Undercarriage cleaner and treatment recommendations?

MeBe4running

MeBe4running

New member
I'm looking for some input on a undercarriage cleaning product that people have used and recommend? I also am looking for a product to protect it further from rust. When I lived in Canada I would get the truck sprayed with used engine oil every winter but I don't have a need for that now.

I have searched and seen quite a few different responses with older generation 4runners etc... But yet to see what people are doing to their 5 th gen's for undercarriage cleaning and protection.

I here naval jelly is quite good?

Any thoughts and recommendations would be most appreciated!
 
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MeBe4running said:
I'm looking for some input on a undercarriage cleaning product that people have used and recommend? I also am looking for a product to protect it further from rust. When I lived in Canada I would get the truck sprayed with used engine oil every winter but I don't have a need for that now.

I have searched and seen quite a few different responses with older generation 4runners etc... But yet to see what people are doing to their 5 th gen's for undercarriage cleaning and protection.

I here naval jelly is quite good?

Any thoughts and recommendations would be most appreciated!
Click to expand...

I live in the "salt belt" in the winter and we get a lot of wet snow and ice, which they treat with salt and cinders. With that said, I will not have anything sprayed on as a protective coating on the frame, suspension or drivetrain. I have seen too many vehicles that have had undercoating or paint applied start rusting BECAUSE this coating was applied. What happens is once it is coated, over time rocks or debris will fly up and chip or gouge the underside allowing water and salt a path to get under the coating and just sit there. I do take my 4Runner through a automatic car wash that has undercarriage wash about once a week in the winter. I have never had a problem in the last 25 years doing it this way. Yes, components will get some rust but not overly so. This is what I do.
 
1engineer said:
I live in the "salt belt" in the winter and we get a lot of wet snow and ice, which they treat with salt and cinders. With that said, I will not have anything sprayed on as a protective coating on the frame, suspension or drivetrain. I have seen too many vehicles that have had undercoating or paint applied start rusting BECAUSE this coating was applied. What happens is once it is coated, over time rocks or debris will fly up and chip or gouge the underside allowing water and salt a path to get under the coating and just sit there. I do take my 4Runner through a automatic car wash that has undercarriage wash about once a week in the winter. I have never had a problem in the last 25 years doing it this way. Yes, components will get some rust but not overly so. This is what I do.
Click to expand...

Wow, I would of never of thought of that. It makes sense now that you mention it. Thank you for your detailed response :)

The "road grim" if you will, that is to stubborn to be removed by an automatic car wash equipped with an undercarriage cleaner, would there be a product that you recommend just for that purpose?
 
I use to use the self serve car wash high pressure hose but have since bought a $ 99 pressure washer. In the dead of winter I do as 1E.

The issue I'm seeing now it with the full skids crap seems to get trapped on top of them but for simple road salt rinsing would take care of it.
 
1engineer said:
.... I do take my 4Runner through a automatic car wash that has undercarriage wash about once a week in the winter. I have never had a problem in the last 25 years doing it this way. Yes, components will get some rust but not overly so. This is what I do.
Click to expand...

Yup, me too, exactly this. Lotsa road salt here too.
 
I'm so lucky I don't have to deal with all that stuff anymore, 2 years living through the winters in Maine put an end to that.
Now living in Vegas, the hard part is finding any water to get my car wet (unless I drive to Lake Mead, but that's shrinking too):cheers:
 
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Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector

AMSOIL - MP Heavy Duty Metal Protector (AMH)

This stuff is a waxy oil coating. Very tough. Won't have the problems described above like the truck bed coatings. I got some drips of this stuff on my race deck garage tiles and it does not want to come off. Says its safe for electronics, I sprayed everything down there.
 
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i just go to the local touchless car wash in the winter and pay the extra 2 bucks for the under carriage spray/cleaning option.

gets all the sand/salt off the bottom.
 
"toyota care" oil changes every 10k miles???

i received my toyota care info and noticed they only have the "complimentary" oil change scheduled at 10k and 20k miles... whats up with that! no way i'm leaving the break in oil that long... even if it's synthetic.
 
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