Preventing rust

**jbeall** · 03-06-2009, 10:43 AM

Hi All,

We just picked up a 2003 Yukon XL to server as our family vehicle. It has only 47,000 miles! It's in great shape.

We want this vehicle to last a long time. One of the things we've seen kill a big truck in the past is rust. We had a 1987 Suburban that was mechanically still in good condition, but the rust on the body and frame was just too far gone, and it wasn't worth it to repair it.

So, I'm wondering what kinds of steps we should take on this vehicle in order to head off rust before it even sets in. I know there are all sorts of products for preventing and sealing rust, like POR-15, Rust Bullet, and Rust Doctor.

Would it do any good to apply a product like these to exposed metal surfaces? I'm mainly thinking of the underside of the car, including the frame.

It might sound a little extreme

but after my last experience I guess I have a paranoia about rust.

Other suggestions about what to do to head off rust would be great.

Unfortunately we don't have a garage we can put our truck in. We're hoping that someday we'll have a house with a garage for the truck, but in the mean time, it's gotta be parked outdoors.

-Josh

**jlsparky7** · 03-06-2009, 12:36 PM

Couple suggestions from me.

I would try chasis saver. It is like a rubber type paint you can put on the underside of the chasis and the inside of fairings. Stops current rust and prevents future rust. I havnt personally used it but my uncle is a body mechanic and loves it.

Also if you live in a state that where the roads are salted try to get to one of the quarter spray washes and just rinse all the salt off. That helps a lot too.

Hope this helped.

**jbeall** · 03-06-2009, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by jlsparky7

I would try chasis saver. It is like a rubber type paint you can put on the underside of the chasis and the inside of fairings. Stops current rust and prevents future rust. I havnt personally used it but my uncle is a body mechanic and loves it.

Chassis saver... is that this?
http://www.magnetpaints.com/underbody.asp

Originally Posted by jlsparky7

Also if you live in a state that where the roads are salted try to get to one of the quarter spray washes and just rinse all the salt off. That helps a lot too.

I do. But what is "quarter spray wash"? Do you mean one of those drive-in carwashes where you spray down the car yourself? Any reason to do that over spraying down the underside of my car myself?

**jbeall** · 03-06-2009, 01:17 PM

I'm also looking for feedback on whether coating the underbody in something like Chassis Saver/POR-15/Rust Bullet/etc. is a good idea or not. Is it really going to prevent rust, or is it not really going to make much of a difference?

These paints are expensive (Chassis Saver is about $100/gallon), so I wouldn't want to waste my money on something that isn't really effective.

So, think using one of these paints is a good idea?

**yotchie** · 03-06-2009, 02:27 PM

you can also buy electronic rust protection modules. i dont know how much they are. i was told that by law they have to be used every so many feet on bridges. i never looked it up, if it was bs it was good bs lol. i am considering one for my truck. its not something you would see an immediate result in. i havent purchased one because i kinda thought they sounded too good to be true. but it may be worth lookin into. you never know

**jbeall** · 03-06-2009, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by yotchie

you can also buy electronic rust protection modules. i dont know how much they are. i was told that by law they have to be used every so many feet on bridges. i never looked it up, if it was bs it was good bs lol. i am considering one for my truck. its not something you would see an immediate result in. i havent purchased one because i kinda thought they sounded too good to be true. but it may be worth lookin into. you never know

Sounds like it doesn't work unless you're grounded somehow:
http://corrosion-doctors.org/Car/car...ronic-rust.htm

And a car has got those rubber tires which prevent it from being grounded. That's why lightning is unlikely to strike a car--or so they say. I, for one, have never been struck by lightning in a car! On the other hand, I've also never been struck by lightning while on a golf course while holding a metal club aloft.

**Z71_guy** · 03-06-2009, 10:08 PM

i would look into 3M rubberized underbody spray

**daddytech** · 03-06-2009, 10:40 PM

My uncle that lives in Pennsylvania sprays that spray in bed liner on his truck under carriages the bottom and frame and rockers are all coated in the stuff. granted he's only been using that for 4 years now, before that it was Undercoating several patches at a time. must be working pretty well because he's not had any problems with his 03 silverado with rust except for a couple little spots in the hood channels at the tops of the fenders.

**ippielb** · 03-07-2009, 12:00 AM

If you live in cold snowy areas. Don't wash your truck often in the winter, yes there's salt on the roads but the temperature change from cold to hot, then back to cold severely causes rust(in my experiences). You can wash your vehicle, just i suggest using cold water so there's no temperature change.