Rust protection
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 727
From: Calgary Canada
I'll third (or fourth or whatever) that the oily coatings (Krown, Fluid Film etc) are WAY BETTER than any kind of rubber or asphalt coating. Don't worry about dust, let the truck get dusty.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
Power washing will eventually abrade off any greasy coating like Fluid Film, but I would clean your truck as you wish, and reapply the FF during the summer months until it is armored for winter. Physical abrasion is one reason you have to reapply rust-treatments and check them yearly.
Many states pre-treat the roads with Magnesium Chloride (sometimes with beet juice added to make it more sticky). This stuff is pure evil. Where vehicles rust the most is states with heavy salt application and relatively high humidty - Michigan, Ohio, Mass., NY, etc. Parking indoors in a heated garage (with salt on the vehicle) only makes it worse. So, rinse the vehicle after a salt attack, and park it outside (perhaps with a block heater) or in an unheated space (if you can).
https://www.skyhinews.com/news/beet-...icing-mixture/
https://kmbz.radio.com/articles/road...ven-beet-juice
Many states pre-treat the roads with Magnesium Chloride (sometimes with beet juice added to make it more sticky). This stuff is pure evil. Where vehicles rust the most is states with heavy salt application and relatively high humidty - Michigan, Ohio, Mass., NY, etc. Parking indoors in a heated garage (with salt on the vehicle) only makes it worse. So, rinse the vehicle after a salt attack, and park it outside (perhaps with a block heater) or in an unheated space (if you can).
https://www.skyhinews.com/news/beet-...icing-mixture/
https://kmbz.radio.com/articles/road...ven-beet-juice
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New User
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
You guys have me sold on the fluid film.
Now is there any downside to a strip of liner on the outside of the fenders/rocker panels to prevent rock chips, assuming the truck will be coated after i have it applied? I drive gravel roads a lot and my previous trucks have all gotten them to some degree and I've never been satisfied by "touchup" paint. I sure as hell aint gonna sand it down and respray the whole panel (or send it in) just for rock chips. My thinking is a little prevention will save me some headaches. (I'm still considering mudflaps, but hesitate for a few reasons 1: good ones are actually more expensive than the coating; 2: getting the right ones that are flexible enough not to get broken off by corn stalks or muddy ruts, but rigid enough to not sail badly; 3: ones that look good (but refer back to #1 lol)
Now is there any downside to a strip of liner on the outside of the fenders/rocker panels to prevent rock chips, assuming the truck will be coated after i have it applied? I drive gravel roads a lot and my previous trucks have all gotten them to some degree and I've never been satisfied by "touchup" paint. I sure as hell aint gonna sand it down and respray the whole panel (or send it in) just for rock chips. My thinking is a little prevention will save me some headaches. (I'm still considering mudflaps, but hesitate for a few reasons 1: good ones are actually more expensive than the coating; 2: getting the right ones that are flexible enough not to get broken off by corn stalks or muddy ruts, but rigid enough to not sail badly; 3: ones that look good (but refer back to #1 lol)
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,472
Likes: 727
From: Calgary Canada
Do the wheel liners cover that spot? If they did, it would be a good option.
The bedliner stuff would reduce rock chips for sure, but can trap moisture too, so it's a trade-off. I guess you have to decide which evil is your biggest concern. For your use, maybe a strip of bedliner is a good solution.
The bedliner stuff would reduce rock chips for sure, but can trap moisture too, so it's a trade-off. I guess you have to decide which evil is your biggest concern. For your use, maybe a strip of bedliner is a good solution.
VT Chapter Ldr
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 96,133
Likes: 294
From: Orange, Vermont
What any of those reports fail to tell you is that magnesium chloride is about the most corrosive of the products used. It also is very destructive to concrete as it breaks down the bond of the cement and basically unglues the aggregate so the concrete falls apart. A quick internet search will give you numerous studies showing this. I'll take driving on snow rather then replacing a vehicle every 5 years because it rusts away around you.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 669
Likes: 54
What any of those reports fail to tell you is that magnesium chloride is about the most corrosive of the products used. It also is very destructive to concrete as it breaks down the bond of the cement and basically unglues the aggregate so the concrete falls apart. A quick internet search will give you numerous studies showing this. I'll take driving on snow rather then replacing a vehicle every 5 years because it rusts away around you.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 12
If I had a krown dealer a half hour from my house, I would use them.
Why on God's green earth would you go through all the BS. of doing it yourself?
https://www.krown.com/en/passenger-vehicles/
Why on God's green earth would you go through all the BS. of doing it yourself?
https://www.krown.com/en/passenger-vehicles/
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 693
Likes: 75
From: Kansas City, MO
Would you guys recommend washing any dirt and dust from the underside of the cab, bed and frame before using Fluid Film or spray it directly over everything and let it soak through? Seems like a cleaner surface would be best but I'd hate to introduce water to areas that don't normally get wet. My biggest fear is the cab corners and bed sides rusting. Do you guys spray the FF up into the wheel well of the bed from the back side and let it run down between the support and the outer skin, the place where that horrid foam is trapped that has been proven to cause rusting of the bed sides? I'm always afraid to even wash that area for fear of introducing water to the foam.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 52
From: Southern Colorado
Do you guys spray the FF up into the wheel well of the bed from the back side and let it run down between the support and the outer skin, the place where that horrid foam is trapped that has been proven to cause rusting of the bed sides? I'm always afraid to even wash that area for fear of introducing water to the foam.
