Any RustProofing, Underbody coating experience or thoughts?

Leonardo Willi · May 17, 2023

I'm curious if there's any thoughts, pros-cons out there on these services offered at some places.

A former boss of mine took his new truck to this place and had it done where they spray rust proofing through all the nooks and crannies without making more holes and a underbody spray on coating that covers everything - The place has been in biz a long time, do good work and run it right, good employees.

I took his advice since he's had new vehicles done there for like 15 years. They offered a pkg deal of a paint protectant (I went with the polymer option) the rust proofing and under body rust prevention/sound deadening coating. It was sticky as hell, still is kind of but have to say, it looks amazing with everything static coated, just has to make a difference.

I got all that done for 8 bills when my dealer want 9 just for the paint protection that sounds about the same. I met with the owner and told him, got this new truck I'm picking up in a couple days and tell me what I need to know to make a good decision. A good sign is when instead of selling you something, he asked a lot of questions and based on my habits, use and all that he ruled out lots of things much more expensive and said "if it was my money, this is the route I would go in your situation" ~ That's being a consultant more than a salesman. Anyone can take your money but will they always spend it in your best interest?

One of my bullet points of trading in my 2016 were the notorious rusty rear fender wells. I figure with the fender poly trim on the GMC and inner liners along with the rust proofing job, don't know what else I could do to preserve it.

64BAwagon · May 17, 2023

I use fluid film on mine. The application gun is less than $50 and I can do a full size truck with a gallon and a half ($40 per gal)

The easiest way to coat the wheel arches on the bed is by removing the tail lights and spraying forward on to the area. They also have several plugs on the inner bed side that can be removed to the inside surface of the outer panel and really soak the wheel arch. My gun has a straight hose and a 360 spray hose along with the regular nozzle.

I have found that enough plugs are in the body to do all the critical areas like this plus the rockers.

The fluid film has to be touched up every year or 2 in the high spray areas such as around wheels etc.

I do like the fact that it migrates and doesnt harden although its best to park it on a area of the driveway that youre not concerned about making a mess on for a week or 2 after application.

Pryme · May 17, 2023

I also used fluid film in a very similar way to 64BA. These trucks have a lot of plugs which is handy. I did all the ones on the rockers and also popped them out of the bed and shot down into them all over. Also did the wheel wells before installing wheel well liners.
I did mine with my gun at about 80psi. I did it parked over grass and let it sit a few hours.

also, I’ve tested a few small areas on the actual frame with fluid film and in my experience, it has done literally nothing as far as removing the wax coating. It’s still there and no change to the wax. Been about 8mo on there now.

64BAwagon · May 17, 2023

2 hours ago, Pryme said:

I also used fluid film in a very similar way to 64BA. These trucks have a lot of plugs which is handy. I did all the ones on the rockers and also popped them out of the bed and shot down into them all over. Also did the wheel wells before installing wheel well liners.
I did mine with my gun at about 80psi. I did it parked over grass and let it sit a few hours.

also, I’ve tested a few small areas on the actual frame with fluid film and in my experience, it has done literally nothing as far as removing the wax coating. It’s still there and no change to the wax. Been about 8mo on there now.

I had it on my 2021 for about 18 months and it did not negatively effect the wax coating on the frame, if anything it kept it from hardening.

Leonardo Willi · May 17, 2023

Didn't think about fluid film, but I've used it a fair amount for different things.

So they told me that I'd see some of the goo oozing out and that's normal. Yep, it did. It's not like fluid film, it's a thick snotty goop for sure.

All this stuff comes with "warranties" which I don't put much faith in from these 3rd party operations. A wise old regional manager of mine once aid "If the product you're selling is worth buying, you shouldn't have to rely on the merits of it's warranty" .... But I've got some ideas of snooping around just to make sure what I paid for got done.

newdude · May 17, 2023

Avoid Ziebart.

Fluid Film is fine but it can soften the wax dip on the frame. Waxoyl is another good option, so is Boeshield.

the8rotor · May 22, 2023

On 5/17/2023 at 12:37 PM, newdude said:

Avoid Ziebart.

Fluid Film is fine but it can soften the wax dip on the frame. Waxoyl is another good option, so is Boeshield.

Great info and I agree with your take on these.

Best rustproofing I ever did was moving 1100 miles south of St. Cloud, MN a decade ago.

KARNUT · May 22, 2023

10 hours ago, the8rotor said:

Great info and I agree with your take on these.

Best rustproofing I ever did was moving 1100 miles south of St. Cloud, MN a decade ago.

That was a byproduct of moving from New Jersey to Texas over 40 years ago.

Grumpy Bear · May 22, 2023

On 5/17/2023 at 12:27 PM, Leonardo Willi said:

Didn't think about fluid film, but I've used it a fair amount for different things.

