2023 Silverado rust prevention

kickass audio · October 17, 2023

I wanted to ask everyone for their input on rust prevention on my new Silverado. My old 14 had rotted a hole in the rocker on the passenger side under the rear door and the rear wheel wells were bubbling up on the arches. I tried to use 3M cavity wax but it didn't seem to help any and am trying to setup an appointment for RustKote to have the entire underside sprayed and the frame, doors, rockers, wheel wells and tailgate.

Part of their rust prevention is to drill a small hole in the doors to insert the spray wand in and then they use a rubber plug to cap it off but I really don't want any new holes made in this truck. I was considering using Ziebart since it's pay once and every year it's free for touch up work but I did not like the look of how messy that spray is put on and some of the reviews on the local shops are not that fantastic.

So I can be armed with helping the shop, does anyone know if those massive torx bolts at the bottom of the doors on the side where the latch assembly is can be removed so the spray wand can get in the door through there? The rockers I am just going to have them pull some of the rubber plugs on there. The rear wheel well I am thinking to just have them either pull the tail light and get in that way, or just pull the plastic plugs in the middle of the bed and spray in through that hole.

Has anyone else had theirs setup for rust prevention? That was the reason why I got rid of my 2014 before it totally rotted away and I didn't get crap for trade value on it.

64BAwagon · October 17, 2023

I have used Fluid film on my last 3 Silverado's and my last 2 cars. There are plenty of access holes on the rockers and the doors, no need to drill any new ones. I use a spray can of fluid film with the straw and spray horizontally into the door drain holes. There are holes in the front and back on the doors. I spray both directions in each one and then let it drip for a few hours. This floods the pinch joint on the door without getting it al over the mechanicals. The bed will have access plugs across the inner panel, I pull those and spray the wheel arches and the outer bed panel and then pull the tail lights and spray as far forward as I can. I also spray the front fenders from under the hood and coat the inner panels thoroughly. Everywhere theres an opening it gets sprayed.

I did remove the rear door striker plates on my Equinox and spray into those holes to get the dogleg at the end of the rocker panel where it meets the quarter panel and the wheel arch.

Sounds like you have a solid plan.

Grumpy Bear · October 17, 2023

Most can't or won't do this. I park Pepper in the winter and the Buick stays in the garage and drive my 'salt' car. A beater I buy to let Illinois winters destroy. Having said that, I bought a case of Fluid Film for this year. It's for the salt car. :crackup:

64BAwagon · October 17, 2023

I sold my 2014 Cruze (we were the third owners) to my son this spring. We drove that car 2 yrs and exclusively in the winter. Even with 103k on it when we got it the car was solid. I sprayed the rockers, the subframe mounts and the boxed portions in the floor with Fluid film. Mechanically I think the car has 200k in it and I wanted the thing to at least stay together.

Road salt is a religion for the road crews around here and any neglected vehicle will be lucky to make 12 yrs without structural issues

Edited October 17, 2023 by 64BAwagon

newdude · October 17, 2023

17 hours ago, kickass audio said:

I wanted to ask everyone for their input on rust prevention on my new Silverado. My old 14 had rotted a hole in the rocker on the passenger side under the rear door and the rear wheel wells were bubbling up on the arches. I tried to use 3M cavity wax but it didn't seem to help any and am trying to setup an appointment for RustKote to have the entire underside sprayed and the frame, doors, rockers, wheel wells and tailgate.

Part of their rust prevention is to drill a small hole in the doors to insert the spray wand in and then they use a rubber plug to cap it off but I really don't want any new holes made in this truck. I was considering using Ziebart since it's pay once and every year it's free for touch up work but I did not like the look of how messy that spray is put on and some of the reviews on the local shops are not that fantastic.

So I can be armed with helping the shop, does anyone know if those massive torx bolts at the bottom of the doors on the side where the latch assembly is can be removed so the spray wand can get in the door through there? The rockers I am just going to have them pull some of the rubber plugs on there. The rear wheel well I am thinking to just have them either pull the tail light and get in that way, or just pull the plastic plugs in the middle of the bed and spray in through that hole.

Has anyone else had theirs setup for rust prevention? That was the reason why I got rid of my 2014 before it totally rotted away and I didn't get crap for trade value on it.

Do NOT use Ziebart. All it does is trap moisture and rot them from the inside out. I can't tell you how many rotted Ziebarted vehicles we get at work. Frames peeling, frames cracked and rotted, fenders, box wells, etc.

Krown, Fluid Film, Boeshield, Waxoyl, etc. Avoid Ziebart like the plague.

Also there's just about no need to drill any holes as there are plenty of rubber access plugs around everywhere on these.

kickass audio · October 17, 2023

Thank you everyone for your input. I don't know what kind of wand the shop is planning to use but I have the 3M wands from the cavity wax I used and could fit it through the drain holes in the bottom of the doors on my 14 Silverado. I also am going to have them spray inside the running boards since they are tubular and have a wide open hole on the front and back of the step where junk can get into it. I wish they made a plug to insert in the semi-round steps to prevent dirt and salt from getting in there.

Mshawn · October 30, 2023

On 10/16/2023 at 7:48 PM, kickass audio said:

I wanted to ask everyone for their input on rust prevention on my new Silverado. My old 14 had rotted a hole in the rocker on the passenger side under the rear door and the rear wheel wells were bubbling up on the arches. I tried to use 3M cavity wax but it didn't seem to help any and am trying to setup an appointment for RustKote to have the entire underside sprayed and the frame, doors, rockers, wheel wells and tailgate.

Part of their rust prevention is to drill a small hole in the doors to insert the spray wand in and then they use a rubber plug to cap it off but I really don't want any new holes made in this truck. I was considering using Ziebart since it's pay once and every year it's free for touch up work but I did not like the look of how messy that spray is put on and some of the reviews on the local shops are not that fantastic.