I drilled a 1/2" hole in the inner wheel well (opposite the foam area), and sprayed (with a pump oil can) about 8 oz. of ATF into that miserable 'foam' in the wheel well, letting it soak into the foam and drip all over my dirt driveway. I then plugged the hole I drilled with a small plastic plug from Ace hardware. I can always remove the plug and re-spray later. If think it's muddy or salty in that cavity, you could wash it well, and let the water dry several days and then hose it down with oil or fluid film.
I used ATF as it is a very 'creepy' oil and I figured it would easily soak into the foam. Fluid Film may sort-of dry on top of the foam. I'm live in Colorado, so our rust 'challenges' aren't too bad, but I still take precautions. I want any body crevice to be oozing ATF, grease, or 90wt. I"m from Michigan, and I know how rust starts.
saggins98 - if you go to a good 'truck equipment shop' - the kind that sell flatbeds and snowplows, they often have quality, plain black rubber or plastic mud flaps sold very cheaply, and they are better quality that junk sold at auto parts stores. You can get semi-trailer sized flaps and cut them down, too, and use the rubber for wheelwell liners, etc.
I drilled a 1/2" hole in the inner wheel well (opposite the foam area), and sprayed (with a pump oil can) about 8 oz. of ATF into that miserable 'foam' in the wheel well, letting it soak into the foam and drip all over my dirt driveway. I then plugged the hole I drilled with a small plastic plug from Ace hardware. I can always remove the plug and re-spray later. If think it's muddy or salty in that cavity, you could wash it well, and let the water dry several days and then hose it down with oil or fluid film.
I used ATF as it is a very 'creepy' oil and I figured it would easily soak into the foam. Fluid Film may sort-of dry on top of the foam. I'm live in Colorado, so our rust 'challenges' aren't too bad, but I still take precautions. I want any body crevice to be oozing ATF, grease, or 90wt. I"m from Michigan, and I know how rust starts.
saggins98 - if you go to a good 'truck equipment shop' - the kind that sell flatbeds and snowplows, they often have quality, plain black rubber or plastic mud flaps sold very cheaply, and they are better quality that junk sold at auto parts stores. You can get semi-trailer sized flaps and cut them down, too, and use the rubber for wheelwell liners, etc.
FTE Legend
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 31,926
Likes: 9,189
From: Western NY
I've used Carwell Products which I've heard is the US version of Krown on my 2nd truck and on my current truck. It's an oil that creeps into all areas and when they apply it, they go into the door jambs where there is no paint and where the body rots from the inside out. They also spray all electrical wires and under the hood as well. On my 1996 plow truck, I contribute the Carwell as well as spraying the chassis off once the roads dried with keeping it clean underneath. Fluid Film is good stuff but is not very fluid like and is thicker. I would imagine if you use Fluid Film and wanted to spray off the chassis with a typical drive in type sprayer, you would remove the product from the surface. But I think it would still have a water beading surface on the chassis. I know guys up here that use it as well and like it. Whatever you do, don't get the Ziebart asphalt coating or similar. My 2 cents.
If you want a do it yourself epoxy liner, check out monstaliner.com from Magnet Paints who make Chassis Saver.
If you want a do it yourself epoxy liner, check out monstaliner.com from Magnet Paints who make Chassis Saver.
Last edited by Overkill2; Apr 25, 2019 at 04:32 PM. Reason: add to post
VT Chapter Ldr
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 96,133
Likes: 294
From: Orange, Vermont
All that deteriorating concrete keeps us contractors employed!!! Keep it coming, but I agree fluid film everything. They have spray guns you can use and fog your entire undercarraige. Even have tips that go up into the door panels and rockers, which is where everything sits undetected. Ive bedlined a jeep cherokee before and it rusted from inside out. One day I poked a hole in the bedliner on the rockers and only the bedliner was left holding the shape of the rocker all rusted apart.
You gotta stop only thinking about yourself.
We got plenty of bridges that need repairs without accelerating the process
Besides we need all the money that can be scraped up for cold patch for all the friggin pot holes
Tuned
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 320
Likes: 48
From: Eastern TN
I use fluid film mixed with bar and chain oil, seems to last longer. The real problem with the materials used for ice abatement on the roads is unless you remove the residue from your vehicle each time it gets wet it will reactivate. The easiest way to remove it is with a product called salt away, it is used for removing salt from boats.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 21
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I use Tractor Supply bar and chain oil out of a schutz gun I got from Monstaliner. Very cheap and very effective. I also had mine undercoated at Ziebart which looks great. I use this as a 2nd barrier.
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