Best way to prevent rust in the rust belt

[Zoe Saldana]

First - spray what you can with Rustolum

Then get Fluid Film Black - Black so you can see where you sprayed and where it wore off.

I live right in the prime of the good ol rust belt.
Michigan.
I have a 2020 Ram 1500 2wd V-6 4 door classic.
Right now it's not very rusty.
This is actually the first truck that I have ever owned that wasn't really rusty.
So I want to at least try to stop it from rusting so fast living here in the rust belt.
I called a shop that does rust proofing and they said it would cost $1,500
Any ideas that would be cheaper and effective.
I don't have a garage.
Right now I have made my it goal to go once a week to my local self serve car wash and do my best to power wash the salt/snow/ice mixture off the underside of my truck.
I use the high pressure wax mixture at the end of the wash.
Will this help?

 

[Railhead_Ed]

What about New Hampshie Oil Undercoating (NHOU)?

 

[Hootbro]

PB Blaster Surface Shield is where it is at. I have started with Fluid Film and then gone to Woolwax and now have settled on Surface Shield. With Surface Shield once you get a couple of seasons worth of coating, you can extend it out to every other year. The others need a yearly application.

To be done right 100%, need to invest in a compressed air professional application kit and buy the stuff by the gallon. The whole thing is a process but results are best.

 

[jws123]

Every once in a while pull the front inner fender clean where it meets the lower door tons of dirt builds up and thats why the lower fenders rot out on these trucks.

 

[Bighorn_Brown]

I worked in the Owego/ Binghamton/ Johnson City, NY area for 6mos. Took my then, Expedition to the car wash regularly. It did help, but found out approximately 6mos later I wasn’t as thorough as I had thought. While working in Raleigh, NC the truck wouldn’t start one afternoon. Turned out there had been salt resting between the frame, and fuel pump relay. Needless to say the salt slowly ate away at the relay box.

So, if you’re not laying underneath the truck to get all the nooks and crannies it not getting it as clean as you think.

Left out the part describing how once I returned home to Arizona after the NY contract was over how I put the Expedition up on ramps and laid underneath it with my pressure washer to give it a good rinse. Did this because I’d noticed a white residue running down the rear bumper from the backup sensor hole thingy’s. Turned out to be more salt hiding inside the back of the bumper nooks and crannies.

I’d recommend what the previous posters suggested… using those products to coat the underside of the vehicle, or get it sprayed professionally. Whatever you do stay away from those spray bottle undercoats/ bed liner type of products. If not properly applied they can cause “pockets” that will collect salt, and potentially accelerate corrosion. Good luck.

 

[ocmsrzr]

In addition to above, if you are particularly OCD consider the $31 Temu "Pressure Washer Attachment, 2-in-1 Pressure Washer Undercarriage Cleaner, 3 Extension Wands, Surface Cleaner Water Broom for Concrete Driveway Sidewalk Cleaning"

You just roll the thing under your rig and it hits hard. You can use an inline injector to add soaps, ect, if you like.

5 minutes and done.

You do need a pressure washer setup in a garage that won't freeze, but that's another story.

 

[24BlackPearl]

Everybody forgets about under coating until late fall or winter. It’s best to get it sprayed in the heat of summer. The heat will allow it to creep into cracks and crevices. Sold my 2003 dually in 2018 and didn’t have a spot of rust any where on it.

 

[SetterMan]

Thanks for the suggestion.
I looked up Krown Rust Proofing online and there is Krown Rustproofing shop about 15 miles from me.
I'll give them a call and ask for an estimate.

Very good idea, I’m in southern Ontario in the rust belt and I’ve been using Krown for 25 years on various vehicles and have been impressed with the results.

Best choice, after about 5 yrs you can go every other year, at least that’s what I do to prevent excessive build-up. Very effective if you want to keep your truck a long time. I let them drill where they need to. Just did a new Mazda CX-5 and still have my rust free 2020 1500 Classic.

Cheers!

