How do you keep your rig rust free?

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zerodk

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After my test drive of a rusted TJ, I stopped by a dealership, who is selling a 2014 JK that I have been considering. These are what I saw. If I am correct I'm seeing rust all over the control arms, track bar and the bolts on the front differential. This is only a 4 year old vehicle!

What are some of the ways to keep your rig rust free if you living in areas that use salt for snowy and icey roads?
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There isn't much you really can do if you plan to drive in the salt a lot. Especially if you are in a place like Ontario, where the roads are essentially a salt mine. You can spray fluid film over everything, but it will come off during the winter eventually. The second best thing you can do is wash the underside of the Jeep as much as possible. The best thing to do if you care about a vehicle is to not drive it in the winter. That is what I plan on doing with my TJ.

There are things you can do to help prevent rust, but you're never going to be able to keep your Jeep completely rust free if you're constantly driving through a slushy salt mix. Water + salt + steel = rust, very quickly.
 
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Corrosion control is an issue with everything in a salty environment. Coming from an aviation industry. We have to wash each jet every 30days and apply CPC. (Pretty much spray lubricant). And this is on an aluminum plane. Steel will corrode much faster. The only way to stop it is to keep water. (Salt or fresh) away from bare metal.

The only way is to keep it painted. (I cant tell you what type of paint is best) if water can not touch the metal it can not corrode. Moisture is the enemy.
 
Seriously though...buy a Jeep with as little rust as you can and keep a close eye on it (monthly)...anything that pops up, wire brush and paint with something like a stone chip paint.(and that goes for any bare metal you see)
 
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Exactly. Don't start with a problem.
 
That's some nasty rust.

My best advice for keeping it rust free... don't drive it in the Winter... period. Get a winter beater (if you live in a rust belt area) and only drive the TJ in the nice weather. Don't let it sit outside either.

If you absolutely must drive it, you'd better coat the entire underside with something like Fluid Film, and use a ton of it!
 
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Chris said:
That's some nasty rust.

My best advice for keeping it rust free... don't drive it in the Winter... period. Get a winter beater (if you live in a rust belt area) and only drive the TJ in the nice weather. Don't let it sit outside either.

If you absolutely must drive it, you'd better coat the entire underside with something like Fluid Film, and use a ton of it!
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Best advice there is.
 
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I lived in the "rust-belt" for almost 40 years. Its one of the reasons I moved from central NY to NC. I had an 01 Tundra i bought in like 03. Around 07-08 I went to get it inspected and it wouldn't pass; rust had made holes in the frame. I started searching the internet and to my surprise there was a tsb for that year Tundra for complete frame replacement for vehicles in the north east. I couldn't freaking believe it! I got the new frame, then traded it in for an 08 Tundra. No winter driving or move, only options really.
 
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that is not nasty rust, just some surface rust.

If you take a piece of 1/4" plate and grind it shiny, leave it out side for a day it will have a layer of rust on it, does it mean the metal is no good(?), of course not, rust is not an issue until it eats through the metal or begins to thin the metal (to an extent, I'm referring to structural integrity).

I live in the heart of the rust belt, salt on the roads and salt in the air, and high humidity so perhaps I am more used to dealing with rust. Plus I have worked with steel from an early age and understand the strength and resiliency of it.

Around here we "undercoat" vehicles, a black, sticky, goo-ee oil based product that is sprayed on everything, some cases the taillights are removed and it is sprayed (as best it can) inside the body work. It eventually seeps out and will cause dust to stick to it, looks like hell but can be cleaned up and is a GOOD sign.
 
I drive my Jeeps (4) year round and have each of them sprayed at Krown Rustproofing every year. I also spray them myself when I work on them. Nothing is perfect but it's manageable.
 
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meraks said:
I lived in the "rust-belt" for almost 40 years. Its one of the reasons I moved from central NY to NC. I had an 01 Tundra i bought in like 03. Around 07-08 I went to get it inspected and it wouldn't pass; rust had made holes in the frame. I started searching the internet and to my surprise there was a tsb for that year Tundra for complete frame replacement for vehicles in the north east. I couldn't freaking believe it! I got the new frame, then traded it in for an 08 Tundra. No winter driving or move, only options really.
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yup, so many Tacoma's and Tundra's around here with brand new frames. I know of one guy that had his done and if he had to pay out of pocket it would have equaled about 14 grand of work.

Good on Toyota!
 
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I've also read people on here spray the undercarriage with boiled linseed oil. Apparently it'll smell bad for a few days of driving after applying but will help prevent rust from forming.
 
CybrSlydr said:
I've also read people on here spray the undercarriage with boiled linseed oil. Apparently it'll smell bad for a few days of driving after applying but will help prevent rust from forming.
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What is typically done in OH? Here in Indiana it’s mainly just salt and beet juice. Where I live we could get away with using nothing but god for bid anybody has to drive on any snow. They take it way overboard. Hardly any snow remains on the roads and the trucks are out dumping the crap on the roads. Oh well rubi won’t be subjected to that life anymore lol
 
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Starrs said:
What is typically done in OH? Here in Indiana it’s mainly just salt and beet juice. Where I live we could get away with using nothing but god for bid anybody has to drive on any snow. They take it way overboard. Hardly any snow remains on the roads and the trucks are out dumping the crap on the roads. Oh well rubi won’t be subjected to that life anymore lol
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I legitimately don't know - I've never had it done and only got the jeep in March after all the snow was gone! lol
 
Starrs said:
To the roads in OH.
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Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh. lol I thought you meant rustproofing. I see now. lol

Down here in SE Ohio (near WVa border) we see plenty of salting with occasional cinders. They've also been known to proactively apply a brine solution to the road prior to systems moving through on hills and other places.
 
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