Oil Undercoating Nightmare
My LBZ wasn't undercoated/oiled and after replacing all the brake lines, tranny lines and fuel lines, the wife wanted me to get the LML oiled. I took it to the local guy, that I've known for over 30yr...
Forum Discussion
I just want to put my 2cents in on fluid film.
Here in Maine a concentrated sodium chloride brine is sprayed on the roads in addition to magnesium chloride brine, rock salt, and sand/salt mix. These really take a toll on our vehicles here. I have owned two fords that had ziebart protection applied to them, both developed rust holes in the floor pan from moisture trapped by the undercoating. I bought a Jeep new in 1997 that I removed rust from the frame and primed/painted the frame every spring. It was a boxed frame and although the outside surface was clean, it rusted through from the inside in two places (one of which was at an axle control arm mounting point), and both front fenders had to have rust through repaired 3x in only 7 years. We have had both ford and chevy trucks (bought new) that had thick frame/axle/suspension rust after 5 years. The chevy had the wax frame coating mentioned, but it started to dry and flake off, exposing the metal. A couple years ago we spent $2700 repairing rusted through rocker panels, doors, and wheel arches on our Town&Country van. Now it it rusting through at two body seams.
I spray the underside of our Pacifica and Yukon with fluid film every year, and so far this has worked very well. Fluid film is not petroleum based, it is a natural product that is safe for plastic, metal, rubber, paint, wax, etc. so it has not damaged the factory applied wax at all. If anything it has kept it from drying out. Around here I can get Fluid Film for $40 to $50 per gallon, I spent around $25 for an undercoating spray gun and use my air compressor to apply it. I drive the vehicle onto ramps and lay on a creeper. I can do both vehicles in around 45 minutes, and have more than a quart left over. It does wash off eventually and needs to be re-applied. I do a touch-up coat every other year, I have only needed about a quart per vehicle for this. I have not had any problems with it trapping dirt. So I have been very happy with it.
Now I need to find a product to protect the inner body panels. Fluid film does not "creep", it stays put where it is applied, so it is no good for inaccessible areas.
Shops around here charge around $100 to $130 to apply it.
Here in Maine a concentrated sodium chloride brine is sprayed on the roads in addition to magnesium chloride brine, rock salt, and sand/salt mix. These really take a toll on our vehicles here. I have owned two fords that had ziebart protection applied to them, both developed rust holes in the floor pan from moisture trapped by the undercoating. I bought a Jeep new in 1997 that I removed rust from the frame and primed/painted the frame every spring. It was a boxed frame and although the outside surface was clean, it rusted through from the inside in two places (one of which was at an axle control arm mounting point), and both front fenders had to have rust through repaired 3x in only 7 years. We have had both ford and chevy trucks (bought new) that had thick frame/axle/suspension rust after 5 years. The chevy had the wax frame coating mentioned, but it started to dry and flake off, exposing the metal. A couple years ago we spent $2700 repairing rusted through rocker panels, doors, and wheel arches on our Town&Country van. Now it it rusting through at two body seams.
I spray the underside of our Pacifica and Yukon with fluid film every year, and so far this has worked very well. Fluid film is not petroleum based, it is a natural product that is safe for plastic, metal, rubber, paint, wax, etc. so it has not damaged the factory applied wax at all. If anything it has kept it from drying out. Around here I can get Fluid Film for $40 to $50 per gallon, I spent around $25 for an undercoating spray gun and use my air compressor to apply it. I drive the vehicle onto ramps and lay on a creeper. I can do both vehicles in around 45 minutes, and have more than a quart left over. It does wash off eventually and needs to be re-applied. I do a touch-up coat every other year, I have only needed about a quart per vehicle for this. I have not had any problems with it trapping dirt. So I have been very happy with it.
Now I need to find a product to protect the inner body panels. Fluid film does not "creep", it stays put where it is applied, so it is no good for inaccessible areas.
Shops around here charge around $100 to $130 to apply it.
