Truck undercoat? (rust prevention)

[hatidua]

A friend is moving to the Northeast and has given thought to getting his truck undercoated prior to moving. Does anyone know of local companies that do that?

[Bailey Guns]

Don't know of anyone that does it. However, I've been told by more than one person that knows cars it's a waste of money. I know it used to be one of the dealer add-ons years ago to increase profits but I haven't seen it offered in years. I'm no expert though...just what I've observed and been told.

[hatidua]

Don't know of anyone that does it. However, I've been told by more than one person that knows cars it's a waste of money. I know it used to be one of the dealer add-ons years ago to increase profits but I haven't seen it offered in years. I'm no expert though...just what I've observed and been told.

Thanks. We had it done when living in SE Asia but there wasn't any salt to contend with, just nonstop water (rain/mud puddles/etc). I'll pass that along, it might be wholly ineffective against salt, I've not lived in the NE in nearly 30 years.

[Great-Kazoo]

Keeping the undercarriage clean works better than undercoating. WE had 1 out of 12 vehicles, over time undercoated, that was a new purchase. None of the non-coated units experienced any form of rust. Which wasn't bad considering we lived 140' from the ocean. 2' when it rained

[dirtrulz]

Never undercoat. Makes it impossible to get the undrrside clean. They will miss spots and the undercoating will lift and trap the salt under it. You will be left with nothing but undercoating when your done.

[ThunderSquirrel]

I was always told undercoating was pointless unless you are doing a frame off restoration and can paint /treat everything appropriately while it's super clean. Anything you put on a used vehicle traps dirt and guarantees rust.

[brutal]

Where I come from, PDQ with underbody wash as often as feasible.

I imagine there's similar operations wherever he's going.

[T. B. Turner]

I grew up in Michigan where they use salt on the roads in the winter time. If a car was not rust proofed the body would rot away after a few years. There was a company called ziebart that was considered a top of the line company. I don't know what sates they are located in. But I had bought a new 1979 GMC pickup and had it Ziebated right away. Then I got lazy and didn't take it in for the periodic maintenance checks, It had a little bubble under the corner of the bed that the material did not reach, that corner rotted through and the rest of the truck was fine. When I moved to Co. I was surprised at all the older vehicles that were not rusted out.

http://www.ziebart.com/

[zteknik]

When I was working at the Ford dealer back in NY we did undercoating- mostly as an extra sale. It lasted for a bit, but if you had a plow truck - FHUGETABOUDIT!!! It would actually rust quicker. Guess the road grime and salt creeps in between and just chews away at it.

[Great-Kazoo]

. When I moved to Co. I was surprised at all the older vehicles that were not rusted out.

http://www.ziebart.com/

That's due to the state using sand many years ago. We switched to that deicer crap as a replacement.