So I can be armed with helping the shop, does anyone know if those massive torx bolts at the bottom of the doors on the side where the latch assembly is can be removed so the spray wand can get in the door through there? The rockers I am just going to have them pull some of the rubber plugs on there. The rear wheel well I am thinking to just have them either pull the tail light and get in that way, or just pull the plastic plugs in the middle of the bed and spray in through that hole.

Has anyone else had theirs setup for rust prevention? That was the reason why I got rid of my 2014 before it totally rotted away and I didn't get crap for trade value on it.

In the rocker panels there are plugs that you can remove and use a rust encapsulation spray from Eastwood. Some of these plugs are use to mount steps on your truck. Some plugs are bigger. The Eastwood rust encapsulator has a 24 inch flexible hose that will stay the way you bend it. The end of the hose had a nozzle that sprays in a 360 direction so you get complete coverage. You spray it and slowly pull back at the same time. It is used on frames but will be perfect for the inside of those rocker panels. Can be use on the inside of the boxed in frame on the inside. I’ve used this a lot. Go to the Eastwood web site and search spray rust encapsulator. Hope this helps.

repairman54 · October 31, 2023

Open your front doors and look in behind the fender. See that sound insulation inside there? Cut the bottom of it off several inches up so wet leaves and junk do not get trapped in there. GM does that on a lot of their vehicles.

Plus you will see junk in there and flush it out. New truck then get some corrosion inhibitor in there before things start to happen. Thats where all that cowl water drains down to and rots out the dog leg.

Edited October 31, 2023 by repairman54

kickass audio · November 1, 2023

13 hours ago, repairman54 said:

Open your front doors and look in behind the fender. See that sound insulation inside there? Cut the bottom of it off several inches up so wet leaves and junk do not get trapped in there. GM does that on a lot of their vehicles.

Plus you will see junk in there and flush it out. New truck then get some corrosion inhibitor in there before things start to happen. Thats where all that cowl water drains down to and rots out the dog leg.

My old 14 silverado was actually good in there but the rust was on the drivers outer fender where the mudflaps were mounted with sticky tape on the outside, the inside was spotless and I always clean out the leaves, mud, etc in the lower area of the fender. I also flush it out constantly with water and use a gutter cleaning tool to flood the water in the small weep hole at the bottom of the fender.

relevante · November 10, 2023

Definitely do something. My 2019 is covered with rust underneath after 4 northeastern winters. Just pretend the black wax coating on the frame doesn't exist. It's only a little better than nothing.

tomd6310 · December 13, 2023

I just purchased a 2021 Silverado crew cab Z71. It has 38k miles and just over 36 months old. Looks as if the undercoating is flaking off my frame and signs of surface rust beginning to form. Will GM do anything about this or what can I do to prevent further rust? I am scared after reading all the sad stories about rusted Silverado frames. Thanks in advance.

kickass audio · December 14, 2023

5 hours ago, tomd6310 said:

I just purchased a 2021 Silverado crew cab Z71. It has 38k miles and just over 36 months old. Looks as if the undercoating is flaking off my frame and signs of surface rust beginning to form. Will GM do anything about this or what can I do to prevent further rust? I am scared after reading all the sad stories about rusted Silverado frames. Thanks in advance.

I think there is a tsb for the frame wax coating flaking off. I personally don't care to fight that problem and hope my method of having the entire underside and inner panels coated with oil will help the lifespan of the metals. Time will tell for me after one season in Buffalo with the obnoxious amounts of road salt we love to dump when it's not even snowing out.

Acpantera · December 15, 2023

On 12/13/2023 at 8:18 PM, kickass audio said:

I think there is a tsb for the frame wax coating flaking off. I personally don't care to fight that problem and hope my method of having the entire underside and inner panels coated with oil will help the lifespan of the metals. Time will tell for me after one season in Buffalo with the obnoxious amounts of road salt we love to dump when it's not even snowing out.

I live in the WNY area as well(60 years), I never bother with extra rust proofing products anymore. Best thing you can do is keep it clean, and we are very fortunate to have the best car wash chain north America in our area. Buy a Delta Sonic Super Kiss Unlimited wash plan, For about 30 a month you can get your vehicle washed every day and breeze buy the sales people. We've been members for about 20 years, and our cars have no rust anywhere. I keep my vehicles about 4-5yr and wife keeps them 7-8yr. The basic Super Kiss wash does a good under spray rinse every time and our cars are shiny as new at trade in time. You also get a discount on gas if you're a member.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Acpantera

kickass audio · December 16, 2023

21 hours ago, Acpantera said:

I live in the WNY area as well(60 years), I never bother with extra rust proofing products anymore. Best thing you can do is keep it clean, and we are very fortunate to have the best car wash chain north America in our area. Buy a Delta Sonic Super Kiss Unlimited wash plan, For about 30 a month you can get your vehicle washed every day and breeze buy the sales people. We've been members for about 20 years, and our cars have no rust anywhere. I keep my vehicles about 4-5yr and wife keeps them 7-8yr. The basic Super Kiss wash does a good under spray rinse every time and our cars are shiny as new at trade in time. You also get a discount on gas if you're a member.

I have a deltasonic plan and love the cheaper gas. I don't see how any of the ones i've been to actually spray the underside though. The newer one on Walden and the one on Transit are always bone dry on the underside plus the one on Transit blows my damn gas door open every time I get through the blowers at the end haha.

Acpantera · December 16, 2023

We have a front camera on the wife's car, I've seen the sprayers go on, and Delta advertises the under-carriage spray as part of the basic super kiss. We use the new one on Transit in Depew.