Undercoating thoughts?

[bancroftdg]

I live within a stone's throw of the Atlantic Ocean and was wondering if I should get my TRD ORP undercoated. Back story: I had a 2000 Tacoma with a rusted out frame bought back by Toyota and a 2009 Tacoma that had its frame replaced by Toyota (no charge to me). Perhaps those were isolated instances of poor quality control at Toyota (lots of folks in the NE got new frames etc...)

If I should what do people recommend? Woolwax?

Sponsored

 

[adwightm11]

Living in the snowbelt in in Ontario, we have a LOT of salt on our roads every year from November to March. My previous vehicle was a 2012 Tacoma, I undercoated it EVERY year, and when i sold it this spring, it did not have a speck of frame or body rust. So I will be doing the same for my 4Runner.

As for a specific product, I don't know what's available in your area, but I always used Krown.

 

[kekecarioca]

Living in the snowbelt in in Ontario, we have a LOT of salt on our roads every year from November to March. My previous vehicle was a 2012 Tacoma, I undercoated it EVERY year, and when i sold it this spring, it did not have a speck of frame or body rust. So I will be doing the same for my 4Runner.

As for a specific product, I don't know what's available in your area, but I always used Krown.

What under coat (non-paint) does anyone suggest?
PR - 15 is fantastic for a restoration but it's a paint product.

 

[kekecarioca]

AMD form Car Care Nut has a good rust coverage :



Minute 12:35 : Per AMD -Fluid Film & Surface shield.

By the way, if anyone here has not seen Car care Nut, you will be in for a treat. The best out there for mechanical reviews, etc.. and it's Toyota based!

 

[TrdProGirl84]

This is just my opinion. If you live in a Northern State I think that should be mandatory thing to save the underbody of the vehicle for longer.

 

[Pelo18]

Got my 4Runner TRD Pro undercoated yesterday. No overspray, it looked like it was factory installed. The place that did it was meticulous in masking the TRD parts and shiny bits.

 

[Darrin]

I live in Northern Ontario we see a lot of salt in the winter
I had a 2007 Tundra which I replaced with a 2024 Tacoma the Tundra was oil sprayed every year since new
when I sold it in 2024 the mechanic was amazed at the condition it still looked new underneath.
I continue to oil spray my 24 Tacoma as well as my wife's new 25 4 Runner I use Krown

 

[kevin499]

I live in Northern Ontario we see a lot of salt in the winter
I had a 2007 Tundra which I replaced with a 2024 Tacoma the Tundra was oil sprayed every year since new
when I sold it in 2024 the mechanic was amazed at the condition it still looked new underneath.
I continue to oil spray my 24 Tacoma as well as my wife's new 25 4 Runner I use Krown

Do you do the krown treatment annually? Do you wash the underside of your vehicle at all after the application? I imagine pressure washer would just take off the coating. Any idea if they drilled additional holes or anything on the 4runner?

 

[Rotor-RPM]

I went with Krown for a couple years and switched to fluid film. Both seem to work great and my Tacoma had no rust after 6 years. Doing the same with my 4R, fresh FF when I picked it up in June and it’ll get another coat before winter. Northwest Ontario for reference.

 

[Soloflight]

Do i still need to undercoat the vehicle? I live in Vancouver and BC probably salt the road a few days a year and sometimes its not salt they put but sand, is the factory rust proofing enough for mild winters like BC?

 

[Formidable]

Honestly… I think you answered your own question. Main thing is that you do something if the frame is exposed to salt. It’s preventative maintenance. Best done before rust sets in.

I had CryoMode remove the wheels, skid plates and do an industrial grade ceramic coat over the entire undercarriage, frame rails, suspension and tow hitch. Supposed to last 10 years. Water beads like crazy and clean up is a breeze. Pick any spot in the following before/after pic to compare. They got everything and into every crevice they could possibly shoot. Highly recommended.

 

[Pelo18]

Do i still need to undercoat the vehicle? I live in Vancouver and BC probably salt the road a few days a year and sometimes its not salt they put but sand, is the factory rust proofing enough for mild winters like BC?

Soloflight

If you’re not heading up to the mountains for skiing or boarding. But, do remember Vancouver do get occasional snowfall and ice. And they treat the roads with salt or brine to keep it passable for traffic. Also, if you’re going to keep your vehicle for a long time, it’s an investment that will save you money over time.

https://www.apa.ca/en/recommended-products-and-services/rustproofing/

 

[quadna71]

I picked up a 6-pack of Fluid Film aerosol bottles and a couple of the 16” tube nozzles for cavity access. Hoping to spray the underbody next week and have been watching YouTube videos for tips and techniques. Not only do I also live 10 minutes from the Atlantic, but we have a surf tag and starting this spring it’ll be making twice-monthly trips out on the sand for fishing. The 4R replaced our 2013 Jeep 2 weeks ago and the salt in the sand definitely took a toll underneath the Jeep over those 12 years. I know it’s inevitable but a little effort now might help later.

 

[quadna71]

Spent part of today spraying about 3/4 of the underbody with the Fluid Film. First off, I was impressed with just how much coverage you can get out a single aerosol can. Second, the inside of the frame wasn't already coated with anything. I was hopeful it might have been sprayed during manufacturing like some FB posts had implied but that was not the case. I popped open the plugs in a number of locations and the inside of the frame was dry. Not any more! I did my best to stay clear of wiring, exhaust, and the suspension joints. Everything else from about the front of the running boards back got a nice coating and some spots even got a second coat. I paid special attention to the tops of any horizontal surfaces (frame, axle brackets, spring pads, etc) as that is where the sand seems to accumulate when we drive on the beaches. Sand is coated in salt and those areas on our last rig really showed rust forming there.

I'll finish spraying the front 1/4 when I install the ARK shields in the front wheel wells. I put them in the back wheel wells after spraying but it seems like they shorted me a bunch of hardware and I want to get that sorted before continuing the install.

 

[glocke12]

Honestly… I think you answered your own question. Main thing is that you do something if the frame is exposed to salt. It’s preventative maintenance. Best done before rust sets in.

I had CryoMode remove the wheels, skid plates and do an industrial grade ceramic coat over the entire undercarriage, frame rails, suspension and tow hitch. Supposed to last 10 years. Water beads like crazy and clean up is a breeze. Pick any spot in the following before/after pic to compare. They got everything and into every crevice they could possibly shoot. Highly recommended.

I'm having a hard time believing ceramic undercoating will last ten years..

I'm probably going to go with Woolwax, hopefully before December rolls around.

You guys that are doing this yourself, are you jacking your car up or can you get underneath freely ?

At the age of 58 and with a stone driveway I'm not sure crawling around underneath there is something that sounds like fun.

Sponsored