How do you protect your underside?

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badm0t0rfinger

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Personally, I think FF smells horrible and after using it on my former rust bucket, there is a zero percent chance I'm going to slather any other vehicles I own in that stuff. It works great, but the smell is kind of nauseating to me. Some people like it though- smells are such a weird thing. It's also nasty to work around and attracts dust.

Maybe if it was parked outside all winter and I could easily put it on a lift and pressure wash it all off in the spring, then I would consider giving the underside a FF bath. It doesn't smell as much when it's cold, although a fresh coating under the whole underside of the truck is going to reek bad for a long time, cold or not.

Yeah Fluid Film smells not so great, but theres a huge difference between throwing it on underside of your truck and inside the cab. I can always tell when someone went to town with fluid film when I walk into an aircraft.
 

Xtinct

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Rubberized undercoating is the way to go. Just sold my 03 and it looked brand new. The 1st "mod" to the Raptor was undercoating it. They did not undercoat the rear diff for some reason and it started to rust after 1st wash so back it went to have that done too.
 

matrix243

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Personally, I think FF smells horrible and after using it on my former rust bucket, there is a zero percent chance I'm going to slather any other vehicles I own in that stuff. It works great, but the smell is kind of nauseating to me. Some people like it though- smells are such a weird thing. It's also nasty to work around and attracts dust.

Maybe if it was parked outside all winter and I could easily put it on a lift and pressure wash it all off in the spring, then I would consider giving the underside a FF bath. It doesn't smell as much when it's cold, although a fresh coating under the whole underside of the truck is going to reek bad for a long time, cold or not.



I have been, and plan to continue spraying any visible surface rust with a rust converter, then top coating it with a good quality spray paint.

I use this for the rust converter.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009LPJ0Q/

I use Rustoleum Professional flat black and buy the big cans by the 6 pk.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZFKX8B/

For the rockers, door, and tailgate bottoms/pinch seams I'm planning to use something purpose made for it.
Something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TVH7R5O/
or this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0741FHDPF/?tag=fordraptorforum-20


Good point on the FF smell. Maybe just critical areas.

On painting, I think if you can't sandblast the spot you're painting, its a complete waste of time. Even then. I've done so many combinations and all have failed. Maybe its because of the extreme chemicals they use for the roads up here. I've also used chassis saver, equivalent to por 15, $40 for 1 quart, and spent the most time I've ever done on prep and I have to repair again after 1 year.
 

matrix243

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Rubberized undercoating is the way to go. Just sold my 03 and it looked brand new. The 1st "mod" to the Raptor was undercoating it. They did not undercoat the rear diff for some reason and it started to rust after 1st wash so back it went to have that done too.

LOL. Guess you didn't see pg.1
 

badm0t0rfinger

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Good point on the FF smell. Maybe just critical areas.

On painting, I think if you can't sandblast the spot you're painting, its a complete waste of time. Even then. I've done so many combinations and all have failed. Maybe its because of the extreme chemicals they use for the roads up here. I've also used chassis saver, equivalent to por 15, $40 for 1 quart, and spent the most time I've ever done on prep and I have to repair again after 1 year.

What about hitting it the area up with a wire wheel or cup brush and a drill? I'm sure that wouldn't be an issue on something on the underside of the truck, especially since we are just using rattle cans to minimize the growth of rust.
 

matrix243

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What about hitting it the area up with a wire wheel or cup brush and a drill? I'm sure that wouldn't be an issue on something on the underside of the truck, especially since we are just using rattle cans to minimize the growth of rust.

Did all that. Wire wheel was on a die grinder with sparks and wire flying everywhere.
 

SZDZMTR

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Amzoil HP Metal protector is awesome... the only thing that would remove it is gasoline...it coats anything metal with like black wax coating...I do my truck once a year. zero issues on the frame or anywhere else...need about three cans to do two coats. also you can lubricate your door jams, etc and use for household stuff...
My friend works at the port. All parts shipped from overseas are treated with amzoil...
 

Xtinct

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LOL. Guess you didn't see pg.1

I would never take a vehicle to Zebart, if you listened to the video, they got it retreated year after year so of course that was the end result. If it is done properly the 1st time with the right product it will last for years, like a new coat of paint. You really cant respray them over and over or you end up with what was in that video. I have had huge success with all my vehicles. And the same vehicle owned by other family members rust away while the properly treated ones look like new.

Who has time to treat their vehicle 1-2 time a seaon?
 
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