Does anyone have any tips on rustproofing and undercoating my truck, I live in the Chicago area and the public works is really heavy on the salt during winter time. I've seen this salt literally eat through ford bodies,frames, and parts. Any tips on what kind of product/undercoater is recommended ? and a brief description on what I should do? I got my truck shipped up here from Texas and I don't want to see this thing get eatin and turn into a rust bucket :/ P.S. This truck is basically my first car :P Im only 16 and Im on sort of a budget.

 

Valugard Undercoating Procedure - YouTube I also checked this video out. This undercoating process doesn't seem to tough to do.

 

I feel your pain living just west of chicago. I used a few different products and if your not to far away your welcome to swing on by and check out what I did and see if you like the end result

 

I use fluid Film you can go on ebay and buy a gallon kit with a sprayer.

 

I am a big fan of fluid film as well. I use the gel you brush on in the wash areas and it's great for getting in between panels where the real rust hides. Catching it now is key, it might not stop it but it will slow it down. I used POR-15 on all my door bottoms, sprayed oil everywhere I could get it in the panels, used tons of rubberized undercoating spray, lots of fluid film. Overkill? Yes. I'm just looking to slow the rust down. Products like POR15 and all the rust encapsulators require both sides of the metal to be treated otherwise rust will pop right through in a week or so

 

I also live south west of Chicago. I am planing on trying the Fluid Film. Where I live now we have less salt than you get. Most of the time they spread chip on the roads instead of salt. Last year they started spraying liquid salt on the bridges. I'm originally from Schiller Park by O'hare airport so I know how bad the salt can be. Fluid Film sounds like a good product.

 

Back around the end of the last ice age, I drove 10-wheel dump trucks (Macks & Brockways) for the county in New Hampshire during snow plow season. We just sprayed on used motor oil all over the bottom of the truck every week or so throughout the winter months... definitely inexpensive.

 

fluidfilm! my trick of application:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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I use a cheap garden sprayer from HD and a compress air spray can nozzle. Take the original spray wand off the garden sprayer. Take the can off the can sprayer. Connect the two, add a 15 foot or whatever long extension in between. Put the fluidfilm in the tank, pump it up. Connect the can sprayer to your compress air and start spraying. When u r done, just depressurize the tank and store up the whole thing for next year. Works a lot better than a puny little sprayer they offer.<o></o>

 

I would not use any rubberized coatings, as they can trap water/salt/sand underneath them when they fail to adhere (and they will at some point). Use old oil, 90wt, ATF, etc. or fluid film. Also, look under your truck yearly to see areas where rust is returning. Don't forget to pour ATF or oil in the doors and shut them on newspaper (to soak up the excess). This will prevent the seams from rusting and peeling apart over time. It seems like the bed supports on Super Duties are particularly prone to rusting out, so pay attention to those.

 

Old thread. But, the most recent in my search. I have a rust free bed upside down on my trailer right now. I'm researching what to apply to the underside to keep it rust free as long as possible. Good point on trapping moisture. Is Fluid Film still the best option? I know used motor oil would be cheap. But, wouldn't the Fluid Film potentially work for a longer period of time?
BTW, the bed that's on my truck right now is rusted to the point that I had to put a bed liner in it to keep from falling through the holes. Rest of the truck is really not too bad. I also picked up rust free front doors.

 

Mike, I started applying Rust Bullet this past fall. I was only able to get the bad spots finished before the cold weather set in. Ron's Powertroke told be about it last year. I really am very pleased with the protection it gave my Excursion this winter. I wasn't running to the wash rack every week to clean of the slush & salt.

After it dries it's like a hard candy covering. I couldn't crack it with a hammer.

 

One good fluid film can last me at least 3 years. Used motor oil might last a year.

 

I use waste oil.