Treating Your Rust

[4Climber]

I have 2 methods:

Exterior (water-sprayed surfaces): Amsoil Metal Protect HD has been holding up very well here. Resists washing away better than than Fluid Film.

Interior (non-water-sprayed e.g. inside of boxed frame rails, that skinny radiator crossmember, door drains): Fluid Film has been my go-to, but last year I used CRC Corrosion Inhibitor and liked it better...goes on a bit thinner than Fluid Film and seeps into the metal seams, then dries in place.

Amsoil Metal Protect HD seems to be based on Cosmoline. As an alternative, you can look into Cosmoline Vehicle Undercoatings - Long Lasting Rust Protection for Vehicles

Also I found this interesting article about the different methods available:
Different types of Rust proofing / Undercoating types explained: which to avoid and which to use | RTS - Your Total BMW Enthusiast

 

[4RRUSMN]

This is great info! I have 3 cans of Amsoil HD Metal Protestor sitting at home. Quick question. The frame looks pretty clean, but it has some normal dirty/dust on it from daily driving. Should I go all out, get an automotive degreaser and try to clean the frame BEFORE I apply Amsoil HD spray? Or, just spray over as is? I feel like the existing dirt helps to protect/build up a layer, but it might not be the best surface to stick to as far as spray goes. The instructions just say "clean target area prior to application". I am not really feeling like trying to clean as much of the frame as I can, because knowing myself I will go overboard and spend too much time doing it. But, I'd rather do it right. Also, as far as using the spray next year. Should I just apply another coating over whatever I already have built up on the frame from previous use? Or, do I need to clean it every year as part of annual maintenance before I apply the spray each fall? Thanks for feedback!

 

[ctyoter]

... Then I used Eastwood Internal Coating (4 cans) for inside of the frame. My $0.02, that product does nothing. After 1 year, the inside of my frame looks the same as it did before I applied this product. ...

that's good to know. i have 3 cans of it ready to go for my '08

i just had the rear bumper off to get at that crusty part of the truck and took a peek straight down the rails as far as I could see and it really doesn't look bad. my rear axle and everything surrounding it looks pretty crusty though and I don't have confidence it will last more than 5 years before something snaps.

that said, I own this car and need it so I'm doing what I can. have spent all weekend wire brushing and using Rustoleum Rust Converter which seems to work OK. I then go over it with the same brand rust converting spray paint. it looks good (aside from the pits) but I have no idea if it'll last. my assumption is not long-term, but if I can knock out a good portion of the crap before winter and then check again in the spring, my hope is that it'll just be a touch-up as-needed thing until something finally falls apart.

as a note to all would-be purchasers of these cars up in New England: check around the front and rear bumpers and everything surrounding the rear axle. those are the worst areas in my truck and the easily viewable frame parts are great. don't just give it a once-over from the sides. get up under there and use a mirror/phone and flashlight if you have to. you can also see parts of the frame from under the hood and in front of the radiator. dropping the spare might also help. pretty obvious in hindsight, i know

 

[jbtvt]

Hi everyone! I just picked up a 2nd 4runner (for my wife). The second one is a true example of a southern truck and the frame is truly rust free. What should I do to keep it as rust free as possible since I live in the rustbelt...MN?

Here's my writeup on what I did to protect my truck from TX that I brought back to NH. Best effort to return ratio of any undercoating product I've seen, including Waxoyl iteslf, from what I read. Ultimate oil undercoating guide (DIY Waxoyl)

 

[4RRUSMN]

that's good to know. i have 3 cans of it ready to go for my '08

i just had the rear bumper off to get at that crusty part of the truck and took a peek straight down the rails as far as I could see and it really doesn't look bad. my rear axle and everything surrounding it looks pretty crusty though and I don't have confidence it will last more than 5 years before something snaps.

that said, I own this car and need it so I'm doing what I can. have spent all weekend wire brushing and using Rustoleum Rust Converter which seems to work OK. I then go over it with the same brand rust converting spray paint. it looks good (aside from the pits) but I have no idea if it'll last. my assumption is not long-term, but if I can knock out a good portion of the crap before winter and then check again in the spring, my hope is that it'll just be a touch-up as-needed thing until something finally falls apart.