 

[js12278]

Use this product. Woolwax applied 2x a year or as needed with inspections at oil changes. I use it on all my vehicles. If you start on a new vehicle you’ll not have to worry about rust. If you’ve already got some rust that’s not destroying finishes with major metal loss, you’ll stop any progression. You can DIY this for less than $100 a year.
Fluid film is a very similar product however it washes off easier. I use the fluid film inside door panels and areas that are hard to inspect with eyes on. Both of these products will creep into hard to reach areas. You do not have to wash off previous coatings either. Check You Tube for many videos. You’re welcome.

Woolwax auto & truck undercoating. Woolwax stops rust !

 

[BenchTest]

I worked in the Owego/ Binghamton/ Johnson City, NY area for 6mos. Took my then, Expedition to the car wash regularly. It did help, but found out approximately 6mos later I wasn’t as thorough as I had thought. While working in Raleigh, NC the truck wouldn’t start one afternoon. Turned out there had been salt resting between the frame, and fuel pump relay. Needless to say the salt slowly ate away at the relay box.

So, if you’re not laying underneath the truck to get all the nooks and crannies it not getting it as clean as you think.

Left out the part describing how once I returned home to Arizona after the NY contract was over how I put the Expedition up on ramps and laid underneath it with my pressure washer to give it a good rinse. Did this because I’d noticed a white residue running down the rear bumper from the backup sensor hole thingy’s. Turned out to be more salt hiding inside the back of the bumper nooks and crannies.

I’d recommend what the previous posters suggested… using those products to coat the underside of the vehicle, or get it sprayed professionally. Whatever you do stay away from those spray bottle undercoats/ bed liner type of products. If not properly applied they can cause “pockets” that will collect salt, and potentially accelerate corrosion. Good luck.

Neighbors look at you funny, but this works. Slide it up under the truck and let 'er rip. Do it every spring. If you're thrifty, do it in a manner that the runoff hits the grass.

 

[js12278]

I live right in the prime of the good ol rust belt.
Michigan.
I have a 2020 Ram 1500 2wd V-6 4 door classic.
Right now it's not very rusty.
This is actually the first truck that I have ever owned that wasn't really rusty.
So I want to at least try to stop it from rusting so fast living here in the rust belt.
I called a shop that does rust proofing and they said it would cost $1,500
Any ideas that would be cheaper and effective.
I don't have a garage.
Right now I have made my it goal to go once a week to my local self serve car wash and do my best to power wash the salt/snow/ice mixture off the underside of my truck.
I use the high pressure wax mixture at the end of the wash.
Will this help?

What product was the shop going to apply for $1500?
If it’s Woolwax and you do not have a way of applying it yourself, it’s worth it as long as they do a great application.
It should include Salts Gone Wash, drying, inspection and total undercarriage and inside frame and pillar posts, drilling access holes may occur or they’ll use any means to access inside panels and tailgate. They may recommend annual inspections, do it. Reapply as needed. This year (i DIY) was the first reapplication in 6 years on my 2018 Ram 1500. I only touch up 2x a year at oil changes.

 

[karkrafter]

I’ve tried quite a few including fluid film, I didn’t like the smell at all and it washed off in just 6 months. NHOU was better but filthy if you ever need to work on the truck. I used wool wax creep n crawl on my new truck. Look it up. No smell and after a month, seems pretty rugged and clean. I plan on touching it up every third year.

 

[js12278]

I’ve tried quite a few including fluid film, I didn’t like the smell at all and it washed off in just 6 months. NHOU was better but filthy if you ever need to work on the truck. I used wool wax creep n crawl on my new truck. Look it up. No smell and after a month, seems pretty rugged and clean. I plan on touching it up every third year.

Woolwax and Fluid Film are lanolin products. Woolwax doesn’t have the stank of Fluid Film. It fades after a week or two. Fluid Film washes off with road spray where Woolwax will not. IMO, Woolwax is the best product you can use for the $$ and labor. You will not lose a vehicle to rust if you use Woolwax properly. Plus plus— rodents don’t like it in their fur, less wire damage and nest building.

