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Old 01-05-2021, 06:19 PM   #11
Orv
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If you use something like Line-X underneath you should keep a very close eye on it. This kind of rustproofing was popular in the 80s and sometimes seemed to do more harm than good. If it starts to separate it'll retain moisture and accelerate rust. It's also very hard to remove. Rally car guys (who often have to remove seam sealer and the like from cars in order to prep them) deal with it by chilling it with dry ice until it's brittle.


I could see a rubberized coating as being a good choice for inner fenders and the like (if you don't have fender liners) in order to protect against rock chips.



I'm not sure if POR-15 will stick to metal that *isn't* rusted -- I'd check into that before buying a big bucket of it.

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Old 01-05-2021, 06:42 PM   #12
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I've been doing a little searching for a product to protect my van's undercarriage as well. I came across a product called Fluid Film and it seems promising. I found where someone was testing it and posting u-tube videos of its effectiveness when used in the North East. Without some type of salt inhibiting treatment, my van won't leave the yard in the winter.

Here's a description of it pulled from a local detail shop near me:

Fluid Film® is a spray-on undercarriage treatment, designed to provide protection to your vehicle’s underbody components. It’s a combination of unrefined wool wax and selective polar agents and corrosion inhibitors, resulting in a unique, lanolin-based formulation.
This application protects against all forms of undercarriage damage, including rust, debris, corrosion, UV exposure, moisture, salt brines and much more.
Fluid Film® works not only by creating a barrier against corrosive agents, but also by healing itself over time. An underbody application can last up to 36 months, providing increased protection and lasting lubrication during that time.

As others have mentioned, underbody coatings can make rust actually worse if any moisture is trapped under the treatment. This product flows into very tight crevices, threads and frame rails and actually displaces moisture. I think I'll give it a try next fall...
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Old 01-05-2021, 07:36 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by Steve C View Post
I've been doing a little searching for a product to protect my van's undercarriage as well. I came across a product called Fluid Film and it seems promising. I found where someone was testing it and posting u-tube videos of its effectiveness when used in the North East. Without some type of salt inhibiting treatment, my van won't leave the yard in the winter.

Here's a description of it pulled from a local detail shop near me:

Fluid Film® is a spray-on undercarriage treatment, designed to provide protection to your vehicle’s underbody components. It’s a combination of unrefined wool wax and selective polar agents and corrosion inhibitors, resulting in a unique, lanolin-based formulation.
This application protects against all forms of undercarriage damage, including rust, debris, corrosion, UV exposure, moisture, salt brines and much more.
Fluid Film® works not only by creating a barrier against corrosive agents, but also by healing itself over time. An underbody application can last up to 36 months, providing increased protection and lasting lubrication during that time.

As others have mentioned, underbody coatings can make rust actually worse if any moisture is trapped under the treatment. This product flows into very tight crevices, threads and frame rails and actually displaces moisture. I think I'll give it a try next fall...
Sounds worth checking out as a treatment option-- something that could be applied and re-applied-- maybe after I get a base of paint on the parts needing touching up.

The feedback I'm getting here and elsewhere is don't let the cure be worse than the disease. The thought of a nice thick, impenetrable layer of sound-deadening rubber underneath the cabin sounded nice, but it looks like I'll be better or with some kind of paint or liquid treatment like POR-15.

I'll update this with whatever we end up going with.
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Old 01-05-2021, 08:10 PM   #14
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I started using corroseal and fluid film on under carriage last year. I like seeing what the situation is... These products don't hide anything, and you can reapply when rust spots reappear. My guess is that one maintenance session per year will be OK, but we don't really have road salt here.
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Old 01-06-2021, 03:54 AM   #15
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I've been using ACF-50 and then Fluid Film as well. No doubt they help.
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Old 01-06-2021, 07:49 AM   #16
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Just want the thing to look as good as it does now in 10 years. Also can't handle the thought of something deteriorating around me that I could have prevented (thank you US Navy) except this old body (thank you beer).
This helps but as you and I both know 10 years is a lot of time on ANY "body".

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How does bed liner compare to undercoat?
The effectiveness might be similar but how and by whom its applied would be a huge determining factor. Read he following quote as it speaks to using something like bed liner or "rustproofing" on the underside:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Orv View Post
If you use something like Line-X underneath you should keep a very close eye on it. This kind of rustproofing was popular in the 80s and sometimes seemed to do more harm than good. If it starts to separate it'll retain moisture and accelerate rust. It's also very hard to remove. Rally car guys (who often have to remove seam sealer and the like from cars in order to prep them) deal with it by chilling it with dry ice until it's brittle.

I could see a rubberized coating as being a good choice for inner fenders and the like (if you don't have fender liners) in order to protect against rock chips.

I'm not sure if POR-15 will stick to metal that *isn't* rusted -- I'd check into that before buying a big bucket of it.
There are far better and more easily applied inner fender protective materials than the cheap rubberized DIY sprayable undercoatings. The FluidFilm stuff looks interesting.

POR-15 sticks to ANYTHING that's clean--even your driveway! The key to its successful use is reading and adhering to their application instructions. You could properly coat the entire underside of most vans with just over 2 quarts.

FWIW the silver color POR-15 is best as it contains the highest percentage of solids.
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Old 01-06-2021, 07:58 AM   #17
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I believe Por15 suggests using a top coat paint as the product has low UV inhibiting properties.
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Old 01-06-2021, 08:07 AM   #18
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I believe Por15 suggests using a top coat paint as the product has low UV inhibiting properties.
That's correct IF the rust preventative product is to be applied on surfaces where appearance would be an issue.

The silver high-solids content stuff I recommend turns a greenish color when exposed to the sun. It doesn't degrade the material or affect it's adhesion, it just no longer looks good.
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Old 01-06-2021, 08:20 AM   #19
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Note: Fluid film is largely washed off with water under high pressure (pressure washer). It stays on for months with normal water spray (from road, from normal water hose).
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Old 01-06-2021, 08:37 AM   #20
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Would UV be an issue on the underside of the van?

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That's correct IF the rust preventative product is to be applied on surfaces where appearance would be an issue.

The silver high-solids content stuff I recommend turns a greenish color when exposed to the sun. It doesn't degrade the material or affect it's adhesion, it just no longer looks good.
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