SEASONAL RUST PROOFING using WD-40 only

[Ed_C]

I consider mine pretty clean compared to most on here and its lived in New Jersey its whole life, bought brand new by mother back in 2001. Currently with 223,000 miles on the clock. Just gotta keep up with it that's all! I like fluid film too, but would definitely be interested in WD-40 as well.

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Hard to believe it spent its whole life in Jersey !

Looks like Pep Boys has the best deal on WD40 again, currently 20% off if you order online for store pickup. $15.99 for the 1-gallon containers.

 

[Kmurt]

[MENTION=125309]dogtail[/MENTION]

What PSI do you spray the outside of the frame? I didn't see it mentioned anywhere.

 

[dogtail]

[MENTION=125309]dogtail[/MENTION]

What PSI do you spray the outside of the frame? I didn't see it mentioned anywhere.

Compressor maxed at 160psi, so its like a hurricane inside and outside the frame and everything else. I run the gun without a spray tip, never tried it with one, but I guess would be ok either way, but I'm going for the heavy drench spray.
NOTE : The film that develops is a grimy black coating, so if you want a crisp clean shiny undercarriage, not gonna happen with a petro type coating. If you're working on your undercarriage you'll get some grime on you. Its like an engine bay grime. It does work very good as a salt blocker, even over bare rusted steel.

 

[Kmurt]

Compressor maxed at 160psi, so its like a hurricane inside and outside the frame and everything else. I run the gun without a spray tip, never tried it with one, but I guess would be ok either way, but I'm going for the heavy drench spray.
NOTE : The film that develops is a grimy black coating, so if you want a crisp clean shiny undercarriage, not gonna happen with a petro type coating. If you're working on your undercarriage you'll get some grime on you. Its like an engine bay grime. It does work very good as a salt blocker, even over bare rusted steel.

Great thanks for the info! And no, I don't want a shiny frame, I just want one that is protected from salt! I have a good grime barrier developed myself as I have been undercoating this 4Runner for the past 4 years and looking to continuing that barrier. Also just picked up my gallon of WD-40 today and I will use it next season! Thanks [MENTION=75868]Ed_C[/MENTION] for the pep boys recommendation!

 

[brillo_76]

If I hit Tetanus 1 with 160 psi I would have holes...lol. Well I would have before I replaced my rockers.

160 psi would definitely make that a mist which is what you be after.

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[dogtail]

Great thanks for the info! And no, I don't want a shiny frame, I just want one that is protected from salt! I have a good grime barrier developed myself as I have been undercoating this 4Runner for the past 4 years and looking to continuing that barrier. Also just picked up my gallon of WD-40 today and I will use it next season! Thanks [MENTION=75868]Ed_C[/MENTION] for the pep boys recommendation!

Ok cool, read my whole application process at the beginning of this thread. Important never wash your undercarriage, and don't run thru a car wash with those high pressure jets. Just top wash and your coating will stay at maximum effectiveness and protect you thru the whole year.

 

[Mike147]

Dogtail! Great info. I’m a new 4Runner owner. Bought 2011 SR5 in December with 140,000 and some surface rust on the frame. I followed your advice and hit the rust with a wire brush then dosed the entire frame and under carriage with WD-40. It’s been about two weeks and it still looks the same underneath. Slightly still greasy and even some surface rust has shown it’s ugly teeth again. I live it CT so we get the same stuff on the roads you get in Mass. My question is, how long does it take for the “grime coating” to start showing? I also drove it on the highway a couple of days ago through a serious rain. Could that have washed off the WD-40 before it took hold? Thanks again for this thread. Some real useful I information on here.

 

[Deegore]

Hi, thanks for posting your results with wd-40.
I'm thinking about trying this but am worried about the possibility of leaving a oily puddle wherever I park, especially when it's raining. Have you had any problems like this?

 

[dogtail]

Hi, thanks for posting your results with wd-40.
I'm thinking about trying this but am worried about the possibility of leaving a oily puddle wherever I park, especially when it's raining. Have you had any problems like this?

Spray it over some plastic, let it drip dry for a few hours or overnight. Air it out with a drive. You'll be fine, I never had what your picture depicts. It evaporates and drys.

 

[Jidaran]

I did this a little over a month ago. Make sure to get a sheet that's a good bit wider than the car, cause the spray goes everywhere (I was using a pesticide sprayer). It dries fast so dripping isn't a big issue, but your truck will smell a little funny once it gets hot for a few days after the initial application, as the spray near the exhaust and engine vaporizes.

 

[Venka93]

I sprayed my undercarriage with WD-40 couple days ago. Lately in Ohio we’ve had the roads constantly strayed with that chemical that they use. I’m low key paranoid that driving on the wet roads will spray that chemical all over my truck and will wash off the WD-40. I’d really hate to start seeing that rust on my newly swapped frame. Should I be worried or does that grime not come off that easily from just wet roads?


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[dogtail]

I sprayed my undercarriage with WD-40 couple days ago. Lately in Ohio we’ve had the roads constantly strayed with that chemical that they use. I’m low key paranoid that driving on the wet roads will spray that chemical all over my truck and will wash off the WD-40. I’d really hate to start seeing that rust on my newly swapped frame. Should I be worried or does that grime not come off that easily from just wet roads?


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It doesn't wash off. I drive upwards of 1K per week so I'm a good test and I'm not getting any rusting. Don't even worry about it. My coating stays on all year long, it works really good. Read and follow the application process at the beginning of thread. And important, never go thru car wash, the high pressure undercarriage jets and soap will break down coating as it would for Fluid Film also. It will take a little time to season the coating, but you'll notice it forming a black grime and that's rust barrier. Apply full coating every year, maybe twice a year in beginning....at first snow and maybe late winter if its a tuff snow season. I'm just doing one application this year, its been mild for us and I have years of coating on my rig. Here's my undercarriage pics today with 386K on the chassis, lived its whole life in Massachusetts, I've had it since 139K been coating it since I got it. If you got rust now, just spray WD-40 over it, it will halt any progression. Good luck.

