Why not Line-X the undercarriage / cab? / Raptor / Rhino etc

[Lady_Van-Go82]

We recently line-xed the roof of our E350 since we’ll be adding a rack soon. They’re notorious for rust troubles near drip rails etc. We’d rather get out in front of it. The weight hasn’t made a difference for us... we redid the suspension prior with a Weldtech 4” lift. But it has made an awesome difference in sound reduction. The floor has dynamat. Still no drop.

[yfarm]

My 2 cents: had a neighbor that decided to line x a new galvanized boat trailer to preserve it from use in salt water, trailer rusted apart within 4 yrs from water penetrating under coating and accelerating process. At the same time I was using a 20 yr old galvanized trailer in the same environment the same way, trailer is still around in use. I coated all the bolts and hubs in wheel bearing grease with a brush. Beach fishermen in South Texas spray boiled linseed oil with an airless sprayer on the undercarriage to prevent chassis rust from salty sand and humidity, works really well, probably similar function to fluid film.
Video link. https://vimeo.com/276788695

[OurayMark]

Originally Posted by Lady_Van-Go82

We recently line-xed the roof of our E350 since we’ll be adding a rack soon. They’re notorious for rust troubles near drip rails etc. We’d rather get out in front of it. The weight hasn’t made a difference for us... we redid the suspension prior with a Weldtech 4” lift. But it has made an awesome difference in sound reduction. The floor has dynamat. Still no drop.

I’m personally pushing the manufacturer’s GVWR on my van when fully loaded. I’ve read that one’s insurance can be voided if involved in a wreck if the vehicle exceeds the GVWR, even if one has upgraded the suspension, brakes, etc.

Line-x seems to claim a weight of 0.7 to 1.4 pounds per square foot depending on the thickness of the application. A fully coated van, as I have seen, would add about 300 pounds to the GVW. Just something to think about in making decisions.

[Lenny]

Originally Posted by Steve C

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...

Been using Fluid Film for the last 3 years.
I buy it by the gallon and apply with spray gun/compressor once every year.
Non petroleum based. It can even be thinned/cut with vegetable oil if need be.
Wouldn't take my rig on the beach without it.
Stuff is great

[scuba]

Thanks for all the great responses guys. Like I said, we'll prob do POR-15 to get a base layer on everything, and then fluid film (like the boiled linseed oil) periodically thereafter.

[CDACamper]

I would avoid por 15 with this application. If there is any contamination, you will have adhesion issues and it will be very difficult to properly prepare under your van to apply this finish. Fluid Film is good but I would recommend this for cavities rather than surfaces under the van. Fluid Film easily wears off on exposed surfaces under the van and you need to reapply it at least each year which is a pain. The best undercoating I have found is Cosmoline RP 342. It lasts forever, you can easily touch it up, there is really no prep and it will stick to anything.

Did my van last year and used Fluid Film in the doors and inside the body cavities (pulled the rubber plugs and sprayed inside). It lasts forever in the cavities and will protect from rotting from the inside out.

Cosmoline was developed for the military to protect metal and it has proven to protect stored military equipment for decades.

I sprayed the entire underside of the van including wheel wells, suspension, etc. with Cosmoline. It is a great product and available in black. It looks very nice when done and has held up perfectly.

[Marcel Huijser]

I haven't used POR-15, but based on what I read, I agree that the prepping seems very important to POR-15... multiple steps... cleaning, etching, final product. It is most useful if large areas have rust or surface rust, I think.



Corroseal requires less prep. but I do touch it up rust spots once per year... so it is NOT a "one-time application and forget about it for 10 years".

Perhaps corroseal is similar in easy application to Cosmoline RP 342?

[Steve Hunt]

From first hand experience I can tell you that you don't want to spray Line X or similar anywhere you may ever have to access, remove a bolt or take apart. I had my truck bed done as normal and they sprayed over the bolt heads on the backside of the tailgate handle latch. 20 years later some part of the latch/lever/rods broke and it was a SOB to remove the Line-X off the 3 torx head bolts I needed to remove. I can't imagine having to do the same under the van in some awkward tight place.