do you care about frame rust?

Interleukin6 · April 13, 2023

I noticed rust had begun especially around the shock mounts as well as the frame and rear axle when I recently swapped the rear shocks with Bilstein. They are now not that bad and look like a "normal process" to me. Because of frequent salt use during New England's harsh winter, I have pressure washed the undercarriage after each snow, which is the only thing I have been doing for my 2022. A lot of folks have their own preference to protect the undercarriage from rusting. I also think tons of work trucks and commercial trucks running around without "special treatment". I wonder how my truck's undercarriage will stand after 10 years if I just keep washing out only. Will mine be jackknifed 10 years later like old Tacomas do on youtube? Does anyone have a commercial undercarriage coating? Do they remove all existing rust before applying the coat? or Just forget about it and enjoy mine because it is a truck? Thank you.

jaxcam02 · April 13, 2023

https://www.daubertchemical.com/store/product-list/corrosion-prevention/nox-rust-x-121b

When it comes to personal vehicles, why would you not want to keep rust away.

Gangly · April 13, 2023

Down here in Houston, I have 15 year old vehicles with no rust, and I never put an ounce of prevention on them because they will never see the beach or mud. I might see a component with a light dusting of surface rust, but nothing that doesn't wipe off with a rag. We simply don't have that issue down here unless you live within a few miles of the coast.

However, I am pretty careful with the Z71 and I do touch up coatings here and there because I take it off road and I don't want any rust sneaking up on me.

With anything, prevention is the best medicine though.

GN2018 · April 13, 2023

6 hours ago, Interleukin6 said:

I wonder how my truck's undercarriage will stand after 10 years if I just keep washing out only.

Are you only intending on keeping the truck for ten years? If so, I wouldn’t worry about it. I live in Michigan and they salt the crap out of the roads here. I don’t see any ten year old trucks with rust on them. The manufacturer warranties rust for six years (I think) but I’m sure they have ways of getting out of responsibility for it. Still, they do a lot better job of rustproofing than they used to.

Now, if you want to drive your truck until the wheels fall off, say 20 years or even more, then aftermarket rustproofing would be a good investment.

May be an urban legend but I’ve always heard that spraying off the salt is worse than just leaving it alone. Something about the temperature and conditions that rust actually happens. Better to just clean it real good every spring. You could also get some DIY products to slow the rust down.

Jus Cruisin · April 15, 2023

I won't own mine long enough for it to be a concern.

64BAwagon · April 15, 2023

I have found that Fluid film (especially the black) will keep the frame looking good and it blends well with the OEM wax coating that GM uses on the full size trucks. The fluid film appears to keep the was pliable and does a good job of coating the inevitable places that rust. The way the frames are handled during assembly and shipping always leads to the wax being compromised.

Around here most 90's era trucks that were poorly cared for and or not stored in the winter are essentially scrap due to the frame breaking at the cab/bed area.

Interleukin6 · April 16, 2023

No offense, but I have heard fluid film eventually ruins our OEM wax coating. I don’t know it is true or not. Also, some say just applying Nox-Rust directly on the rust surfaces, the other say a rust inhibitor/remover/dissolver has to be applied before Nox-Rust. Can anyone confirm which one I should go and, if yes, recommend a decent rust inhibitor/remover/dissolver good for OEM wax coating before Nox-Rust? I asked this in another thread but haven’t got answers. My Nox-Rust is on the way. Thank you.

64BAwagon · April 16, 2023

I have also heard the same thing about the frame and fluid film but my real world experience says otherwise. For me it kept the wax flexible but it sure didnt harm it in any way. I have tried painting and several other coatings over the years and I favor the fluid film because its so easy to touch up. I have never been a fan of the wax coating but GM seems to be stuck on it for full size trucks.

Grumpy Bear · April 16, 2023

Nice thread. Just a guess for what those are worth, but I would expect the stories of frame wax melting away when Fluid Film is applied may be to those buy gallons and thinning with hot solvents for commercial spray guns. Rattle cans don't seem to have this issue. But one thing I know about rumors and lies; good ones are mostly true. So, I'm sure it happens, just don't know the specifics. Sound about right? :dunno:

Wire brush off the scale and hit it with a lanolin-based protector. Wool Wax, Fluid Film, PB Blaster Surface Shield.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

KARNUT · April 16, 2023

Real world experience does very. My oldest collector car in Texas was a 64 elcamino. All I did to the frame was paint it. Otherwise it had surface rust on the frame. We owned a salvage yard in the 90s in Texas. My father always wanted one. Our other business got too busy. We didn’t renew the lease. I never saw a vehicle with a rusted out frame. We had all kinds of vehicles. As for growing up in New Jersey when treatment was used. The bodies were toast way before those frames were rusted out. We were in Texas by 1979. Maybe it’s different in the snow belt now. I guess it’s possible the bodies can outlast the frames. If I could see the frame I’d definitely would want it to look good. That would be my preference.

Edited April 16, 2023 by KARNUT

64BAwagon · April 16, 2023

I have a friend who's family owns a frame and wheel shop. Last time I was there he had a 2003 or 2004 Colorado on the lift. Looked like a decent older truck, he walked me over to it and the frame was completely roached. What seemed like a decent older truck was scrap due to the frame rusting so badly. Around here road salt is a religion.