 

[olyelr]

I use Rust Check, which is an oil based film that they renew every couple of years. I have a local place that does the applications. Pickup was $450 first time, then about $200 per respray. I had them drill the holes and spray the hard to reach places. They seal them with Rubber plugs so it looks OEM. Had them do my new 2021 as well. Krown is very similar and just as good. Alberta has a lot of salt and 6 months of bad weather.

This is my 1996 2500 and the picture was taken this summer. Original factory paint, no rust anywhere on the body. Undercarriage is pretty good too, but you can't completely eliminate rust. Was kept Rust Checked and washed at the wand wash at least weekly, sometimes more, because I hate driving a dirty vehicle.

View attachment 577463

Beautiful 2nd gen right there. One like that is unheard of around these parts anymore lol!

 

[3CUMMINS]

I live in Southern Ontario where they will put anything on the road to try to keep drivers on it.
I use Krown and haven't had an issue, except with my husband and his 2004 Dakota (worked in Toronto and returned to eastern or central Ontario on weekends) and didn't get it undercoated yearly. It was not too bad (where the box was drilled for the cap, rusted as it was installed after) he had had it for 18 years
I have the luxury of not driving my dually in the winter. The dually is put away for the winter. I have a 2023 Durango R/T with a Hemi to do that - it, too gets undercoated.
If you are not interested in the commercial applications and are washing your vehicles in the winter then one thing my husband did before we used Krown is clean the frame when he washed it. There are holes is the frame. He took a regular hose bib and adapted it to take a small plastic/silicone tube. When he washed it, he also cleaned out the frame.
Might still have had the truck had a deer not interfered with his travels.
But we got max $ as, after 5 years on S Ontario and having been driven to and in Toronto where they apply a saline solution or a reasonable facsimile, there was no visible rust.
From what I read, some states may have Krown. Here, if you have CAA and continue to use their service you keep the same rate for the vehicle as when you first signed up.
Do not get dealer undercoating.
You wouldn't got to a GP if you need heart surgery.
Just sayin'.

 

[Dusty]

There are two approaches to vehicle "undercoating," one is to use a thixotropic coating which will flow back together when a surface is penetrated by an object (ie: stones). The other option to is to coat a surface with a barrier material strong enough to prevent unprotected exposure.

Unfortunately there are issues with both approaches. Thixotropic materials generally become thinner over a period, which permits this flow-back to protect from impact exposure, and can be especially susceptible to wash out after the application period. Some barrier materials remain flexible for a time, but then harden from solvent evaporation and can lose their bond to the coated surface. This can be acute with vehicles that do not have a good clean surface when applied.

On my current vehicle I chose the pre-Woolwax version of the Ziebart undercoating. It gets resprayed once a year by and has remained resilient over the last years with no signs of losing bond. The undercoating was installed in July when the vehicle was a month old.

My son used Fluid Film on his 2014 which he still has, but finds he has to respray more than once or twice a year. Car washes and rain will wash it away pretty easily after a fresh recoat. His new 2025 Rebel has the new Ziebart Wool Wax material which is much thicker and seems to remain semi-soft going into his second year. Too soon to project the effectiveness but so far we both like it.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 144141 miles.

 

[Mando Mark]

I live right in the prime of the good ol rust belt.
Michigan.
I have a 2020 Ram 1500 2wd V-6 4 door classic.
Right now it's not very rusty.
This is actually the first truck that I have ever owned that wasn't really rusty.
So I want to at least try to stop it from rusting so fast living here in the rust belt.
I called a shop that does rust proofing and they said it would cost $1,500
Any ideas that would be cheaper and effective.
I don't have a garage.
Right now I have made my it goal to go once a week to my local self serve car wash and do my best to power wash the salt/snow/ice mixture off the underside of my truck.
I use the high pressure wax mixture at the end of the wash.
Will this help?