as a note to all would-be purchasers of these cars up in New England: check around the front and rear bumpers and everything surrounding the rear axle. those are the worst areas in my truck and the easily viewable frame parts are great. don't just give it a once-over from the sides. get up under there and use a mirror/phone and flashlight if you have to. you can also see parts of the frame from under the hood and in front of the radiator. dropping the spare might also help. pretty obvious in hindsight, i know

Based on my personal experience, Eastwood Internal Coating did nothing after one year. I mean, you might as well use it since you already bought it, but be prepared to spray inside of the frame with FF or something else every year.. Also, I would advise against using Rustoleum Rust Converter. I tried that it on a couple of small parts....it really does nothing after a year. If I had to do it again, I would use better stuff as it appears Rustoleum only covered the rust and did zero "converting / keeping it from spreading". Just my $0.02.

 

[Gatafly]

I had a little Amsoil MP HD last year and used it in a small area and it did better than FF by a lot. I bought 3 cans for this year and I am in MN also. I have had to do some frame repair and will have to do more next spring, but something I wish I knew earlier is that in MN during the winter never wash the underside of your vehicle in an automated car wash because they recycle a lot of the water and it will have some salt in it.

 

[4Climber]

I feel like the existing dirt helps to protect/build up a layer

Yes, it creates a layer.... that holds up moisture. You should clean the surfaces, remove surface rust /flakes, follow manufacturer's instructions.

 

[ctyoter]

Based on my personal experience, Eastwood Internal Coating did nothing after one year. I mean, you might as well use it since you already bought it, but be prepared to spray inside of the frame with FF or something else every year.. Also, I would advise against using Rustoleum Rust Converter. I tried that it on a couple of small parts....it really does nothing after a year. If I had to do it again, I would use better stuff as it appears Rustoleum only covered the rust and did zero "converting / keeping it from spreading". Just my $0.02.

have any recommendations for anything better to convert the rust? I don't think it's deep-down converting the rust, but it's doing something to the surface and seems to be capping it somehow. lots of snow and salt will tell if it protects or not.

I've been also trying Rustoleum Rust Dissolver which is more of a gel and can't really tell if it's doing anything. don't trust the stuff around paint either.

I'm open to suggestions as my sled is a perfect test subject haha!

 

[weaves]

have any recommendations for anything better to convert the rust? I don't think it's deep-down converting the rust, but it's doing something to the surface and seems to be capping it somehow. lots of snow and salt will tell if it protects or not.

I've been also trying Rustoleum Rust Dissolver which is more of a gel and can't really tell if it's doing anything. don't trust the stuff around paint either.

I'm open to suggestions as my sled is a perfect test subject haha!

My go to rust converter is Ospho which is a phosphoric acid. I haven't had the need to use it much since moving to the south but it turns the rust black. Rinse off and then finish off with a top coat. Like with any other product, surface prep is key. Make sure to remove any loose rust and grease/oil. Also, be careful using it on your driveway or garage - it'll eat through concrete.

 

[jbtvt]

have any recommendations for anything better to convert the rust? I don't think it's deep-down converting the rust, but it's doing something to the surface and seems to be capping it somehow. lots of snow and salt will tell if it protects or not.

I've been also trying Rustoleum Rust Dissolver which is more of a gel and can't really tell if it's doing anything. don't trust the stuff around paint either.

I'm open to suggestions as my sled is a perfect test subject haha!

Like others have said in this thread, POR15 is pretty much the gold standard for one step rust stop/primer/finish. SEM Rust Trap is basically the same product for less $$. Both are moisture-cure urethane, and will fade if exposed to significant UV light. Heard some horror stories about flaking if used on clean metal though. And of course, anything you do to stop rust should be oiled after it cures to prevent new rust - Fluid Film, bar and chain oil, or the Waxoyl method I linked above.

 

[4gambler]

STOP SALTING THE ROADS !!!

