Rust abatement

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

S0CAL

US Marine Veteran
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
3,207
Reaction score
3,519
Location
The Lonestar State
Ram Year
2021 Limited Longhorn CTD HO DRW 4x4
Engine
Cummins 6.7L HO
(Moderators, please move thread as appropriate. I couldn't really find the right place...)

I am going to attack the undercarriage and have a question about the approach. I have the traditional wire wheels and wire brushes. How about sand-blasting (watching out for brake lines, wiring loom, etc.)? Or maybe crushed fine walnut shells, etc. Is that doable?

Plan is to POR-15 the underside in sections but to really get all the rust off I can, wash it down, let it dry and apply.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:

Hemi395

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Posts
8,965
Reaction score
15,598
Location
Cape Cod MA
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 Hemi
POR 15 is great for the areas you can get to like the outside of the frame and floor pans. However I would cost the inside of the frame, rocker panels, door bottoms, etc with Fluid Film or equivalent. You most likely won't be able to get POR 15 in those areas. Unfortunately that's where most rot starts from.

Also check your fuel tank strap mounts on the frame because there's no drain holes so they have a tendency to rot out causing the fuel tank to drop.
 
OP
OP
S0CAL

S0CAL

US Marine Veteran
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
3,207
Reaction score
3,519
Location
The Lonestar State
Ram Year
2021 Limited Longhorn CTD HO DRW 4x4
Engine
Cummins 6.7L HO
POR 15 is great for the areas you can get to like the outside of the frame and floor pans. However I would cost the inside of the frame, rocker panels, door bottoms, etc with Fluid Film or equivalent. You most likely won't be able to get POR 15 in those areas. Unfortunately that's where most rot starts from.

Also check your fuel tank strap mounts on the frame because there's no drain holes so they have a tendency to rot out causing the fuel tank to drop.


Excellent advice on the hard-to-reach areas.
 

chrisbh17

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
Posts
6,691
Reaction score
7,473
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I just sprayed the underside of my '17 with Corrosion Free Rust Cure. Supposed to hold up longer than Fluid Film and doesnt have the nasty smell. A bit more expensive, but not too bad ($65 per gallon). Another product is NH Oil Undercoating....for some reason I feel like they are re-labelling the Corrosion Free stuff and selling to the US. About $45 per gallon.

I think the most important part is a good spray gun....the one in the kit mentioned above is good. I got one that seems to be a modified paint gun, more expensive but it came with different wands to shoot it into different places.

Took a while but I got into all frame openings I could find, top sides and bottom of frame rails. If your truck has rear wheel well liners, remove them so you can access the braces that go across the underside of the bed, make sure to spray in there. Also make sure to get the space between the rear wheel well and the actual bed/body....thats a popular rust out spot because its hard to clean normally, but the wheels can kick salt/sand/dirt/water up there and it just sits and rots.

Also do the rocker panels (I pulled the factory plastic plugs and shot in through that way) and the bottom of the doors (removed the lower weatherstrip on each and shot sideways through the drain holes). And dont forget the "dog leg" of the front fender, accessible from the front lower door hinge area.

Anything is better than nothing, but getting the really hard to get to spots is the most important IMHO, because by the time you see rust from them its probably too late!
 
OP
OP
S0CAL

S0CAL

US Marine Veteran
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
3,207
Reaction score
3,519
Location
The Lonestar State
Ram Year
2021 Limited Longhorn CTD HO DRW 4x4
Engine
Cummins 6.7L HO
I just sprayed the underside of my '17 with Corrosion Free Rust Cure. Supposed to hold up longer than Fluid Film and doesnt have the nasty smell. A bit more expensive, but not too bad ($65 per gallon). Another product is NH Oil Undercoating....for some reason I feel like they are re-labelling the Corrosion Free stuff and selling to the US. About $45 per gallon.

I think the most important part is a good spray gun....the one in the kit mentioned above is good. I got one that seems to be a modified paint gun, more expensive but it came with different wands to shoot it into different places.

Took a while but I got into all frame openings I could find, top sides and bottom of frame rails. If your truck has rear wheel well liners, remove them so you can access the braces that go across the underside of the bed, make sure to spray in there. Also make sure to get the space between the rear wheel well and the actual bed/body....thats a popular rust out spot because its hard to clean normally, but the wheels can kick salt/sand/dirt/water up there and it just sits and rots.

Also do the rocker panels (I pulled the factory plastic plugs and shot in through that way) and the bottom of the doors (removed the lower weatherstrip on each and shot sideways through the drain holes). And dont forget the "dog leg" of the front fender, accessible from the front lower door hinge area.

Anything is better than nothing, but getting the really hard to get to spots is the most important IMHO, because by the time you see rust from them its probably too late!

Great advice.
 

Hemi395

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Posts
8,965
Reaction score
15,598
Location
Cape Cod MA
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 Hemi
I just sprayed the underside of my '17 with Corrosion Free Rust Cure. Supposed to hold up longer than Fluid Film and doesnt have the nasty smell. A bit more expensive, but not too bad ($65 per gallon). Another product is NH Oil Undercoating....for some reason I feel like they are re-labelling the Corrosion Free stuff and selling to the US. About $45 per gallon.

I think the most important part is a good spray gun....the one in the kit mentioned above is good. I got one that seems to be a modified paint gun, more expensive but it came with different wands to shoot it into different places.

Took a while but I got into all frame openings I could find, top sides and bottom of frame rails. If your truck has rear wheel well liners, remove them so you can access the braces that go across the underside of the bed, make sure to spray in there. Also make sure to get the space between the rear wheel well and the actual bed/body....thats a popular rust out spot because its hard to clean normally, but the wheels can kick salt/sand/dirt/water up there and it just sits and rots.

Also do the rocker panels (I pulled the factory plastic plugs and shot in through that way) and the bottom of the doors (removed the lower weatherstrip on each and shot sideways through the drain holes). And dont forget the "dog leg" of the front fender, accessible from the front lower door hinge area.

Anything is better than nothing, but getting the really hard to get to spots is the most important IMHO, because by the time you see rust from them its probably too late!
This is excellent advice
 
Top