I also live in West Michigan. On a gravel road, which the county applies CHLORIDE to every month from May-September to 'hold down the dust.' So between that and the salt on the roads in the winter, the iron moths will be chewing heavily on the chintzy metals on most vehicles. That being said, there's an outfit in Grandville, MI called 'CarSmart' who used to be a Ziebart rustproofing franchise. My Dad had a 1967 Chrysler Newport (eggshell white with a light blue vinyl top) and had it rustproofed there. I bought it from him when I turned 16 and had it until I was 30; sold it to a local guy who still has it and it looks great. When Ziebart 'thinned out and cheapened' their undercoating, the owner of that business divorced himself from them and continued to rustproof vehicles using the better undercoating. In 45 years of marriage, the wife and I have had all our vehicles undercoated by them (a couple employees have since purchased the business and keep up on it like the original owners did) and with the annual inspections, they'll warranty the vehicle for LIFE. We had a 1999 Voyager they put new rocker panels and shock towers on, and our 2012 Jeep Compass started rusting out in the seams along the bottom of the front of the hood - new hood put on. I had a 2000 Quad Cab I bought brand-new and when I sold it in 2019 to get my Ram 1500 Quad Cab Classic, it still looked like the day I bought it. (Again, I got them inspected every year, and also do keep up on washing/waxing and protecting the interior as well.) My 2019 Ram Classic has zero rust on in, and with this last inspection in August of this year, they kept it a couple days and re-undercoated any thin spots. I'm a firm believer in this outfit's undercoating process and it's been well worth the $350 or so I paid for it. (The re-spray, inspections and even panel replacement and/or body work/painting are all covered under the warranty.) They also will undercoat used vehicles, but warranty them for fewer years - kind of pro-rated. But at least seven years.

 

[Hootbro]

There are two approaches to vehicle "undercoating," one is to use a thixotropic coating which will flow back together when a surface is penetrated by an object (ie: stones). The other option to is to coat a surface with a barrier material strong enough to prevent unprotected exposure.

Unfortunately there are issues with both approaches. Thixotropic materials generally become thinner over a period, which permits this flow-back to protect from impact exposure, and can be especially susceptible to wash out after the application period. Some barrier materials remain flexible for a time, but then harden from solvent evaporation and can lose their bond to the coated surface. This can be acute with vehicles that do not have a good clean surface when applied.

On my current vehicle I chose the pre-Woolwax version of the Ziebart undercoating. It gets resprayed once a year by and has remained resilient over the last years with no signs of losing bond. The undercoating was installed in July when the vehicle was a month old.

My son used Fluid Film on his 2014 which he still has, but finds he has to respray more than once or twice a year. Car washes and rain will wash it away pretty easily after a fresh recoat. His new 2025 Rebel has the new Ziebart Wool Wax material which is much thicker and seems to remain semi-soft going into his second year. Too soon to project the effectiveness but so far we both like it.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 144141 miles.

Great, I have the word "thixotropic" added to my lexicon memory and now will have the challenge of finding a use for it at work.

 

[Grams]

I use Rust Check, which is an oil based film that they renew every couple of years. I have a local place that does the applications. Pickup was $450 first time, then about $200 per respray. I had them drill the holes and spray the hard to reach places. They seal them with Rubber plugs so it looks OEM. Had them do my new 2021 as well. Krown is very similar and just as good. Alberta has a lot of salt and 6 months of bad weather.

This is my 1996 2500 and the picture was taken this summer. Original factory paint, no rust anywhere on the body. Undercarriage is pretty good too, but you can't completely eliminate rust. Was kept Rust Checked and washed at the wand wash at least weekly, sometimes more, because I hate driving a dirty vehicle.

View attachment 577463

Mid-to late ‘70’s Chebby’s and GMC’s had a horrible fleet-wide rust-thru problem..even when sold/operated in Southern states where no salt was used on roads.
My Father in Law had his new ‘78 GMC given that treatement…holes drilled all over the vehicle frame and body…the holes plugged with plastic plugs.
That truck rusted-thru ALL OVER regardless… by 1980 it looked like Swiss-Cheese!

I had a ‘78 (same year) Ford F150… but Ford galvanized their bodies before paint… and 30 years later.. same family..same operating area …that Ford had ZERO rust porblem.

 

[Dusty]

Great, I have the word "thixotropic" added to my lexicon memory and now will have the challenge of finding a use for it at work.

You're welcome!

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 144141 miles.