Rust Prevention Tips
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,407
Likes: 155
From: Milwaukee, WI
Rust Prevention Tips
I just bought a new to me 2004 Excursion XLT 4X4 V10 and was hoping you guys could recommend preventative steps I can take to keep the rust at bay. I want to make it last another 10 years.
My Vehicle history: Former Burlington Northern Railroad truck used it's whole life in Missouri with 150K on the clock. She has seen many a gravel road. The front fenders have had the paint blasted off the backs by gravel. I plan to have them cleaned and painted this month. The undercarriage has no undercoat and, due to all the gravel, it has light rust everywhere.
What advice can you offer for keeping the rust down and what can I do before winter hits?
Thanks!
My Vehicle history: Former Burlington Northern Railroad truck used it's whole life in Missouri with 150K on the clock. She has seen many a gravel road. The front fenders have had the paint blasted off the backs by gravel. I plan to have them cleaned and painted this month. The undercarriage has no undercoat and, due to all the gravel, it has light rust everywhere.
What advice can you offer for keeping the rust down and what can I do before winter hits?
Thanks!
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 94
From: Stanton, Michigan, USA
-- Mix approximately 2 parts diesel fuel with 1 part used motor oil.
-- Fill a 1 quart hand spray bottle with the mixture.
-- Adjust the nozzle to spray a heavy mist but not a stream.
-- Then on a quiet afternoon (without much wind), crawl under your rig (if you're a big guy, you may need to jack it up some first) and start spraying everything in sight; Try to limit the amount of spray from getting on the exhaust system (it'll just smoke & burn off the first time out is all) and don't spray directly on the alternator or the serpentine belt. Get a light coating on everything metal, just don't spray to the point of it running & dripping off. Frame rails, brake & fuel lines, wiring connections, door hinges, etc.
-- After a week, do it all again.
-- After another week, do it one more time.
After the third application, you'll realize a lot less squeeks, lots of the flakey rust will have fallen off, and if/when you or your mechanic needs to wrench on / adjust something on the underside, it'll be a LOT less of a job.
Just my 2 cents,
BarnieTrk
-- Fill a 1 quart hand spray bottle with the mixture.
-- Adjust the nozzle to spray a heavy mist but not a stream.
-- Then on a quiet afternoon (without much wind), crawl under your rig (if you're a big guy, you may need to jack it up some first) and start spraying everything in sight; Try to limit the amount of spray from getting on the exhaust system (it'll just smoke & burn off the first time out is all) and don't spray directly on the alternator or the serpentine belt. Get a light coating on everything metal, just don't spray to the point of it running & dripping off. Frame rails, brake & fuel lines, wiring connections, door hinges, etc.
-- After a week, do it all again.
-- After another week, do it one more time.
After the third application, you'll realize a lot less squeeks, lots of the flakey rust will have fallen off, and if/when you or your mechanic needs to wrench on / adjust something on the underside, it'll be a LOT less of a job.
Just my 2 cents,
BarnieTrk
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
barnietrk's method will work, and he should know, being in Michigan.
If you don't want to go that route, the only thing I've used that has lasting quality and rust prevention is POR-15, and a lot of time (and money, it's not cheap) to apply it. I don't drive my Ex in the winter, ever, but it saw some winter duty from the first owner. I've been gradually knocking it out, little by little for a couple of years, and it's nearly completely protected underneath now.
You might just want to run the truck over to a local Zeibart and see what they have to say about it- I know they have applications for used vehicles; obviously their warranty structure is not the same as a new vehicle, it certainly should give you ten years of rust free (or near rust-free) protection.
If you don't want to go that route, the only thing I've used that has lasting quality and rust prevention is POR-15, and a lot of time (and money, it's not cheap) to apply it. I don't drive my Ex in the winter, ever, but it saw some winter duty from the first owner. I've been gradually knocking it out, little by little for a couple of years, and it's nearly completely protected underneath now.
You might just want to run the truck over to a local Zeibart and see what they have to say about it- I know they have applications for used vehicles; obviously their warranty structure is not the same as a new vehicle, it certainly should give you ten years of rust free (or near rust-free) protection.
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