WHY WHY WHY NO ONE STOPS department of transportation from salting the roads. They can use SAND INSTEAD.

WHAT would it take for the entire US to be salt free in the roads?

Trump needs to win a 3rd election for this to happen or what?

All my vehicles clean frame no rot even after 15 years. SO CAL NO SALT BACK HERE.

Only sand in mountain highways when it snows.

 

[hinmo24t]

^good luck breaking up that racket. keep working hard, plenty of salt to pay for (and people who operate and dispense it, etc. etc.) and the car manufacturers must love it, keeping the purchasing on the 5-10 year plan. heard they dont put any coating on new silverados from a mechanic.

 

[MikeinNH67]

I scaled the frame and blew the sand out of the inside of it (lots). While scaling I found a couple spots that were no longer metal so welded some new steel in. Then it went in for inspection and a Fluid Film bath. Hopefully it does the job.

 

[614Yota]

Apologies for digging up an old post but I'm looking for some direction. I have an '08 that has a bit of surface rust. I have some shops quoted to clean it up/fluid film application it, but was looking for input first. Each seem to think very differently about what stage the rust is in and how to treat it. They are also all over the place on price. As I'm no expert, I'm looking for opinions on what route to go. I want to keep this vehicle for a long time so will do whatever is necessary to treat and prevent it correctly. (Also some spots are wet in the images sorry)

First shop wants to just apply fluid film over a two hour period and call it done for about $200

Second shop cleans the frame and underside-dries overnight-spray fluid film throughout entire underside in and out of frame etc for a day and letting dry overnight for $500

Third shop cleans frame and underside then wire brushes off existing rust and hand-applies 'rust resistant' paint. Then after paint dries they apply fluid film to the entire underside of the 4Runner. Costs about $800 - $1200

Appreciate any insight

 

[MikeinNH67]

From what I can see yours looks pretty decent but you need to check some other areas. Check the front cross bar where the recovery points are. Check under the AC drain hose and think about rerouting it as mentioned in another thread here. Also check the horizontal flat areas about where your feet are when inside the car. IMO, the biggest thing is to make sure the inside of the frame is oiled well as all of the holes I have repaired rusted from the inside out. That last picture was the fluid film job on my car after I cleaned the frame, it was all gone after the winter so I am no longer going to waste my money on that product. I have heard ATF or bar&chain oil works better where the latter is super sticky. I already brushed on the b&c oil in the middle sections to see how it holds up. I plan on heating b&c oil up and spraying it inside my frame soon.

 

[xBFxSinfonian]

Frame help!

I'm hoping someone can help me find a solution to the frame on my '03 V8.

Some backstory: For all practical purposes, this is my "pet project" vehicle. I have replaced and upgraded many parts (engine components, new fluid lines, suspension upgrade, etc), all in my garage. I have no intention of ever selling the truck, as I have a lot of time and money invested in keeping it running as long as possible.

With it being an older vehicle in Wisconsin, there is surface rust present, but the frame overall is solid.

The issue is with one section of the frame, located behind the passenger side wheel well. Here's two images (one top-down and one underside) of the affected area:

IMG_20200928_224458055.jpg - Google Drive

IMG_20200928_224511898.jpg - Google Drive

What appears to have happened is a condensation line had been incorrectly routed to where there was a constant source of moisture on that segment of the frame, leading to it rusting through. I will re-route the line and I had intentions of cleaning and coating the underside of the whole truck myself to halt rust development, but after the extent of the damage became apparent (this past winter) I have put the project on hold as I explore options. I'd like to get the frame solid and then I'll seal it to stave off an entire frame swap.

I'm wondering if the Safe T Cap I purchased from autorust.com will be able to be installed and give more structural integrity to the truck's frame. Here is the product I have: Front Frame Section, V-8 Model (ART-200-R) Passenger side - autorust.com

I will eventually want to do a frame swap, but this is not in the cards for me at the moment- Right now I just want to improve the safety of the truck, and I would be very thankful for ya'lls opinion and expertise. If the cap and a patch or two isn't viable, is there a possibility of replacing the whole section? I'm not a welder, and this would be the first work I've really gone to a shop for my truck, so I greatly appreciate any help on this.

