Is this amount of rust normal for only a few days of rain?

[Mac]

Can you elaborate on where? When I pick up my truck in TN I'm planning to drive straight to a napa/advanced etc and crawl under it and spray as much as I can before going back up to Minnesota for work. It's my first brand new vehicle and I'd like to prevent as much as I can from the get go because at the end of the day it's going to be a daily and it'll see a LOT of salt back home in NY. So I'd like to protect what I can with a few cans of fluid film.

Check Lowes near where you are picking it up, my Lowes had it for $10 a can, I sprayed 4 cans on mine, I have heard it is pretty inert but I would wear a mask and rubber gloves, it is also safe to get on plastic and rubber. I got some on the exhaust and I could smell it for a few days until it burned off.

Sponsored

 

[Tart_Cart]

Check Lowes near where you are picking it up, my Lowes had it for $10 a can, I sprayed 4 cans on mine, I have heard it is pretty inert but I would wear a mask and rubber gloves, it is also safe to get on plastic and rubber. I got some on the exhaust and I could smell it for a few days until it burned off.

Sorry, I was more looking for tips for where to spray it on the truck. Like certain points in the frame, or axles, certainly welds or whatever. My plan was just to get under there and go buck wild wherever it wouldn't be a fire hazard lmao.

Think the exhaust is worth it? I don't want it to smell like shit driving down the road lol.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sorry, I was more looking for tips for where to spray it on the truck. Like certain points in the frame, or axles, certainly welds or whatever. My plan was just to get under there and go buck wild wherever it wouldn't be a fire hazard lmao.

Think the exhaust is worth it? I don't want it to smell like shit driving down the road lol.

Never spray things on the exhaust deliberately unless it's a very high heat coating for exhaust or engines. It's not "smell" per se, it's fire hazard and the chemicals that are given off when some things are heated to those extremes. I work with a lot of chemicals but I've worked with some that if they get too hot I'd better leave the building.

 

[Deleted member 22728]

I used to be BIG into 70's IH Light Line trucks and Scouts; the anecdote was "they started rusting-out before the end of the assembly line". And I tell ya, with the exception of one CA truck, they were ALL bondo bombs. Years later, another story was related to me from a retired IH employee: "...the rolls of steel would be stored outside until needed by stamping. Sometimes it would rain, or dew, or snow...and the panels would literally be covered in a film of rust." It's no wonder, then, they (and I'm sure other manufacturers did the same pre-1980 Federal mandates for corrosion protection) would literally begin rusting from day one. Of course, things have changed significantly since then, with hardcore salt and sodium chloride winter roads killing literally anything it touches sooner or later. Despite the frames being dipped, we've been seeing JK's now that have destroyed frames, like the TJ and others. Had a beautiful low-mile 05' Avalanche 5.3 donor in this past summer who's frame was completely consumed, the doors literally jammed-shut due to the body collapsing-in.

 

[Tart_Cart]

Never spray things on the exhaust deliberately unless it's a very high heat coating for exhaust or engines. It's not "smell" per se, it's fire hazard and the chemicals that are given off when some things are heated to those extremes. I work with a lot of chemicals but I've worked with some that if they get too hot I'd better leave the building.

Right I wasn't planning on doing it anywhere where it'd get REAL hot. Tbh I wasn't planning on doing the exhaust at all just curious about it. Closest I'd consider is the heat shield but I doubt those bolts can ever be saved tbh.

My main concern is things that are expensive to replace or cant be replaced. Like frame, cab areas, etc. Or bolts that can be a c**t after a couple years of rust. I'd rather spend a little time now to save it down the road and not be in a shit situation with a destroyed bolt on my daily doing what was supposed to be a 3 hour job ?.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I used to be BIG into 70's IH Light Line trucks and Scouts; the anecdote was "they started rusting-out before the end of the assembly line". And I tell ya, with the exception of one CA truck, they were ALL bondo bombs. Years later, another story was related to me from a retired IH employee: "...the rolls of steel would be stored outside until needed by stamping. Sometimes it would rain, or dew, or snow...and the panels would literally be covered in a film of rust." It's no wonder, then, they (and I'm sure other manufacturers did the same pre-1980 Federal mandates for corrosion protection) would literally begin rusting from day one. Of course, things have changed significantly since then, with hardcore salt and sodium chloride winter roads killing literally anything it touches sooner or later. Despite the frames being dipped, we've been seeing JK's now that have destroyed frames, like the TJ and others. Had a beautiful low-mile 05' Avalanche 5.3 donor in this past summer who's frame was completely consumed, the doors literally jammed-shut due to the body collapsing-in.

