Rust on the undercarriage of my 2020...should I be worried?

Is this enough to be worried about?

How should I get rid of it?

Are there companies I can pay to get rid of the rust (completely), then paint or LinX over these areas? If so, what do these services usually cost?

Would a potential buyer back away after seeing this?

Am I worrying too much?



Thanks in advance.

 

I have my truck sprayed with Krown yearly. About $150

 

I live in WI and coated the underside with black woolwax when new. This is the rust belt and so far for 2 years now there is no rust on my underside. It's was a bit of work coating it the first time, but touch up coating yearly is not too much trouble. There was a place in Illinois that quoted about 5-600 to do it for me but I opted to do it myself. You don't say where you live, but if it's in the rust belt, I'd be using something to protect the underside. If it were me I'd wire brush and paint all that rust that has started. These trucks are worth too much to let rot away. If you let the body go the reliable drivetrain and other components won't do you much good.
Thats my 2 cents.

 

If it was my truck I would definitely try to get a handle on that rust now before it gets out of control. I would wire brush the heavy stuff, then hit it with a rust converter like Corroseal. After that, top it off with your favorite non-rubberized rust inhibitor and you should be good to go. I used Amsoil Heavy-Duty metal protector twice, and after 3 New England winters, it still looks great. Good luck

 

Thank you for the replies!
I live in Tampa, but my Tundra was in PA for 2 years.

If I were to follow the suggestions given here, how do I get rid of the rust I cannot reach with the wire brush? After I get what I can with a wire brush, is there a liquid I can spray that will get the rust areas I cannot reach? This is one of the reasons I thought about paying a shop to do it. Would Corroseal accomplish that?

Also, I'm looking on Amazon for the products you mentioned. I'm assuming I would need a full gallon of Corroseal, right?

How many cans of Amsoil Heavy-Duty metal protector would I need? I see 15oz and 8.75oz cans but I dont see them on Amazon, only on the Amsoil website.

 

Since you live in Tampa, that's a big plus for you. There are lots of spray rust convertors other than Corroseal that come in regular rattle cans that you can use also which would probably be better to hit those hard to reach areas. I used like 6 or 7 of the big cans of the Amsoil, that was enough to do the complete frame, drivetrain, and undercarriage. Its a slightly smelly job, but once done, you won't have to worry about it for awhile.

 

Thank you. It doesn't look like Corroseal comes in aerosol or spray. How did you get it on those hard to reach places?

I'm thinking maybe I should use a brand that comes aerosol.


Does the Amsoil dry like paint? If I'm not confused I've read other products have "fluid film" like finish which, if I understand properly, never completely dry.

 

I did my truck right after I bought it new, so I really didn't have to address any rust issues before applying. Amsoil dries to a waxy film and does not wash off like some of the other protectants. There's lots of different opinions here on which one is best, but I had really great results with this.

 

It's only beneficial if the OP isn't launching a boat into salt water every weekend....

 

Good point.

 

Boat shenanigans aside, that area of the world is easy on the underside of vehicles. My nine year old truck has spent all but the last 18 months in the Tampa area, I've just dropped the front shock today and had zero issues with any of the nuts under there letting go. If that had been a nine year old British car where I used to live I'd have needed the gas axe for every one of those nuts.

 

No launching boats in saltwater for me...... unless Tom Brady has another Super Bowl Boat Parade HAHAHAHAHA



I just traded in a 2007 Tundra on this 2020 Tundra. I was searching for a long while. I pulled the trigger when I saw this 2020 had all the features I was looking for, as a double cab, in the exterior color I wanted, the interior color I wanted, with the limited series I wanted, the low miles I wanted, at a price that was very good.

My 2007 had no rust what so ever. I saw the surface rust when I inspected this 2020 Tundra and knew I had to add the price of fixing it, to what I paid for it. Even with the hassle of fixing this surface rust, I still came out ahead.



Thank you for your help.



What about painting over the Amsoil? Would that be practical? Would that help? Or would that be a waste of time?

 

I was just thinking about our notorious rust belt problems, is there rust problems from just living near the salt water?

 

I would say no to any paint after you decide to use any protectant.

 

I’m in PA. Think I’ve rinsed the underside once or twice…?
Virtually rust free.

Don’t understand how his has so much more rust relative to how new the truck is.

 

In the UK, yes, but I didn't notice it in FL. Could be because the daily torrential downpours counter the salt sea air effect or it could just be that it's always windy in the UK blowing the salt air into everything. I am still weirded out by how still the air is in the south eastern US, for the most part, on the few days it is windy here it's really windy!!!

