Underbody rust!!

[binder man]

Hello, I just purchased my truck, it originally came from pennsylvania so the underbody is NASTY to say the least. I want to get this taken care of before winter, what do you guys suggest? It has rust all over, although not horribly severe it needs attention ASAP or this winter might do it in.

Luke

[fast_st]

Not many replies....

I'm going to try something super old school, I'm giving
the underside, frame and all a good dousing with linseed
oil. Winter will tell if it works. Another option I tried on a
clean metal bracket was bel-ray chain lube, smells and
feels like cosmoline and claims to be cosmoline like.

Regular undercoating is a headache.


-Jason

[Rob]

you should clean it up as good as you can then get a good rust converting primer and cover it up. supposedly the primer will stop all rust and keep it from rotting away the underbody. sure it is a lot more work then just spraying they underneath with oil or chain lube but it wont attract as much dirt either. the oil is gonna turn to grime and make it ral hard to clean and it will be messy to work on if the need arrises. every summer i go under my truck and clean it up, the paint it with some flat black to keep it looking nice. i dont have any real issues with rust because of this.

[95BLKLSC]

Originally Posted by Rwalker29

you should clean it up as good as you can then get a good rust converting primer and cover it up. supposedly the primer will stop all rust and keep it from rotting away the underbody. sure it is a lot more work then just spraying they underneath with oil or chain lube but it wont attract as much dirt either. the oil is gonna turn to grime and make it ral hard to clean and it will be messy to work on if the need arrises. every summer i go under my truck and clean it up, the paint it with some flat black to keep it looking nice. i dont have any real issues with rust because of this.

I just got my truck a few months ago and I wire brushed everything on the underside, I tack clothed it, hit everything with rust converter primer spray and brush on, then I put two thick coats of paint on hammer finish paint, then a quick coat of spray on hammer finish. It looks excellent! We'll see how it holds up. Just be warned I spent a whole weekend with a friend of mine doing this it is a HUGE undertaking. I painted the frame, suspension, axles, everything under there!

[Jeff_Northon]

Por 15 POR-15 Rust Preventive Paint-POR-15 Inc.

[95BLKLSC]

I've used por 15, it seems to be good stuff although it can be expensive and difficult to work with. Follow all of the directions and make sure it isn't UV exposed or you will have to topcoat it. Makes a nice finish too but I like hammer finish better.

[fast_st]

Excellent suggestion as well. I picked linseed as it forms a skin pretty
quick and doesn't remain tacky for more than a day or two. Some chain
lubes do the same, if they attract dirt, that would add to chain wear.

Toyota used to frame coat trucks with this black paraffin stuff, sadly
they didn't use it on the bodywork.

I could be smokin something but the 97+ trucks seem to have bypassed
all the old late 80's style undercoating where stuff was dipped. All of the
later model powerstrokes and F series seem to get a lot of rust underneath
really fast, brake lines, fluid lines, body seams, frame, everything seems
to go crazy with rust in the salt belt. Anyone else make this same
observation up in the north country?

The old old 80's truck got painted with gear lube/roofing tar, its a mess
but its not getting rusty anytime soon. Just don't work underneath.


-Jason

[rajharley]

I am headed back east to Ohio soon and was looking at options to protect the under side of my rig too. I think I am gonna call the Line-X guys to see if they can do the under side of my rig. Has anyone else done this?

[rajharley]

Well crap.... I just called line-x and they kinda giggled on the phone. It kinda makes sense though that no one here in SOCal does undercoating. I guess I will have to wait until I get closer to home before I get this done.

[fast_st]

I've found undercoating x brand, rusty jones etc is very like paint, a rock
punches a hole through it then it traps water like crazy, rusting faster
than before.

-Jason