Fluid Film Treatment in My Situation

[BISCUT]

Vehicle is a 15 F150 that resides in "upstate" NY and used for a good amount of winter travel in VT & NH mountain regions. I had it on a lift for a trans service and rust is ok but certainly present in 8th year of life. Truck has been a gem so far and used as a family travel vehicle. It's actually pristine overall, especially compared to my 17 Outback that is our daily driver. That car gets beat! I'm looking to keep this pig for another 10 years if I can. So far the only long term issue would be frame rust. I looked into some treatments and never had a solid feeling, especially at the cost.

I used my friends lift (he is a full time mechanic with a shop) and I asked him is thoughts on what we had for rust. He told me his friend owns a Fluid Film side hustle and he could get me a full treatment for $200 his cost. So now I'm thinking this is a no brainer. I have used Fluid Film spray for my workshop (Delta 10" tablesaw; 8" jointer; bandsaw; etc...) and it is a good product.

I'm asking if the product works in a vehicle undercarriage application and asking if it needs to be done from the start or if it works well even after some rust has set in. I always remember another friend who owns a body shop who tell customers he can't fix rust and that rust can be slowed but rust will eventually win. Additionally, is thre any performance difference between the clear and the black?

 

[Rand]

There should be no clear.. an off-tan color (clear?) and a dyed black?

It is similar to krown in that it is a migrating oil spray. Should be resprayed yearly.
it works by being self healing and keeping oxygen away from bare metal/rust.

Krown here is around 169 for a full size truck.

There is also another "thicker" FF product called woolwax.. for high spray areas such as wheelwells.

While obviously its best to start with a new truck. it will help prevent rust growth/formation regardless.

your truck will smell like SHEEP butt for awhile and be messy.

Your brakes might also be weak for a couple hundred miles until it burns off.. Also it goes everywhere as a mist if sprayed on with high pressure.

I would be ok with FF, Krown, or rustcheck.. the people doing it is more important than the product with those 3.

Edit: added
the installers should be drilling your doors etc and spraying inside then putting in plastic plugs.
I like krown because it doesnt really gum up and wont clog door drain holes etc.
FF is more Gooey.. if done correctly it is fine.
I do like the woolwax for wheelwells better than krown as it is more resistant to wash off.

for the price I paid it was less than 100$ labor and its Not a fun job you get covered if you are doing it right.
and a lift is essential.

Now if you want to put it up on jackstand and hose down the frame real good with a couple cans.. that is different.

 

[PF52]

The Blaster corporation (makers of PB Blaster) has a relatively-new product called Surface Shield that is very much like Fluid Film except it is more resistant to being washed off by rain, spray etc. It is getting some extremely good reviews! I would gladly pay to have someone put a vehicle on a lift and get all the nooks and crannies with it (easier than doing it myself since I don't have an air compressor and have to use spray cans).

I thought it kind of smelled like wet, thick black topsoil.... It's definitely distinctive!

 

[2010Civic]

His cost is definitely less than $200. A 5 gallon bucket of fluid film can be purchased for less than $200 which would last for several winters.

 

[redhat]

No difference between the clear (straw) colored versus black. Black is nice to hide the sight of rust. Fluid Film and Woolwax both will creep decently into rust. It is not too late to go for getting the thing sprayed. I would start doing it and repeat every year. I do not see why another 10 years is out of the question.

Of course, ideally, since new is best, but it is never too late to start unless you have major frame damage, cracks or rot holes.

 

[arc_wiz]

Is a lift actually essential? Just bought 6 cans of woolwax in nov and was planning on undercoating my 03 burb. I've got 3 cans of FF too, was going to get it up on stands and have at it.

 

[mattd]

While fluid film is effective where it stays, it doesn’t stay that long, especially in New England. I used to use NH oil and I now use noxudol. @BISCUT Here are photos of it applied. Granted I went more than just about anyone will removing fuel tank, wheel liners, spare tire, and front and rear bumps to be sure I got everything i could. I am on day 5 right now and still not dry (dries to a softish wax type coating). I think the cold temperatures here have been prolonging the drying process

 

[GON]

Biscuit,

I am going to give an alternate way of looking at this. You want the truck to last ten more years and think rust may prevent this from happening.