Really putting out the Bat-signal here. If anyone has suggestions to a shop, I'm all ears. I have a few days of work I need to take off before the New Year and am willing to travel to get this taken care of properly by a professional that won't talk down to me or shy away from the job. I'm in south-central Wisconsin.

Thanks! Ya'll rock!

 

[blakkbox]

I have 2 methods:

Exterior (water-sprayed surfaces): Amsoil Metal Protect HD has been holding up very well here. Resists washing away better than than Fluid Film.

Interior (non-water-sprayed e.g. inside of boxed frame rails, that skinny radiator crossmember, door drains): Fluid Film has been my go-to, but last year I used CRC Corrosion Inhibitor and liked it better...goes on a bit thinner than Fluid Film and seeps into the metal seams, then dries in place.

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I have some CRC laying around and am just curious how you managed to get this stuff inside the frame rails without some type of spray wand? Anyone have ideas on that?

I got an '06 4Runner limited recently and am doing all the maintenance I can to it this spring. My rust prevention / treatment plan so far is this:

1. Wire brush as much loose / flaky rust off as possible, maybe a little sandpaper here and there too.
2. Clean entire undercarriage with a degreaser and/or soap & water. Rinse & let dry thoroughly.
3. Apply a rust converter to all rusty areas (either Corroseal ($50/ga) or Rust Mort ($100/ga), any feedback on this from anyone?)
4. Paint everything with Rustoleum Semi-Gloss Black
5. Spray CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor on everything.
6. Apply Fluid Film inside frame rails with a 360° sprayer.

If I can somehow use the CRC on step 6 instead, I would. But I can't imagine how forum member waypoint above did it. Anyway, any feedback on my plan is appreciated!!

 

[dano]

I took my ‘07 Ltd V8 for a Woolwax treatment today. I was very happy that I found no structural frame rust when I bought this 4Runner last month, just some rust at the welds. The cradle under the radiator and the rear bumper were pretty flaky but cleaned up enough to give me confidence they will last with this treatment applied.
I compared the frame’s condition to my buddy’s 2012 Tacoma and they were equal...even though his truck is 5 years newer with 100k less miles. And I am very happy with this product. Woolwax seems to be the answer to prolonging the life of my beloved ‘07. BTW, they had to cut the spare tire cable to remove it to spray that area. I tried to lower the spare yesterday but she was froze up solid. I bent the chintzy lowering tool and the lowering crank mechanism just wouldn’t budge. I’m just going to leave the spare in the garage. I have roadside assistance with my car insurance and will definitely use it should I be unfortunate enough to get a flat.

 

[Drcoffee]

I started using NHOU and like how it works. Its a mineral oil base that creeps under the rust to block out the air. You can get it in clear or black. Because Im under the truck all to often, I went clear. Its not a wax, or hard barrier that allows rust to grow underneath. Well worth the money and they sell diy kits. Because it creeps, you can spray into frame holes and parts you cant reach will eventually get protected.

 

[dano]

I started using NHOU and like how it works. Its a mineral oil base that creeps under the rust to block out the air. You can get it in clear or black. Because Im under the truck all to often, I went clear. Its not a wax, or hard barrier that allows rust to grow underneath. Well worth the money and they sell diy kits. Because it creeps, you can spray into frame holes and parts you cant reach will eventually get protected.

Is NHOU the New Hampshire oil? I saw a video on that. The products name “Woolwax” is a little misleading. It is not a wax, but an organic substance made from the oil (lanolin) in sheep’s wool.
It also “creeps” into all the nooks and crannies after application. And there are do it yourself kits available. At 69 I try to limit my time under my vehicles...lol! It is usually to find a problem and then I hire someone else to do the work to correct it. My days of turning a wrench are pretty much over. Btw, I bought a used Tundra Rock Warrior a few years ago whose owner had Zeibarted every year. That undercarriage was not in good shape yet it was 3 years newer and half the miles of my 4Runner. The rubberized undercoating appear to speed up the rust process IMO.