zero -- and it keeps working on your vehicle too.

 

We have brine application where I live so I understand. Ford frames are mostly good in our conditions. Toyota can’t paint a frame to save their lives. They are not only designed to catch silt, with multiple layers you can’t clean between, but are also painted with water colours or house paint or some shit that doesn’t work and never has, hence the endless frame recalls since the beginning of time.

 

Water colors