Krown rust proofing question for people using it

[Johnny248]

I've read a lot of threads regarding Krown rust proofing. I've been driving for 30 years in Michigan, and have never had any rust proofing done. I bought a '22 Tacoma TRD OF with 21k out of state where salt doesn't exist. I want to use something on this truck before winter hits. Most reviews seem favorable on the Krown, but I did have a couple of questions for people using it.

Wil they perform the services just on the underbody? I'm not really excited about drilling holes in doors and rockers etc to spray their treatment into.

I randomly had a customer who owns two locations, and was telling me about the product. (This is how I found out about it, and didn't really have any questions at the time), and he basically said that you don't need to/shouldn't wash your vehicle very often with it, leaning to the idea that you don't need to because of the protection. After BITOG, it seems that this stuff may wash off pretty easily in drive through car washes? I have one of those monthly car wash packages and usually run though every couple of days. Is this going to be an issue with the Krown?

Lastly, if there is a better option that I can have done in the Detroit area, what is it? I really don't want to DIY it because of the mess, and the idea of a shop with a hoist and application tools could probably do a better job.

Thanks !

 

[Kurtatron]

Weekly washes will chip away at the coating, if the wash is some kind of undercarriage spray.

I lived in Detroit for 8 years. When I undercoated my cars with fluid film, I did not wash the undercarriage all winter long. Coat lasted through most of winter except directly under the wheel wells.

You’ll need to decide if you’re willing to forgo car washes. To get the best rust protection, you do not wash the undercarriage.

I kind of prefer that though, because anything that maximizes laziness is a plus in my book. Less washes worked for me.

 

[Johnny248]

Weekly washes will chip away at the coating, if the wash is some kind of undercarriage spray.

I lived in Detroit for 8 years. When I undercoated my cars with fluid film, I did not wash the undercarriage all winter long. Coat lasted through most of winter except directly under the wheel wells.

You’ll need to decide if you’re willing to forgo car washes. To get the best rust protection, you do not wash the undercarriage.

I kind of prefer that though, because anything that maximizes laziness is a plus in my book. Less washes worked for me.

I have no idea how much cleaning the undercar wash does when driving through the car wash. I can't stand my vehicles being completely nasty and gross on the exterior all winter long. I like my things clean lol

 

[camrydriver111]

1) You can ask Krown not to drill holes. It is an option in Canada when you book your appointment.

2) The Krown franchise owner also told me not to use underbody washes in the winter.

This makes sense to me. Krown is very thin and eventually the oil can completely dry. With Krown the oil is merely a solvent for the corrosion inhibitors. So when it dries completely the corrosion inhibitors are still there but they can also get washed off easily.

3) Fluid-film performs better than Krown. There is about half a dozen corrosion inhibitor comparisons on youtube and Krown is always the worst product tested.

Fluid film is a thicker oil so it doesn't wash off as easily as Krown. With Fluid Film you can undercoat every 2 years. Because of how thin Krown is, I think you need to do it every year.

In Canada there is a Krown shop in every medium town but you will have a hard time finding Fluid Film.

Another thing I don't like about Krown is they wash your cars with a brush so you will get paint scratches.

 

[Kestas]

I'm not sure what Krown uses, but I have a few decades experience with wool grease (Texaco Rustproof Compound L). It provides a grease-like barrier between the metal and the corrosive environment that ideally remains pliable. With time it will harden, and erode at high wash areas. It needs to be reapplied every two or three years to truly remain effective. Unfortunately many people lose interest in their vehicles after a while and stop the applications.

I would stay away from the waxy applications that get brittle and delaminate, like cosmoline.

As a DIYer, instead of drilling holes I try to remove panels, such as door panels, to apply the rustproof compound.

 

[Johnny248]

I'm not sure what Krown uses, but I have a few decades experience with wool grease (Texaco Rustproof Compound L). It provides a grease-like barrier between the metal and the corrosive environment that ideally remains pliable. With time it will harden, and erode at high wash areas. It needs to be reapplied every two or three years to truly remain effective. Unfortunately many people lose interest in their vehicles after a while and stop the applications.

I would stay away from the waxy applications that get brittle and delaminate, like cosmoline.

I know it is some sort of petroleum based product.

 

[Danno]

I've been using Krown for many years. On my 7th application for my 2019 RAV4.
Just had the most recent application done last week. Went under last night to reinstall the oil change panel, which I had removed for the Krown application.
It looked remarkably gunk free under the body and I don't use car washes.
I frankly wouldn't worry about an underbody build up this product.
I have had the rockers drilled for the Krown spray, if not you're not taking advantage of hidden panel protection. In other words, your rockers and cab corners are likely to rust.
The key things I want from Krown is protection from rust on panel seams like door bottoms, door handle pockets, wheel wells, rear hatch and inner panel protection - rockers and cab corners.