AMC hot-dip galvanized the lower panels. My 82 is rust-free to this day, my 73, well, put a trouble light under the car and when you open the trunk and look at the trunk floor you think you are looking at the sky at night next to the wheel wells.
On my rust removal web pages I talk of the science and get into phosphate coating and using Coke to cut rust and the science behind that and how the phosphoric acid leaves a coating of iron phosphate which actually is a protective layer - Volkswagon used a process of phosphating metal prior to painting as it provided a chemical protection against rust under the paint layer.

Many carbonated beverages will remove rust. This is because the gas used, carbon dioxide when mixed with water, makes carbonic acid. To make rust, the iron oxidizes - it combines with oxygen. This is why rust is also called iron oxide. The carbonic acid reverses this reaction.

I use conversion products like Extend which has tannin or tannic acid - an organic compound that turns the rust into an inert, paintable surface. It forms a ferric tannate film on the steel/iron which is inert and can be painted.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Right I wasn't planning on doing it anywhere where it'd get REAL hot. Tbh I wasn't planning on doing the exhaust at all just curious about it. Closest I'd consider is the heat shield but I doubt those bolts can ever be saved tbh.

My main concern is things that are expensive to replace or cant be replaced. Like frame, cab areas, etc. Or bolts that can be a c**t after a couple years of rust. I'd rather spend a little time now to save it down the road and not be in a shit situation with a destroyed bolt on my daily doing what was supposed to be a 3 hour job ?.

Exposed bolt threads might be a good place for that treatment. Doesn't take a lot of rust to make you want to break out the torch or worse.......... blow the thing up in some remote area.

 

[Mac]

Sorry, I was more looking for tips for where to spray it on the truck. Like certain points in the frame, or axles, certainly welds or whatever. My plan was just to get under there and go buck wild wherever it wouldn't be a fire hazard lmao.

Think the exhaust is worth it? I don't want it to smell like shit driving down the road lol.

I sprayed it everywhere pretty much, especially bare metal and fasteners, I did not spray the exhaust on purpose a little overspray got on it spraying things around it. I also dropped the spare, sprayed the wheel both sides and the area it sit in when it is raised up. Under the hood I sprayed any bare metal and fasteners as well.

 

[Trippin01]

Ha ha! yours looks spotless comparatively! You need to get out there and drive it on some dirt roads with mud puddles.

I had that much rust just from shipping, ha ha.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ha ha! yours looks spotless comparatively! You need to get out there and drive it on some dirt roads with mud puddles.

I had that much rust just from shipping, ha ha.

Yeah, that happened when it came through Iowa from Ohio to Idaho.

 

[1996XJ]

Can you elaborate on where? When I pick up my truck in TN I'm planning to drive straight to a napa/advanced etc and crawl under it and spray as much as I can before going back up to Minnesota for work. It's my first brand new vehicle and I'd like to prevent as much as I can from the get go because at the end of the day it's going to be a daily and it'll see a LOT of salt back home in NY. So I'd like to protect what I can with a few cans of fluid film.

It is my first brand new vehicle as well. That is why i was like damn... that sucks. I want to keep this thing forever like i did my XJ. So far from where i looked,(i am sure it is elsewhere) It is all under the front. Too many areas to list. I would say just treat as much as you can. Especially any of the non painted parts.

 

[1996XJ]

Where in SoCal are you, what's your proximity to the ocean in where your truck is, i.e. work or fun or living?

Im inland so i would be an hour and a half from the ocean. Im in the not so cool part of southern california lol

 

[1996XJ]

Ha ha! yours looks spotless comparatively! You need to get out there and drive it on some dirt roads with mud puddles.

I had that much rust just from shipping, ha ha.

I plan on it. Work and weather has made that hard. Going to take a trip to Anza Borrego state park next weekend and then up to Washington in February.

 

[DrPlastic]

Thanks i appreciate the help. The only thing that kind of freaked me out was on a few spots it actually on coated parts and welds. The bare metal i do understand, i was kind of hoping it would of looked better underneath because some people where freaking out over two screw heads.

If that freaks you out then forget about owing any kind of vehicle as this normal and nothing to worry about. It happens to every vehicle.

 

[1996XJ]

If that freaks you out then forget about owing any kind of vehicle as this normal and nothing to worry about. It happens to every vehicle.

As i said earlier, i had seen people posting about literally one or two screws underneath rusting, so i was like woah... thats not just one or two screws. But either way i am over it now and helpful people on here gave me some products i can use to minimize the amount of rust. I love this truck and want to keep it for as long as i have had my XJ (18 years and counting)

EDIT: i just took a look under my XJ and its probably because of the patina that shadowspapa referred to and the healthy splattering of grease and oil, but i dont see anything with bright orange rust on it front or back.

Sponsored