What are the first thing to go on pickups from rust:

• Brake pipe
• Fuel pipe
• Transmission lines

Maybe put heavy focus on those areas. Break annually where the brake pipe connects to joints, clean and protect the brake pipes. The same for the fuel lines and transmission lines. Also replacing the fuel filter annually, simply to keep rust getting a stronghold from preventing the fuel filter replacement.

Next the frame. not too hard to spray, and maybe the rocker panels. The truck is going to rust, but your mission appears to be having the truck safe and run for ten years, not appearance. I think it is very hard to be driving a truck daily in all kinds of northeast winter weather with salt roads and prevent rust- it is going to happen. So maybe focus on some key at risk areas/ exposures from rust.

 

[JTK]

I've been treating my vehicles myself with both FF and woolwax since about 2018. You don't need lift for trucks, although it would be lot easier on who's doing the application to have the vehicle up in the air.

This isn't a once and done thing. These oil type sprays need to be done yearly for any real results. Each year you'll find you don't need to apply as much.

Woolwax smells really nice IMO. FF smells like a farm.

 

[camrydriver111]

Of course it can't reverse rust but it will slow down existing rust considerably. Getting it done on a partially rusted car is still worth it if you are keeping it for a while.

 

[redhat]

Woolwax smells really nice IMO. FF smells like a farm.

110%. My wife hates the FF smell

 

[JTK]

On a related topic that will make any rust-belter want to start using any of the above mentioned treatments, watch one of the latest videos from South Main Auto on youtube.

Eric O is replacing the front subframe on a 2014 Subaru Outback. From the top side the vehicle looks about perfect. The underneath of this poor thing is Swiss cheese!

He had a video on I think a 2019 Silverado recently. Same thing. The amount of rust was astonishing underneath the poor thing.

 

[Creekside]

Biscuit,

I am going to give an alternate way of looking at this. You want the truck to last ten more years and think rust may prevent this from happening.

What are the first thing to go on pickups from rust:

• Brake pipe
• Fuel pipe
• Transmission lines

Maybe put heavy focus on those areas. Break annually where the brake pipe connects to joints, clean and protect the brake pipes. The same for the fuel lines and transmission lines. Also replacing the fuel filter annually, simply to keep rust getting a stronghold from preventing the fuel filter replacement.

Next the frame. not too hard to spray, and maybe the rocker panels. The truck is going to rust, but your mission appears to be having the truck safe and run for ten years, not appearance. I think it is very hard to be driving a truck daily in all kinds of northeast winter weather with salt roads and prevent rust- it is going to happen. So maybe focus on some key at risk areas/ exposures from rust.

This x100. Especially the steel lines on the frame where they are secured with the little plastic clips. Pull them out of the clips, scotchbrite any rust off and hose the line down before you resecure them. I've had vehicles where the brake line ruptured in one of those clips and 3" before and after the clip still looked fine.

In SW Missouri the little things above will kill a vehicle faster than say a frame rusting in half to finish a vehicle off except for a rare occasion.

 

[hemitom]

Vehicle is a 15 F150 that resides in "upstate" NY and used for a good amount of winter travel in VT & NH mountain regions. I had it on a lift for a trans service and rust is ok but certainly present in 8th year of life. Truck has been a gem so far and used as a family travel vehicle. It's actually pristine overall, especially compared to my 17 Outback that is our daily driver. That car gets beat! I'm looking to keep this pig for another 10 years if I can. So far the only long term issue would be frame rust. I looked into some treatments and never had a solid feeling, especially at the cost.

I used my friends lift (he is a full time mechanic with a shop) and I asked him is thoughts on what we had for rust. He told me his friend owns a Fluid Film side hustle and he could get me a full treatment for $200 his cost. So now I'm thinking this is a no brainer. I have used Fluid Film spray for my workshop (Delta 10" tablesaw; 8" jointer; bandsaw; etc...) and it is a good product.

I'm asking if the product works in a vehicle undercarriage application and asking if it needs to be done from the start or if it works well even after some rust has set in. I always remember another friend who owns a body shop who tell customers he can't fix rust and that rust can be slowed but rust will eventually win. Additionally, is thre any performance difference between the clear and the black?