 

[Coltron_Actual]

I didn't use Krown, but I've used Corrosion-Free (another Canadian product). I chose only the underbody coating. No holes drilled. I've seen some better applicators do it without drilling, instead using whatever plugs, or removable things they can find on the body to get their spray wand inside, but good luck finding someone doing that anymore is my guess.

I bought spray cans of the corrosion-free product from the body shop I went to and would touch up high-wear areas every so often during the winter. (Leading edges of the lower control arms, receiver hitch, etc.) I'd also do some additional spraying of my own, like the bottom seams of the doors.

I used this through five years of NY winters and had minimal corrosion, and I think it was the "built in" rust that Tacomas come with. Nothing that a wire brush and bit of rust-converter spray paint wouldn't have taken care of in the warmer months.

I don't live in NY anymore but I still keep fluid film and fluid film black on hand for the milder winters where I am now.

 

[hemitom]

A lot of it comes down to application and how well it's done.
Just had my car done at Krown and they did an outstanding job I got underneath and inspected the under carriage and believe me my goal was to find a missed spot or dry area . I could find none ! the best rust proofing application I have ever had.
Also the car dripped for about four days after.

 

[xmanjeff]

i live in ny state, i have used rust stop and rustaway from different garadges that did it ,i get it done about every 3 to 5 years , i have a 03 silverado that is solid , i have no problem with them drilling holes in the door or rockers , thats the only way to get it in there , i had krown done once , and never again , i felt it was too thin , and feel it diluted what was already on my truck , i need to get another vehicle done in a few weeks , and am looking at woolwax,
i think the best way is after i get it applied to my vehicle to drive down a dirt road to get some dust up in there to stick on the oil , and turns a greasy coating

 

[Hohn]

Blaster Surface Shield. It's lanolin-based like Woolwax, Fluid Film and Krown and such, but IME it is superb for resisting wash off. They say you can do every other year and I believe them. I'm about to do my GX again.

 

[JTK]

Krown is good, as are any of the other oil, wax, lanolin based products. Like said above, you can request that the Krown dealer not drill any holes. The key to any of these products is, they need to be re-applied. In my experience, having used Krown in the past, the product is thin and will wash away. Especially the first application. You need to have Krown done yearly.

 

[Coltron_Actual]

I'll add to my Corrosion Free experience, it was an 18-month recoat, but I stretched it two years. Especially because the body shop I went to was really only set up for it from October through maybe January. I'd have not been able to get it recoated at the specified 18 months. It was a fairly thick product IMO. Definitely thicker than Fluid Film.

 

[Arc]

Down here in Kentucky it's rare to even see a salt truck anymore. We haven't had hardly any snow now for many years and don't have to worry about rust anymore.

 

[Arc]

I've been using Krown for many years. On my 7th application for my 2019 RAV4.
Just had the most recent application done last week. Went under last night to reinstall the oil change panel, which I had removed for the Krown application.
It looked remarkably gunk free under the body and I don't use car washes.
I frankly wouldn't worry about an underbody build up this product.
I have had the rockers drilled for the Krown spray, if not you're not taking advantage of hidden panel protection. In other words, your rockers and cab corners are likely to rust.
The key things I want from Krown is protection from rust on panel seams like door bottoms, door handle pockets, wheel wells, rear hatch and inner panel protection - rockers and cab corners.

I bought a couple year old truck at auction that came from up north and it had holes drilled in the rocker panels from below and each hole was covered with a small piece of duct tape. I always wondered what the reason for that was and now I bet it was rustproofing.

 

[thastinger]

Do these car washes recycle their water?

 

[Coltron_Actual]

I bought a couple year old truck at auction that came from up north and it had holes drilled in the rocker panels from below and each hole was covered with a small piece of duct tape. I always wondered what the reason for that was and now I bet it was rustproofing.

From below is weird. I've seen them do it mostly from the top. And then a plastic plug is inserted. Or someone went to a real shady shop for that sort of work.

 

[Donald]

There are several products similar to Krown. Car Well and NH Coatings are the ones I am familiar with. NH Coatings says not to use any kind of under chassis car wash.

You want to find a place that knows what they are doing. I would have the holes drilled so they can do a proper job.

 

[Kestas]

Do these car washes recycle their water?

I heard car washes do recycle their wash water, which suggests that the salt water can be driven into the recesses of the vehicle. The rinse water is fresh though.

 

[Rand]

You dont want to wash weekly maybe once or twice all winter is ok. (underbody wash)

You do want it sprayed in the seems. the pinch welds and such is where the rusting starts from the inside out.

You need to wipe off excess on rubber.. door seals, hood seal etc.. or it may swell the rubber slightly.

Finding a good rustproofer is more important than the product they use.

Rustcheck , Fluid Film, krown are pretty common some use Noxudol which is also good as long as you avoid tar/asphalt type or rubber undercoating.