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Snow belt under body protection

Murph914

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Just to add a bit. I have an F-350 from ā€˜08. It has had severe rust issues since new. I have taken it on salt water beaches and I live near Boston, but this has rusted more than anything I have had by a wide margin.

That said, about 6 years ago I pulled the bed and painted with por15 then I just did it again.
Por 15 is a 3 coat process. First is almost like water and stops the rust process and leaves the metal black. Second is a fancy 2 part primer that seals out oxygen and dries super hard. Step 3 is a 2 coat paint to protect the surface.

I am planning on using por15 on areas I can get at that are visibile. Like the frame rails. After that Iā€™m planning on fluid filming it. Lastly, Iā€™m going to put down protective film on the hood and fenders, and maybe the rear fenders as well.
 

Heffe66413

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My experience with this is that the dealer can sell you a protection, it's a coating that looks thicker than the usual rustproofing treatment they say it last for 10 years. It's expensive usually close to 1k, and they usually finance it, so it cost you even more since you pay for it with the car. That being said if you can have it for free or have a deal and pay apart from your financing then would be good. (because they do it on a new clean car) it's actually one of the sale pitch!

Still with this kind of vehicle if you are going places where you can get damage under you should have it treated with professional rustproofing every year. I have good luck with it.

also you can have a look under from time to time and gravel guard the damage.
I think Iā€™d go with line x rustproofing before Iā€™d consider a dealer installed option. My line x Bed liner is 8 year old and still looks good dispite hard use .
 

WuNgUn

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I'm in Ontario, and I've never oiled any of my vehicles. But I know people who oil theirs yearly.
In my opinion, it needs to be very stratigically placed and not caked on everywhere (or missing tons of areas like I assume most shops do!). It eventually becomes a big, caked on, dirty mess, and most of that'll be visible on the Bronco.
I just try to keep it clean, and sell it after 6 or 8 years. ?
 

Hkak45

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So I did a stupid amount of reading on this over the past few months and I have come to the conclusion that 1-2 washes with underbody a week should keep everything looking new. We use a ton of salt here in Michigan too and I battle with rust on my Jeep constantly so I know what a pain rust can be.

Every spring I will wash everything thoroughly to make sure salt didn't get into the doors and that all of the paint has held up underneath and grind and repaint what is necessary. It will likely be less maintenance that a lot of the coatings. My dad has a 2018 F-150 he is not religious about washing at all and is a daily driver with no rust so far.

Fluid Film is what I had found in all of my research to be the best, but it can be a mess if you work on the underbody of your Bronco at all. I know I will be under mine a lot for various reasons so I think I am going to pass on all additional protection and hope for the best.
I have asked several people in IL that have old trucks they they drive every day during the salty winters with no rust on the truck what their secret is.... every one has said the same thing, they wash it A LOT during the winter and always spray off the underbody really good with the pressure washer. One guy said he just gets a monthly pass to the car wash and washes his truck every other day lol I had a friend with a wrangler that put some of that thick black coating stuff on his frame and he said it ended up rusting from inside out when some moisture got trapped between the two layers.
 

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Philly

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I have asked several people in IL that have old trucks they they drive every day during the salty winters with no rust on the truck what their secret is.... every one has said the same thing, they wash it A LOT during the winter and always spray off the underbody really good with the pressure washer. One guy said he just gets a monthly pass to the car wash and washes his truck every other day lol I had a friend with a wrangler that put some of that thick black coating stuff on his frame and he said it ended up rusting from inside out when some moisture got trapped between the two layers.
Fluid film shouldnā€™t allow it to rust from the inside out, but those black coatings are definitely risky. I keep thinking about using fluid film, but like the others youā€™ve asked, I think regular washing and a monthly pass to the local car wash will do just fine. I might fluid film the insides of the frame rails and in hard to clean areas, but Iā€™m hesitant to do the entire under body because Iā€™ve heard that you can actually end up removing the fluid film with a power washer.
 

Stonetree

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Hey so this will be my first new car, I've always owned older vehicles as daily drivers and not cared for them as I've had projects.

This will be my first daily and project...so I'll be driving it year round, including up here in the New England winter's...with all that salt!!!

I plan on washing it weekly at a minimum but I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on protecting it from the elements, will dealers be offering an undercoating or am I better looking for someone local to do it?

Cheers
Ash
Has anyone used an electronic rust preventative? I saw this when looking up fluid film. Never heard of it before.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SSKNTG...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
 

BAUS67

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So every spring/ early summer I try to pressure wash the underside with the wheels off and spray some chassis epoxy to try to help prevent the cancer.

Some before and after .........

Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_094713


Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_163523


Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_094954


Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_094948


Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_175658


before washing .....

Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_094735


starting the painting.....

Ford Bronco Snow belt under body protection 20200607_164141



Definitely helps I have seen newer trucks COMPLETELY rotted away. Good weekend project. I do the same with my 4 Wheelers. (y)(y)
 

Sighlense

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Fluid Film is what I had found in all of my research to be the best, but it can be a mess if you work on the underbody of your Bronco at all. I know I will be under mine a lot for various reasons so I think I am going to pass on all additional protection and hope for the best.
Can't be any worse than what i look like when i crawl out from underneath my f150. Dealership will be doing the dirty work while under warranty anyway. Spraying it on once a year seems worth it to me. An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure, and all that.
 

Daktari

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I have asked several people in IL that have old trucks they they drive every day during the salty winters with no rust on the truck what their secret is.... every one has said the same thing, they wash it A LOT during the winter and always spray off the underbody really good with the pressure washer. One guy said he just gets a monthly pass to the car wash and washes his truck every other day lol I had a friend with a wrangler that put some of that thick black coating stuff on his frame and he said it ended up rusting from inside out when some moisture got trapped between the two layers.
I can vouch for this. In Illinois. I wash my Ranger every other day in the winter.
 

Ramble_Offroad

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Did some searches but no results. Anybody have experience with ā€œSteel-Itā€ as an underbody treatment?

Yes, itā€™s bloody spendy. No, I have no experience with this stuff hence my inquiry.

I typically apply 2 or 3 cans of standard black rustoleum under my truck every spring. Looking to start fresh with my 2D unicorn with a similar or improved tradition

example:
https://sdhqoffroad.com/products/steel-it-1012b-black-polyurethane-aerosol
 

Dennis10nis

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I grew up in Buffalo, and now live in CT, so Iā€™m into this thread. Does the bash plates complicate proper treatment, and/or affect recommendations?
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