New 2025 Ram 1500 with hurricane engine.

[Hay Dude]

I hot powerwash maybe 1x per week and have no rust.
It really depends on frequency of salt, how wet it is and how much you drive.
I drive very little in the winter months, so I am luckier than most.

 

[DarkBlack]

are you at least doing that ? ''power wash it and undercoat it'' and that doesn't mean going to the car wash.

I’ve had to replace my rusted muffler, and resonator pipe a couple years ago. How do you undercoat exhaust systems?
It’s supposed to be made of 409 stainless.

 

[DarkBlack]

I hot powerwash maybe 1x per week and have no rust.
It really depends on frequency of salt, how wet it is and how much you drive.
I drive very little in the winter months, so I am luckier than most.

That’s key. People who can drive only when they want to, can prevent rust, a lot more than someone who must drive to work 5-6 days a week no matter what the weather and road conditions.

 

[WinterDeere]

Once its started it's like cancer, you can slow it down but you can stop it. But applying oil can only slow it down.

My experience, as well. And it's like exponential growth, the farther along it goes, the faster it accelerates.

Sorry ''Rust check'' is a brand or a company in Canada specialized in vehicle oil undercoating, they put your vehicle on a lift, power wash it thoroughly, drill holes inside doors and rocker panel and shoot oil everywhere inside and under in every crevasses.

Got it. We used to have two companies who did the same down there, but with a rubberized coating instead of oil. I think Simon was one, with their "Simonizing" process. But many found that the coating, while indestructible, eventually delaminated from the metal. After that, it would act to actually trap brine between the coating and metal, and rust even faster. If they haven't gone completely out of business, they're way less popular now than they were 40 years ago.

I know of DIY solutions like Fluid Film, but haven't seen anything about a service that does this. Maybe I just need to look for it. It may also be illegal here, EPA stuff.

It really depends on frequency of salt, how wet it is and how much you drive.
I drive very little in the winter months, so I am luckier than most.

Yeah, I think I mentioned this earlier. My driving habits are the absolute worst for rust, since I'll drive my truck every wet day, and then let it sit while I drive my sedan on subsequent sunny days. Simply driving the truck more in nice weather, would help all of the cervices and cavities dry out a lot better than they do while sitting unused.

 

[WinterDeere]

I’ve had to replace my rusted muffler, and resonator pipe a couple years ago. How do you undercoat exhaust systems?
It’s supposed to be made of 409 stainless.

I put a new stainless Flowmaster system on my truck in 2017, full cat-back system. It's showing a lot of rust today, and not just at the welds.

 

[DarkBlack]

I put a new stainless Flowmaster system on my truck in 2017, full cat-back system. It's showing a lot of rust today, and not just at the welds.

I hate rust on vehicles. It’s vehicle cancer.
When I was younger, salt on roads was rare. Now it’s from November- March

 

[WinterDeere]

I hate rust on vehicles. It’s vehicle cancer.
When I was younger, salt on roads was rare. Now it’s from November- March

With the amount they use around here, and I know we're not totally unique in this, it almost appears the salt suppliers must be giving kick-backs to those making the purchasing decisions. So much is wasted, on days when it's not needed, or by massive over-application.

Think about how much money is involved, when simply re-negotiating the rate of price increases saves a state $15M per year on salt!

https://www.wtaj.com/news/regional-news/road-salting-contract-saved-pa-taxpayers-funds-15-million-dgs-reports/

It's almost like when Congress tells you about "tax cuts", and then you learn that all they've done is reduce the rate of tax increases, not actually cut anything.

 

[Hay Dude]

That’s key. People who can drive only when they want to, can prevent rust, a lot more than someone who must drive to work 5-6 days a week no matter what the weather and road conditions.

Another farmer I know built a drive-over vertical spray wash station for trucks & equipment. Park overtop of it and drive slightly forward/reverse and it washes off bottom of vehicle.
In my next life, I would invest in something like that. I bet northern vehicles would last 20 years.

 

[mrmikey]

I'd be wondering if when you powerwash under a vehicle, aren't you washing the undercoating off as well?

But many found that the coating, while indestructible, eventually delaminated from the metal.

Think it was Ziebart around here, worst thin ever invented. May as well wrap the metal bits in salt soaked sponges.
Don't know if anyone watches South Main Auto, believe he's in New York, guys a genius around vehicles. He refuses to work on vehicles that have been undercoated with that stuff. I remember he showed one on a hoist, looked brand new underneath.....till he started picking thumbsized pieces of undercoating and frame off the underside of the car. It looked terrible under the pieces he picked off.

 

[Hay Dude]

I'd be wondering if when you powerwash under a vehicle, aren't you washing the undercoating off as well?

I haven’t noticed that happening. I would think it’s applied well enough that water wouldn’t wash it off. I’m not using a power washer, I’m using a typical garden hose on “jet” setting. If I said power-wash, I was mistaken.

Think it was Ziebart around here, worst thin ever invented. May as well wrap the metal bits in salt soaked sponges.
Don't know if anyone watches South Main Auto, believe he's in New York, guys a genius around vehicles. He refuses to work on vehicles that have been undercoated with that stuff. I remember he showed one on a hoist, looked brand new underneath.....till he started picking thumbsized pieces of undercoating and frame off the underside of the car. It looked terrible under the pieces he picked off.

Heard similar stories.