Undercoating/rust provention

Hi guys I'm new to the group. I have a double cab 2wd drive model and I was wondering if there is any type of rust prevention that I should do? Also my engine bay is pretty dirty. Any tips on cleaning it?

 

Best military undercoatin I have found is a nasty smelling but effective stuff called
Cosmoline
Expensive but worth it.
https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=cosmoline...x=Cosmoline,aps,207&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_5_9

 

Location?

 

I live on Vancouver island. Just sprayed 10 cans for second coat on my Land Cruiser.
A guy in Michigan on IH8MUD had this stuff 6-7 yrs ago and drives his truck year round.
Impressed me enough to give it a try. I won’t drive in winter but it seals nicely and gets into
the seams and overlaps ok

 

I'm in the mountains of Idaho. Salt everywhere. I daily drive mine as it's a work truck. Thank you!

 

If your willing to drive to Edmonton Canada I’d recommend this guy:

https://www.sublimesurfacing.com/


they remove the wheels, and,we’ll,liners. Dry ice blast the undercarriage and then spray a wax with rust inhibitors. I did this to my 2024 tundra. Ive oil sprayed (yearly) in the past but this may be the way moving forward.

 

I get up on ramps, power wash the bottom, let it dry overnight, and then apply about 6 cans of Fluid Film Black.

I do it every year before the first snow... But that's happening tomorrow and I haven't done it yet sooo...

 

Check out CRC Marine coating. I use fluid film in some areas, but the CRC is better for exposed areas. It’s similar to cosmoline. Dries to form a tougher barrier than fluid film that will not wash off easily. I use it on my camper as well.

 

For areas that get blasted and tend to wash off the fluid films of the world, I’ve been using honey goo by kleen Flo. It is like a gooey wax substance that doesn’t wash off. Running board brackets, the bolt heads around wheel wells/mud flaps, leading edges of lower control arms and rear axle. You get the idea.

 

Fluid Film has worked well for me on multiple vehicles in the Michigan and Northern Indiana area. I use their heavy duty spray gun and wands for application. Here is my GX470 that has been sprayed every fall since I purchased it in 2016:

 

I use New Hampshire Oil Black and it seems to do the job well. Here in Pennsylvania they spread 821,000 tons of brine and salt in 2021, so rust protection is a must.

 

Amsoil HD Metal Protector. Clean underneath well and use about 4 can for initial coat and use about 3 cans every year after that to reapply, it doesn't wash away like other products. Comes out of the can with an orange tinge, good for letting you know where you've been (cover it all), and when it dries the orange fades fairly well. Works exactly as expected.

https://www.amsoil.com/p/amsoil-heavy-duty-metal-protector-amhsc/?code=AMHSC-EA


Edit: $20/yr membership and you get products at a great discount. This product goes from $16 to $12 so it pays for itself.

 

This was the first year is used this stuff, it was easy to apply yourself and not overly messy. I had a hard time trying to find it locally, so I purchased from Amisol direct.

 

All waxes wash off. Need to reapply it every year.

I sprayed frames in both Tundra and Sequoia with Noxudol 1600, it stays there lot longer. On Tundra had to reapply it in 4 years to cover clean spots. I'm offroading in Tundra and power wash it every time I get back. Cavities and inside the boxed part of the frame I sprayed Noxudol 700 (cavity wax) with 360 degree wand.

Leave it alone. No uncontained liquids in engine bay, unless you want electric gremlins. You may put a fan on a fender and blast loose dirt with compressed air. Fan will blow it sideways, not at you.