Fluid Film DIY Kit

[A4Owner]

Have any of you upstate NY guys had success preventing rust with the Fluid Film DIY kit? The kit is pretty cheap and looks like you just point and spray. Yes/no? Or is it better/best to have a pro rust proofing shop take on this job? I'm in Ontario and the roads up here probably have more salt on them than there is in the Atlantic Ocean.

 

[Sascwatch]

I spray my truck with fluid film using a hand pump garden sprayer that I extended the wand hose on. I don’t think it sticks as well as the commercial oil guard or krown, but it seems to help out some.

I also had my truck coated at the dealer before I picked it up with an anti rust coating which is almost like bed liner, but much thinner. So far I’ve noticed it prevents stone chips on the frame, but it gets rubbed off by the long grass and weeds I drive through on logging roads.

 

[A4Owner]

Yeah the DIY kit is so cheap it is tempting to do that yearly. The factory undercoat seems like a good idea.

 

[BackCountryinNJ]

I started using Fluid Film when I had my 4th gen. The stuff is awesome and definitely prevents rust. I've got a case of 12 spray cans to put on my 5th gen before we get snow here in NJ. Hopefully, I'll get it on the truck in the next week or so.

 

[Steveinmd]

I've been using fluid film on our vehicles for a few years now. The last two cans were like snot and stay put much better. The first one was more liquid and dripped all over. I leave the film in the applicator bottle to make touch ups easy. It takes several applications a year depending on use and sun exposure. The product will degrade if exposed to the sun. Mainly in the rear wheel well/frame where the sun can reach. Other areas that need touch up would be the rear and anywhere heat can cook it.

 

[A4Owner]

So I'm pretty familiar with the underside of vehicles. Is the idea here to mainly hit the frame rails and various panels that have hollow interiors? And also is there any prep work required, particularly if the truck is used? I assume if I bought a new rig off the Chrysler site and had it delivered to a local dealership I would just coat it that same week?

 

[Steveinmd]

So I'm pretty familiar with the underside of vehicles. Is the idea here to mainly hit the frame rails and various panels that have hollow interiors? And also is there any prep work required, particularly if the truck is used? I assume if I bought a new rig off the Chrysler site and had it delivered to a local dealership I would just coat it that same week?

Sooner the better as far as applying. I don't spray everything underneath. I concentrate on the frame. Any openings in the frame/suspension. Definitely any welds that are accessible. Rear body fenders where previous gen rams were known to rust.

 

[djevox]

I bought this pneumatic spray gun from ebay, a $15 electric burner from walmart to warm the fluid film for easier application, and a gallon of fluid film from amazon. It works great at preventing rust.

Here’s how I kept it warm:

 

[Av1]

Have you considered CorrosionX? It's another option.

edit: I haven't used either on vehicle frames so not sure which would have the best results.

 

[Draconicus Mechanicus]

We used to use Fluid Film pretty extensivly on the not-often-opened areas of our helos in the Navy, those things get regularly sprayed with salt water mist and live outside next to the beach. It does wonders really, very rarely have I seen corrosion inside those spaces, when I do it's usually because someone didn't apply it or didn't apply it correctly. We've since moved on to something called Cor-Ban 35 for most of those areas. It's more of a hard coating, it'll chip but it's a ***** to actually remove, seems pretty tough in my limited experience with it. Had to remove some on a large panel and I really could only do it with a wire brush and loads of solvent to try and break it down, don't think the solvent did anything to help but kept the dust down at least. I know FF works great, but it being just a soft coating, it rubs off pretty easy so you'll be reapplying regularly. I've heard lots of horror stories with the rubber like undercoating systems, seems cuts from kicked up rocks making pockets for salt to hang out is the general consensus. I couldn't tell ya if Cor-Ban would do any better besides it not being soft so it can't make a pocket, I'm sure it would still chip and require touch ups every year. It's also around 72 dollars a quart on various online sources and I would think you'd need a gallon minimum for the full underside of the truck, probably more as I seem to remember the rattle cans not lasting very long, but it's also an aviation product and like motorcycle products, it's expensive as hell for no real reason other than it being for a relatively small market.

Kinda makes me glad I live in California again, don't really need to worry about rust anymore.

 

[dski]

I bought a 6 pack of surface shield cans, some attachments, and sprayed my '22 last fall. Was a little messy. Its supposed to last 2 years... we'll see how it does.