Anything lanoline based. Fluid Film is one. Many others. PB Blaster Surface Shield. Wool Wax.....

jd64 · May 23, 2023

i decided to use industrial cosmoline on my 24 truck ,i have been doing my own trucks since my first new one in 1988. for years i have used a clear inner panel material that creeps and never really dries and a rubberized material over the waxed frame. the solvent percentage in it is rather low and it never attacked the wax formula from GM. it is made by a company called rusfre and had excellent results on quite a few trucks over the years .

i decided to change it up this time to get away from the rubberized version and wasn't interested in fluid film, i did consider wool wax but just wanted something that was a little neater to work around so i started to research different versions of the cosmoline product mainly looking at the amount of solvent in each product so it would be safe with the original GM wax. i thought the cosmoline would work well since it is a wax base product that never dries totally but does dry firm, not hard like rubberized material and it isn't as messy to work around as some of the other products out there. it works well inside and outside for the frame and also seems to spray thin enough to get into the body seems. it comes in a amber color and i tinted it slightly with charcoal powder to darken it a little. the amount of solvent percentage allows it to work safely over the GM original hot wax. i ended up with a product from a company called Tectyl. the product name is Tectyl 846 which is a direct cross for industrial cosmoline 342 with the same mil spec. it sprayed nicely through the gun and had to thin it a little for use with the wands. didn't have any effect on rubber or connectors. i do stay away from the rear leaf spring bushings because i have had issues with rust proofing causing rear spring noise. clean up is super easy and it even smells good.

Pryme · May 23, 2023

10 minutes ago, jd64 said:

i decided to use industrial cosmoline on my 24 truck ,i have been doing my own trucks since my first new one in 1988. for years i have used a clear inner panel material that creeps and never really dries and a rubberized material over the waxed frame. the solvent percentage in it is rather low and it never attacked the wax formula from GM. it is made by a company called rusfre and had excellent results on quite a few trucks over the years .

i decided to change it up this time to get away from the rubberized version and wasn't interested in fluid film, i did consider wool wax but just wanted something that was a little neater to work around so i started to research different versions of the cosmoline product mainly looking at the amount of solvent in each product so it would be safe with the original GM wax. i thought the cosmoline would work well since it is a wax base product that never dries totally but does dry firm, not hard like rubberized material and it isn't as messy to work around as some of the other products out there. it works well inside and outside for the frame and also seems to spray thin enough to get into the body seems. it comes in a amber color and i tinted it slightly with charcoal powder to darken it a little. the amount of solvent percentage allows it to work safely over the GM original hot wax. i ended up with a product from a company called Tectyl. the product name is Tectyl 846 which is a direct cross for industrial cosmoline 342 with the same mil spec. it sprayed nicely through the gun and had to thin it a little for use with the wands. didn't have any effect on rubber or connectors. i do stay away from the rear leaf spring bushings because i have had issues with rust proofing causing rear spring noise. clean up is super easy and it even smells good.

Any pics on your truck? What does it look like applied?

looks like it’s 95/gal.

I’ve considered buying the actual wax gm uses for touch ups from daubart chemical.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Pryme

jd64 · May 24, 2023

22 hours ago, Pryme said:

Any pics on your truck? What does it look like applied?

looks like it’s 95/gal.

I’ve considered buying the actual wax gm uses for touch ups from daubart chemical.

sorry i didn't take any pictures during the process,

this is what i used https://petroleumservicecompany.com/tectyl-846-class-i/ it is the same mil spec and class as the original industrial rust veto 342 cosmoline made by Houghton Products For Metal Protection who is the original manufacturer from the late 1800's and still making it today of course by the new EPA rules

petroleum service company also sells the daubert wax that GM recommends for the frame wax repair in their TSB if you want to keep the edges of the frame touched up instead of doing the whole truck.

..

Dr1ft3r · May 24, 2023

I'm not really interested in doing something like this myself. So I just use Krown. I have had good experiences with them. It's not that expensive (to me) and well worth the cost over the time and work it would take me to do it myself.

I didn't get it this year since I just bought my truck in January. But I'll have it done before next winter.

Pryme · May 24, 2023

On 5/21/2023 at 9:03 PM, the8rotor said:

Great info and I agree with your take on these.

Best rustproofing I ever did was moving 1100 miles south of St. Cloud, MN a decade ago.

You got out of St. Cloud before it got bad there. I know that area and it was sad to see that area decline so much over the years.

Tater86 · May 24, 2023

Has anyone used CRC rust inhibitor spray on their truck? Based on various independent reviews, it seems that stuff is the best DIY stuff right now. I've used it on all my previous vehicles and not once had an issue. This is my first Chevy, so I'm not sure if that affects anything Chevy already does to the truck. Is it beneficial recoating the frame?