 

[Venka93]

It doesn't wash off. I drive upwards of 1K per week so I'm a good test and I'm not getting any rusting. Don't even worry about it. My coating stays on all year long, it works really good. Read and follow the application process at the beginning of thread. And important, never go thru car wash, the high pressure undercarriage jets and soap will break down coating as it would for Fluid Film also. It will take a little time to season the coating, but you'll notice it forming a black grime and that's rust barrier. Apply full coating every year, maybe twice a year in beginning....at first snow and maybe late winter if its a tuff snow season. I'm just doing one application this year, its been mild for us and I have years of coating on my rig. Here's my undercarriage pics today with 386K on the chassis, lived its whole life in Massachusetts, I've had it since 139K been coating it since I got it. If you got rust now, just spray WD-40 over it, it will halt any progression. Good luck.

So better not to wash the undercarriage even during the summer? I don’t do a lot of Mudding but I do like the occasional trail run when I find something, which still gets the truck dirty under. What would you suggest? Wash the frame or no?


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[Sarki]

Thanks to Dogtail for continuously updating this thread with his comments and pictures. Living in the northeast with the salted winter roadways most definitely kills many a vehicle’s and these 3rd gens can really deteriorate quickly.
Dogtails first hand experience is a testament to what regular applications of WD40 can accomplish.
I’ve been planning to go this route with Fluid Film but have been sidelined with some medical issues so my truck is staying in the garage this winter until I can hit it with first application of Fluid Film.
Thanks for keeping us rusty State owners updated!

 

[dogtail]

So better not to wash the undercarriage even during the summer? I don’t do a lot of Mudding but I do like the occasional trail run when I find something, which still gets the truck dirty under. What would you suggest? Wash the frame or no?


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I'd say something like garden hose is ok, no soap. If your liking high speed puddles, that can clean it too. The car wash jets and even wash booth nozzles are strong. I went to a car wash to the self serve spray booth, I pulled back the plastic wheel well cover on the back part of the fender. I grazed my finger with the spray jet water and it ripped my skin open, that's how strong they can be. Granite slabs are cut with water jets. Fluid Film and other coatings will break down from water jets also.

 

[dogtail]

Thanks to Dogtail for continuously updating this thread with his comments and pictures. Living in the northeast with the salted winter roadways most definitely kills many a vehicle’s and these 3rd gens can really deteriorate quickly.
Dogtails first hand experience is a testament to what regular applications of WD40 can accomplish.
I’ve been planning to go this route with Fluid Film but have been sidelined with some medical issues so my truck is staying in the garage this winter until I can hit it with first application of Fluid Film.
Thanks for keeping us rusty State owners updated!

My pleasure. Its pretty easy to prevent rust. I don't spend anymore than an hour per year for rust prevention. I think a lot of people probably think its too hard and time consuming to do. Overthinking it, in the end not doing anything. There are not that many 3rd gens on the road in my region, most fell victim to rust. Not mine.

 

[Julius Silver]

You can spray right over rust, it with penetrate the scale and sets up a barrier. It will eventually turn black and it will be like a skin. When I first bought my rig, I did have some rust on my rearend and some other spots, but not too bad. I was halting the rust with the WD-40 until I could paint it. At this point I'm not even want to take the time to paint it cause everything is black and looks good with a barrier skin thats stopping all rust. I never would have thought it works this good, but it does. Others that do it that I know swear by it. Just avoid washing undercarriage with high pressure water jets as you would for Fluid Film or other coatings. The thing I like about it is the ease of application, you can spray it on everything, it makes any existing rust turn black in time, and it doesn't wash off, and its cheap. Very simple but effective, just follow my instructions mentioned at beginning of thread and you'll be good.

Thanks for all your detail! New to 4Rs, but not Toyota frames. Just picked up a 2006 Limited with 166k miles and a nice layer of rust, all NY driven. Did you end up painting it and if so, what paint did you use?

Planning on grinding with wire wheel, and then WD. Has anybody done this with jack stands?

This is what I'm dealing with, not a death sentence, but a war I want win with a good fight.

 

[tvpierce]

Thanks for all your detail! New to 4Rs, but not Toyota frames. Just picked up a 2006 Limited with 166k miles and a nice layer of rust, all NY driven. Did you end up painting it and if so, what paint did you use?

Planning on grinding with wire wheel, and then WD. Has anybody done this with jack stands?

This is what I'm dealing with, not a death sentence, but a war I want win with a good fight.

I'd hit that with a needle scaler. With a wire wheel, you're just polishing the rust. The needle scaler will remove the scale and get you to solid metal.

 

[dogtail]

Thanks for all your detail! New to 4Rs, but not Toyota frames. Just picked up a 2006 Limited with 166k miles and a nice layer of rust, all NY driven. Did you end up painting it and if so, what paint did you use?

Planning on grinding with wire wheel, and then WD. Has anybody done this with jack stands?

This is what I'm dealing with, not a death sentence, but a war I want win with a good fight.

I did some touch up on the rear rails, mine was pretty clean when I bought it. You can use Chassis Saver by Monstaliner, thats what I used. The manufacturer says you can go over rust with it, it actually says it works better with some rust. It prefers a ruff surface to adhere to. There are other things people use. I prefer prevention as my main weapon.

 

[dogtail]

Update, WD40 poor boys rust vaccine still working, no sign of rust infection with over 400K of salt exposure. Did my seasonal booster spray in December. No social distancing from salt required, just avoid high pressure car wash under spray as it will wear down effectiveness.