Rust Prevention

[AEV_CUMMINS]

I recently purchased Cosmoline RP-342 after researching and seeing it is the sister product to the Honey Seal that Sublime Surfacing uses. I was thinking to go and get Sublime Surfacing to just do they're thing on the truck but thought I will wait a few years to save the 12 hour drive and see if I can get similar results myself. I am looking to apply the RP-342 myself before this winter gets in full strength and the gravel/salt trucks come out.

I have watched many videos of how this product is very liquid on application and runs everywhere if over sprayed and the mist goes in all directions. I am hoping with proper care and application in small portions to keep it neat. I am looking to hit under the wheel well liners and the frame plus seams and welds. I know on previous generations the underside where the seats bolt down to the body also get a fair bit of rust over time and want to focus on those areas and bolts alike. I like the idea of this product as it does not wash away and is not going to seal in moisture like a rubber undercoating will. I think of the RP-342 more akin to what Chevy puts on at the factory, a wax coating that is able to be layered and only comes off with paint thinners. The water repellency and protective properties make the detailer fanatic inside of me happy and will be welcome during the quick washes in snow season.

I am hoping to get suggestions on areas to focus on or maybe tips for getting the panels under the doors that you always see rusted on older trucks on the road but without making a mess of the paint. Also, is the majority of us in the mindset of me prior to falling in love with my truck.. thinking that the factory coats them and anything that eventually gets rusted up, to just live with it? Or are most people paying to have a shop do it? I have never kept a vehicle long enough to deal with visible rust but this truck is here to stay and I want to protect it as best as I can. I have ceramic coated every surface inside and out but the underneath is bone dry and with my Toyo MT's and the gravel on the FSR I run down during hunting season and towards fishing holes, it is as clear as mud that the underneath will be picked apart. Yes, this is all over the map, but I thought this is a much needed discussion with winter around the corner.

 

[2001WS6]

I totally believe in getting these trucks coated if your in a snow area and they use salt or like in CT they use liquid magnesium chloride. I dont have any experience with Cosmoline RP-342.

I've always taking my trucks to a shop that had Fluid Film. They coat everything underneath, door jams, tailgate, and a few things under the hood. Some pics of my 2018 PW.

 

[flan]

Man it almost looks like they sprayed your brake rotors! Hopefully not. Anyway for the time being I park mine when the white stuff flies but if the time comes where I don’t have that luxury then I will use either the product you picked up (cosmoline) or noxudol. It seems like they have similar properties. Fluid film seems to only work if the surface is already rusted, so the product can creep in. On clean smooth surfaces it just washes off. The new product FF just came out with is called wool wax and seems to be more waxy and will stick to the smoother surfaces.

 

[kritchie95]

A bunch of different companies have corrosion inhibitors out now. I have always done my vehicles and it helps a lot, I'm in upstate NY and they love their salt here. I have been using CRC SP-400 corrosion inhibitor and it is probably my favorite out of all the ones I've seen. It is a much stickier product and does not run easily. I spray liberally almost everywhere accessible on the undercarriage not too much to worry about on what not to hit with it other then the obvious

 

[RAM_Dad]

Good vid testing various solutions

 

[RAM_Dad]

And a recent update showing PB Surface Shield

 

[Billcf7]

I use KROWN rustproofing and have been undercoating my vehicles for about 30 years, great product

 

[polcat]

I had both of our vehicles rustproofed with Krown when we were up in Canada. Not a lick of rust showed up after our three years up there. But it sure made a mess once it warmed up. Good stuff!

 

[PGHChris81]

I have a bunch of cans of RP-342 and spot sprayed my undercarriage, but not even close to lacquered it on like the above. I myself would exercise caution putting that stuff on certain components.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I had both of our vehicles rustproofed with Krown when we were up in Canada. Not a lick of rust showed up after our three years up there. But it sure made a mess once it warmed up. Good stuff!

It eats rubbers fast though

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Fluid film or corrosion free…. I use fluid film mostly because i know the guy who sprays it here but also because the local corrosion free joint wont lift any vehicle over 8,000lbs…. I plow with my trucks and i have never had an issue with fluid film its great stuff, i have never heard of what the OP uses perhaps they dont sell it here in canada?

 

[Myfast70]

I totally understand the need for undercoating but so happy we don't have to do that here in Phoenix!

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I totally understand the need for undercoating but so happy we don't have to do that here in Phoenix!

You just gotta rub salt in the wound eh lol

 

[chas0218]

It eats rubbers fast though

I know this is about a year old but what's fast? Usually speaking the salt will dry out Robert components in 3 years so if it's longer than 3 years I'd definitely get Krown.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I know this is about a year old but what's fast? Usually speaking the salt will dry out Robert components in 3 years so if it's longer than 3 years I'd definitely get Krown.

After the first year i had to start replacing rubbers… salt does not kill rubbers anywhere near as fast as krown i have had older trucks with same bushings after 20 years before they were finished that were driven in salt im not sure where you get the 3 years… just get fluid film or corrosion free which are better products and never have to worry

 

[chas0218]

After the first year i had to start replacing rubbers… salt does not kill rubbers anywhere near as fast as krown i have had older trucks with same bushings after 20 years before they were finished that were driven in salt im not sure where you get the 3 years… just get fluid film or corrosion free which are better products and never have to worry

I've replaced ball joints, cv shafts, tie rid ends just to have the rubber weathered and cracked after just a couple years. I don't put that many miles on but this was also on my plow truck. I'll have to look into fluid film.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I've replaced ball joints, cv shafts, tie rid ends just to have the rubber weathered and cracked after just a couple years. I don't put that many miles on but this was also on my plow truck. I'll have to look into fluid film.

Those are just rubber boots. And plows are hard on everything i plow with mine too

 

[snocam]

I use wool wax religiously. Never had an issue with rubber components. I like that it comes in black, and quart bottles ready to go on the gun. I used about a gallon on the Ram, 3/4 gallon on the gladiator. The real test will be how my recently acquired f350 plow truck holds up. That truck has had a hard life since 2000 when it was born. I cleaned it up, got the rust mostly off the frame, fixed the floors and door bottoms, painted everything flat black and plastered it with woolwax. It will spend the winter plowing and sanding, the rest of the year as a firewood hauler. We'll see how many years I can get out of it.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I use wool wax religiously. Never had an issue with rubber components. I like that it comes in black, and quart bottles ready to go on the gun. I used about a gallon on the Ram, 3/4 gallon on the gladiator. The real test will be how my recently acquired f350 plow truck holds up. That truck has had a hard life since 2000 when it was born. I cleaned it up, got the rust mostly off the frame, fixed the floors and door bottoms, painted everything flat black and plastered it with woolwax. It will spend the winter plowing and sanding, the rest of the year as a firewood hauler. We'll see how many years I can get out of it.

If you are sanding with salt in the sand put a rubber flap in front of the turn table so it keeps the salt from building up on the truck underneath it makes them last a lot longer

 

[Big Tom]

Gonna drive back East for the Holidays and I guess I should do the wheel wells. Is this stuff gonna run off when the Temp. gets up to 110 here in July?