Undercoating "How To" for Offroaders (Video)

[Svanhildr]

If you want to keep your Bronco for a long long time, make sure you undercoat it! Here's how I do mine every year, with a few extra steps for "offroaders/overlanders". Let me know if you have any different tips!

Love it; very helpful and newbie-friendly! Today is two years of having my Bronco and about 18 months of off-roading with her. Never been terribly mechanically inclined (gimme spreadsheets any day of the week), so I'm slowly learning how to do things like this and appreciate videos with the "that's fine" inclusions, since I'd make myself sick with neurocis thinking I'd mess something up.

Thanks for a helpful and simple video!

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[Valhalla]

I guess that I don't like not removing the skids plates for the simple reason so much dirt and debris accumulate inside them. I work in automotive. I work in the paint shop. This is where corrosion prevention is applied. You don't want mud, sand, pebles or salt accumulated in any area. Most mud is caustic to some degree. The rest are abrasive. After I wheel every trip, I pull skids pressure wash and apply paint to bear metal. This sucks in the winter. You've got to pay to play though. I do appreciate the write up. I would urge you to remove 6 screws and loosen 4 to protect your investment.

 

[NorthShoreBronco]

I guess that I don't like not removing the skids plates for the simple reason so much dirt and debris accumulate inside them. I work in automotive. I work in the paint shop. This is where corrosion prevention is applied. You don't want mud, sand, pebles or salt accumulated in any area. Most mud is caustic to some degree. The rest are abrasive. After I wheel every trip, I pull skids pressure wash and apply paint to bear metal. This sucks in the winter. You've got to pay to play though. I do appreciate the write up. I would urge you to remove 6 screws and loosen 4 to protect your investment.

You're 100% right. I do mention in the video that you should do that. but it was getting dark, I was tired, and got lazy haha. But also I can see up there and did spray the shit out of it.

 

[NorthShoreBronco]

Love it; very helpful and newbie-friendly! Today is two years of having my Bronco and about 18 months of off-roading with her. Never been terribly mechanically inclined (gimme spreadsheets any day of the week), so I'm slowly learning how to do things like this and appreciate videos with the "that's fine" inclusions, since I'd make myself sick with neurocis thinking I'd mess something up.

Thanks for a helpful and simple video!

It's always fine! .... Untill it's not fine.... So why worry?

 

[Fivefingerheist]

Discovered that Fluid Film and Woolwax are manufactured from same company. After countless hours of research, it seems Woolwax provides better protection against the NE winter and against the salt used on the roads. I just spent last weekend doing 3 vehicles, including my MY23 Bronco.
Plan to repeat every year now that I know how.
I was considering going to a professional undercoater. But for $500 a car…
Spent $150 for gun, wands, and Woolwax. I already own a power washer & air compressor. Took a full day but worth it!

I got mine done at Krown. Was only 160 for a full application. Is supposed to be done annually though.

 

[2023bronco]

I read elsewhere that Broncos equipped with factory skid plates have the issue where the gas tank skid plate is the only thing holding the tank - no straps - so don't remove that skid plate!!!

I'll probably remove the other plates on my Badlands before getting Woolwax applied. If I get really ambitious, I might cover those other plates in Raptor liner. I don't want Woolwax on the oil pan plate because of the mess involved in changing oil.

 

[Swacer]

I actually just did my wife's bronco 2 weeks ago with MPHD. Compared to my F150 Raptor, thankfully this thing is much much shorter. Overall took about 2 cans to coat the steel frame rails and the odds and ends. Usually spray heavy and then rub it in with my hand on the top of the rails that you don't have direct access to. This usually prevents about 90% of the rust over the period of the winter, but there will always be touchup the next year. However, after years of driving, it will look like a car that has very very little use. So overall win.

The one major difference from the video, I cover the entire car with sheeting to stop the overspray from getting onto the body.

 

[Swacer]

I got mine done at Krown. Was only 160 for a full application. Is supposed to be done annually though.

I looked into krown, they offer it locally to me. The reviews were awful. From the yearly application to the fact your car will leak oil onto your driveway on hot days, and they won't warranty it if you run it through the car wash because its not meant to survive high pressure water being sprayed on it.

I hate applying the MPHD myself, for the time involved, but that krown is meh.

 

[Luckylat]

I got mine done at Krown. Was only 160 for a full application. Is supposed to be done annually though.

Good for you! Can't find anyone under $450 in the New England area who uses Woolwax. Agree, every year for the best outcome.

 

[Fivefingerheist]

I looked into krown, they offer it locally to me. The reviews were awful. From the yearly application to the fact your car will leak oil onto your driveway on hot days, and they won't warranty it if you run it through the car wash because its not meant to survive high pressure water being sprayed on it.

I hate applying the MPHD myself, for the time involved, but that krown is meh.

The reviews were great for the one near me. The staff was also very friendly. Before I went with Krown I looked up reviews of rust inhibitors, and the Krown product seemed to perform as advertised. As for me oil drops that only happened for about the first two weeks for me. They also explained the drops are expected for that timeframe.

Time will tell though, eh?

 

[Valhalla]

I read elsewhere that Broncos equipped with factory skid plates have the issue where the gas tank skid plate is the only thing holding the tank - no straps - so don't remove that skid plate!!!

Right! Trust me, you start removing it you'll quickly get over that and realize the never meant for you to.

 

[Altitude]

Probably avoid rubberized undercoating and stick to oil based. I don't live in the rust belt. I don't plan to undercoat and haven't done any research on it, but here is a YouTube video I came across that may be helpful for people looking at different products:

Agreed. Rubberized undercoating is nothing but a rust trap. I live in the rust belt / snow belt and just give the undercarriage a good coating of fluid film in the fall. Little rust and none of that built up crap to deal with.

 

[2023bronco]

I'm thinking of coating the skid plates while they are off. What to use? I don't want wax/oil on them, especially not the one under the oil pan that I'll need to remove for oil changes.

Chassis paint? Raptor liner? The factory coating is not terrible, but also is not going to hold up to salt, etc.

 

[NorthShoreBronco]

I'm thinking of coating the skid plates while they are off. What to use? I don't want wax/oil on them, especially not the one under the oil pan that I'll need to remove for oil changes.

Chassis paint? Raptor liner? The factory coating is not terrible, but also is not going to hold up to salt, etc.

I would just spray paint them with Rust check type flat black paint. That way when you scrape it off... just reapply.

 

[2023bronco]

I would just spray paint them with Rust check type flat black paint. That way when you scrape it off... just reapply.

I happen to have 2 cans of Eastwood 2k urethane satin black chassis paint left over from a restoration project, so I plan to use that this time around. I'll just scuff with red pads and spray. It's supposedly one of their hardest chassis paints.

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