This will be interesting. Many people have strong opinions on this matter. For the most part, I am for the undercoating. Even though the anti-rust portion is minimal because now a days most cars are pretty well sealed. I like it for the bit of sound deadening you get.

 

I've never bought undercoating for a vehicle. Usually I'll hit the car wash once or twice during winter (temps permitting) and hose the salt off the undercarriage thoroughly.

And I really clean it come spring.

Never had any rust problems.

I'm not against it; I've just never used it, and don't plan to.

 

x2
Washing your car in the winter is more maintenance than cosmetic like you do in the summer. I usually do the same, run the Jeep, or whatever Im driving, through the touchless wash with the undercarriage blaster at least once a month, temperature dependent.

 

I live in Iowa with a high amount of brine and road salt used in the winter. My intent is to keep this JKU for a very long time. On pickup trucks, here in Iowa, you see lots of cancer/rust (especially around the wheel wells) in as little as 4-5 years. How do wranglers hold up. I think I am going to undercoat the vehicle. Any thoughts?

Well I think I can answer that with some wisdom, since I grew up in IL. Moved to Texas when I was 19 and never looked back. Been here 31 years and they only use sand with some kind of heating agent? Nothing like up North!

Back to the subject: How much do you "Love" your Jeep? If you "Love" your's like I do and want it to last? Go for the undercoat by all means. If you want to keep it for a long time that is, but even if you want to trade it in a couple of years it's still the way to go, because of a better resale value.

No Brainer in my mind!

50 Something

 

Lizard skin has 2 coating products.. One is mosly temperature, the other sound dampening. The thermal coat is mostly ceramic and Kevlar, should hold p well.

But it's expensive!

 

I love rust...the color...the fading....the smell....mmmm

 

I love ...the smell....mmmm

You sure you are not talking about... Never mind, haha.

 

I used it in my wheel wells. But that was mostly bc I did fender chop mod and needed to paint them black inside after removing the plastic. I figured why not.

 

I'm for it, for the rust prevention & added sound deadening. I had mine rust proofed also, they squirt some goo into the body panels.

 

definitely get the undercoating ,if you live in an area with a lot of salt do not get an undercoat that hardens ,this will just eventually crack and salt will get in there and be trapped against the frame and body panels and then guess what ??? u wasted your money and time . a wax based undercoat works well if touched up every year

 

I'm not a fan of undercoating, and I'm in MN where they coat roads liberally with salt in the winter.

It's fine at first, but develops cracks over time as it hardens with age. Then the crud gets trapped and rusts the hell out of everything from the inside out.

Hit the car wash regularly and you'll be fine. My '04 F150 was virtually rot-free underneath after 8.5 years, and not a speck of undercoating to be had.

 

Some cautions I have seen indicate that rust proofing may be worse because it covers areas where drainage from the frame and body occurs. Plus they say most manufacturers have already rust proofed your vehicle from the factory.

I have the same concern because mine will see quite a bit of salty beaches.

 

Some cautions I have seen indicate that rust proofing may be worse because it covers areas where drainage from the frame and body occurs. Plus they say most manufacturers have already rust proofed your vehicle from the factory.

+1

I've personally seen undercoating plugging drain holes in panels.

Most manufacturers these days are dipping the complete body shell in some miracle goo prior to paint.

 

I have found that wranglers after a while have a tendency to get rusty on the underside of floors etc. I have used por-15 on my daughters 92 and on my 2003. Por15 is uv sensitive but we are talking about the underside. Now They do make a chassis coat which is very tough. If no rust maybe use that if some rust started at seems and such do the por15 and topcoat with the chassis coat. Then on the inside of panels where they would rust from the inside out I use a rust proofer that Eastwood sells. it is very waxy and never hardens, and is self repairing because of not hardening. I have done this same thing on my '87 Buick Grand National. So far so good.

 

Im gonna do rustolium flat black then when that drys Im gonna start spraying down with wd40 couple times a year. Did it on my 95 YJ and never had any rust till the body started showing some spots in 2005.

 

Frame and chassis components are where the short term risk are. Modern assembly dips all the body panels and structure prior to paint thus most cars make it years now before showing any signs of breakdown unless that dip is disturbed.

 

Jeep uses paper thin paint on the frames and suspension. I live in CO where the humidity is low and there are already tiny spots of rust forming.

 

Just coat it with fluid film... Look it up, solves all the issues your talking about....

 

The car wash is your friend. Find a rare warm day each month during winter, and go spray your undercarriage really good. I've never had rust issues...and they use some nasty chemicals on our roadways. The carwash is key.

 

Spray paint Rustoleum black paint on any exposed metal components, and frame, in springtime after rains wash away road brines and jeep went through car wash with undercarriage wash. If the body floor shows thin factory paint or rust spots, brush paint all of it with more Rustoleum. Roofing tar, thickly applied in wheel wells, seals well and doesn't harden. Be obsessive with the Rustoleum . Any exposed metal should be painted, from grille to tailgate.

 

Painting the frame with Rustoleum is one time when runs are ok. LOL

 

Plenty of production and transportation scuffs on the frame of my 2013 JK, while the tub appears to be well covered. Differentials are plain poorly painted right from the factory and already showing signs of rust in some spots. Just one month on the roads and only a single minor rain thus far, never any salt, got the jeep early April.

I am in the process of clearing any rust however minor it may be with rust eater I found at Lowe's. It contains phosphoric acid, works great. Then covering spots affected with rustoleum professional undercoating using paint brush. Will see how well will it hold up.

 

What is preferred when coating underneath: painting with a brush or spray on?

 

I just put fluid film on my jeep. Check out the sticky for that. It is easy to do yourself, my 2door took 2 cans. I plan on touching it up for the winter. Colorado is not too bad, they seem to use sand instead of salt. But I grew up and lived in Western NY in the snow belt and they LOVE their salt there so I am paranoid about rust. The thing about undercoating is, it still might crack and rust out eventually. But the way I look at it is that it still DELAYS that rusting, and you might be able to keep up on it and maintain the undercoat. This is my first time with Fluid Film but pics of some people's jeeps on here that use it convinced me to go that direction.

 

Same issue here with Salt. I have the Jeep sprayed each year at Krown. Also have an electronic rust proof device which is suppose to help (dealer through it in for free on my deal) but not sure if that really makes a difference. only time will tell

 

Ok, now that some time has passed, how are your theories holding up on undercoatings? Still believe what you did a few years ago?

 

I'd "rustproof" the vehicle. Meaning apply a coating which won't hide or trap rust, but coat the metal with a oil like substance that actually stops and prevents rust. This is my choice: https://www.theruststore.com/Cortec-VpCI-368-P82C28.aspx

It's not cheap but it works very well and lasts. You'll have enough to do a few vehicles.

 

Lots of options including just leaving it be. BUT if you want to keep it for awhile then tending to the frame would be a good idea. Many get concerned over the aesthetics and that is understandable but "ugly" doesn't kill. Rust in the frame - does.
As was mentioned avoid treatments that simply trap moisture and hide the underlying rust that results.
Plenty of info. pick the one that works for you.

 

The ziebart undercoating is the trap stuff kind...if you go to line x they have a tar type undercoating that works well...living in the rust belt i undercoat everything and run it thru the wash as much as possible... between that and spraying acf50 underneath in the summertime on the non undercoated parts it stays pretty clean down there...