The last couple of years i have done my own cars with corrosion free in spray cans .
I was really impressed with how much one can covers.
With your f150 having an alloy body, i would think if you focused on the frame work and brake and gas lines 3 or 4 cans would really give you a good coating.
last year i soaked the frame on the saturn as they are prone to have extreme rot , this year there was still a good coating of the corrsion free on the frame and floor pan.
You could do this yourself for less than $50

 

[Trav]

While fluid film is effective where it stays, it doesn’t stay that long, especially in New England. I used to use NH oil and I now use noxudol. @BISCUT Here are photos of it applied. Granted I went more than just about anyone will removing fuel tank, wheel liners, spare tire, and front and rear bumps to be sure I got everything i could. I am on day 5 right now and still not dry (dries to a softish wax type coating). I think the cold temperatures here have been prolonging the drying process

On these Fords I install extended well liners, they really help in this bad area. +1 on the Noxudol.

 

[BISCUT]

There should be no clear.. an off-tan color (clear?) and a dyed black?

It is similar to krown in that it is a migrating oil spray. Should be resprayed yearly.
it works by being self healing and keeping oxygen away from bare metal/rust.

Krown here is around 169 for a full size truck.

There is also another "thicker" FF product called woolwax.. for high spray areas such as wheelwells.

While obviously its best to start with a new truck. it will help prevent rust growth/formation regardless.

your truck will smell like SHEEP butt for awhile and be messy.

Your brakes might also be weak for a couple hundred miles until it burns off.. Also it goes everywhere as a mist if sprayed on with high pressure.

I would be ok with FF, Krown, or rustcheck.. the people doing it is more important than the product with those 3.

Edit: added
the installers should be drilling your doors etc and spraying inside then putting in plastic plugs.
I like krown because it doesnt really gum up and wont clog door drain holes etc.
FF is more Gooey.. if done correctly it is fine.
I do like the woolwax for wheelwells better than krown as it is more resistant to wash off.

for the price I paid it was less than 100$ labor and its Not a fun job you get covered if you are doing it right.
and a lift is essential.

Now if you want to put it up on jackstand and hose down the frame real good with a couple cans.. that is different.

Appreciate the reply. I do see the brochure from FF states it is a woolwax treatment IIRC.

 

[BISCUT]

His cost is definitely less than $200. A 5 gallon bucket of fluid film can be purchased for less than $200 which would last for several winters.

I may not have written this well. $200 was the cost to my mechanic for his personal vehicles from the guy who does this. The treatment is $400 for a car and nearly $500 for a truck in my area. NY not far from NYC ain't cheap brotha.

 

[BISCUT]

No difference between the clear (straw) colored versus black. Black is nice to hide the sight of rust. Fluid Film and Woolwax both will creep decently into rust. It is not too late to go for getting the thing sprayed. I would start doing it and repeat every year. I do not see why another 10 years is out of the question.

Of course, ideally, since new is best, but it is never too late to start unless you have major frame damage, cracks or rot holes.

That what really what I was questioning. Thanks.

 

[BISCUT]

While fluid film is effective where it stays, it doesn’t stay that long, especially in New England. I used to use NH oil and I now use noxudol. @BISCUT Here are photos of it applied. Granted I went more than just about anyone will removing fuel tank, wheel liners, spare tire, and front and rear bumps to be sure I got everything i could. I am on day 5 right now and still not dry (dries to a softish wax type coating). I think the cold temperatures here have been prolonging the drying process

Nice! Thank you. Appreciate the time to show the pics.

 

[BISCUT]

Biscuit,

I am going to give an alternate way of looking at this. You want the truck to last ten more years and think rust may prevent this from happening.

What are the first thing to go on pickups from rust:

• Brake pipe
• Fuel pipe
• Transmission lines

Maybe put heavy focus on those areas. Break annually where the brake pipe connects to joints, clean and protect the brake pipes. The same for the fuel lines and transmission lines. Also replacing the fuel filter annually, simply to keep rust getting a stronghold from preventing the fuel filter replacement.

Next the frame. not too hard to spray, and maybe the rocker panels. The truck is going to rust, but your mission appears to be having the truck safe and run for ten years, not appearance. I think it is very hard to be driving a truck daily in all kinds of northeast winter weather with salt roads and prevent rust- it is going to happen. So maybe focus on some key at risk areas/ exposures from rust.

Unfortunately fuel filter is in my tank. Not readily accessible. My last F150 was an 04 with an inline filter on the rail. Thanks for the advice on the other items.