 

It already rusting, it will continue to do so even in a southern state albeit at a much slower rate. It probably wont cause any mechanical problems for many years if at all, mostly just cosmetic. I would buy a DIY fluid film kit to keep it from oxidizing further or some type of rust converter to spray on it.

 

The cars i see parked outside at beach condos down here can be pretty rusty, but not like road salt rust.

Older cars down here rust from the top down instead of the bottom up. The frame and lower body can be fine but the roofs rot out from rainfall. I cant recall seeing anything newer than the 1990s that had that problem though except vehicles built the oldschool ways with drip rails and such like Ford Econoline vans.

 

My relatives from Cork have no need to worry, since everything is mostly made from wood.

 

And there was me thinking everything was peat and potatoes in that neck of the woods.

Aah, but the Guinness...

 

Seems like alot of rust for a new truck..
Here’s my 18 with 90k

 

I agree. I want it gone.

 

Worried - no

Proactive and keep a watchful eye - yes

As mentioned - wire brush and a quality protectant. Clean it off (it’s just surface oxidation based on photos) protect and monitor after 3 months and again at 6 months.

It’s not bad and should be protectable - but yes - even for Midwest salt covered winter roads - that’s unusual. Truck may have been exposed to to deeper water for an extended time at some point - off-road by prior owner potentially. I don’t think flood vehicle or anything like that - but definitely looks like it might have been wet a while.

So you bought used out of PA ? That’s my biggest concern with used - you know WHERE it was registered but not how it was used/kept.

Know a lot of people who are religious at oil changes for example - but feel things like transmission fluid changes and car washes are waste of money. Or you can have that owner who believes a hand wash is the “only” way to wash their truck. Yes - it’s great at keeping that nice glossy paint / but if your running the truck on salted roads or on a beach somewhere - a good drive through car wash with a power wash to the underside is just as important.

I say your fine with a little preventative maintenance - unlikely to see any recurrence. If you clean it up and it comes back / time to let a local pro opine on the issue as there’s something else going on.

 

Is it possible this may have been a flood vehicle?

 

Didn't see anyone else post this out loud (I scanned over some posts pretty quickly), but don't use linex or some other rubberized spray-on. It can hold water next to the metal, and hide the damage it's doing.

 

I've ordered the items I need to begin tackling this project. The items will be here in a few days. In the mean time I took a wire brush and started cleaning. Granted I don't have the wheel wire cup brush set for my drill yet. I'm sure that will be much more effective than wire brushing it by hand. After wire brushing, then wiping down with a CLR soaked rag, here is what some of the sections look like.





If you zoom in, you can see some tiny rust area near the silver dollar washer(?) and up real close near the heads of the bolts. Also there are some nicks in the paint which have slightly rusted. But most of this area was covered in what appeared to be rust "dust" for lack of a better word.





There are some areas, mainly corners of metal, that are going to need the drill bit attachment wire brush to be used.
























There are other areas that have slight rust or "rust dust" that I am just not going to be able to get to by hand. They are in tight corners where I my hand, a wire brush drill bit, or a hand held wire brush will not fit.


How do I tackle these areas? Am I able to spray Corroseal on it? I saw a youtube video showing how to spray liquid Ospho from a bottle, into tight corners.

But I'm hearing Corroseal does a much better job that Ospho. Does Corroseal have to be painted on, or can it be sprayed on also?

 

I had light surface rust on my 21 purchased november 2020.

Last fall, I lightly brushed the rust, applied The Must for Rust and let it dry. I hit it with rust oleum rust reformer and then with the CRC Marine inhibitor.

There are a ton of reviews and videos out there for the DIY undercarriage rust prevention (from cooking oil to thick muck, and everything in between).

The CRC marine did well through the mid Atlantic snow belt and over salted roads. It dries solid and holds up to power washing. It doesn’t feel sticky to the touch but it’s not trapping any moisture like the thick stuff that rusts away from the inside.


I only needed 1-2 cans of both the rust oleum rust reformer and the Crc marine 10 oz.

I’ll definitely be touching up and reapplying as necessary this far.

 

I can say my ‘16 which was a nj truck then to me here in pa.. looks nothing like this. I haven’t done any preventative maintenance either. I will be starting to do that this year though. As others said I would get ontop of it with the products previously listed and enjoy the truck

 

I live in Pa. I tell anyone to get it fluid filmed when they buy a new truck. I had mine done right away. That seems excessive for a 2020 year already. But then the shit they put down on the roads in Pa are no good for anything.

 

Spray it with Fluid Film, NH oil or your choice of spray and leave it. I have had my truck sprayed since I got it and have no rust. You are in a area with no salted roads, you should be good.