What can I do to keep the undercarriage rust free?
- Thread starter sagreen22
- Start date
Will be tough, very tough in Ohio, but preventative maintenance always helps. Drain holes predrilled and spraying the inside of the frame to prevent rust. Any type of self healing, non-drying frame coating will work wonders. If the frame is rust free now, cleaning and using something like POR15 chassis coating will not be out of the question. Any nooks and crannies and creases, etc.. should be sprayed with fluid film, to prevent salt and brine from seeping in and surprising you in a year.
I've even used dielectric grease, and anti-seize in frame joints and between bushings etc, to make sure that you don't start rust forming there after a salty bath
I've even used dielectric grease, and anti-seize in frame joints and between bushings etc, to make sure that you don't start rust forming there after a salty bath
Last edited:
Winks42
TJ Enthusiast
I would drill drain holes about 3ish inches away from each control arm so water can drain out. Some people like Por-15 some use fluid film. I prefer fluid film as por15 is a little hard to apply but when applies correctly you wont rust. Fluid film is around $30 to spray the whole frame and I do it twice a year. I also recommend using Eastwood internal frame spray inside the frame to prevent rust, It takes 2 cans if you go that route.
Por-15 adhesion has mixed results... Steel and/or rust must be prepped and neutralized. I do not suggest coating with por-15/chassis saver if the factory coating on the frame and tub is very clean.
Take the Jeep to a car wash and buy the undercarriage wash option. Then take home and drill some holes into the lower portions of the frame.. I know there's a write-up somewhere on here on how/where to drill. There's also a good write-up on how to clean out the inside frame rails. Let everything fully dry and apply fluid film. I apply FF twice a year to my daily drivers.. One of which is 13 years old and there is little to no rust.
My state, Rhode Island, for how small it is uses the most salt per any state to treat roads. It's not uncommon to see rusted parts on the road a couple hundred feet from a pothole.
Take the Jeep to a car wash and buy the undercarriage wash option. Then take home and drill some holes into the lower portions of the frame.. I know there's a write-up somewhere on here on how/where to drill. There's also a good write-up on how to clean out the inside frame rails. Let everything fully dry and apply fluid film. I apply FF twice a year to my daily drivers.. One of which is 13 years old and there is little to no rust.
My state, Rhode Island, for how small it is uses the most salt per any state to treat roads. It's not uncommon to see rusted parts on the road a couple hundred feet from a pothole.
Purchase a beater car for winter driving. Not trying to be sarcastic. I swear the stuff they put on snowy roads these days is 10x worse than it used to be. I’m from Utah but now live in California. I couldn’t believe how much rust I got on some newly installed, freshly epoxy primered parts from a single trip to see family around Christmas. In the future we will be driving my wife’s car when there is snow on the roads.
I spray fluid film all over the frame as well as inside twice a year. I don't drive it much in the winter, if I did I might throw an extra application halfway through the snow season.
Yes, spray it all over the frame & inside the best you can. I also cover the differential attachment areas, the skidplate hardware... Pretty much all over the place. It makes it super fun & messy the next time you have to get under there to do some work, but this is the way.
Yes, spray it all over the frame & inside the best you can. I also cover the differential attachment areas, the skidplate hardware... Pretty much all over the place. It makes it super fun & messy the next time you have to get under there to do some work, but this is the way.
Eastwood also sells a product that is on par with POR and they have the inside-the-frame nozzle applicator.
I buy fluid film by the gallon. I also don’t drive my Jeep in the winter.
Also, one of these at home under pressurized warm water helps too. Let it run for a bit and let it dry naturally.
I would go with wool wax over fluid film. Have heard it is a bit thicker so a little harder to apply but smells alot better and supposively oversprays alot less. When I finish my current supply of fluid film I'll be going with wool wax. Like mentioned above though, taking the TJ off the road for the winter is the best idea.
I use a power sprayer outside any time it's over freezing and wash the cars with a bucket of hot water inside my garage if it's below freezing. Stick the power sprayer in the holes and flood the inside of the frame.
You can try one of these under carriage sprayers, but I just get down low and spray everything. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QHTCWBB/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Every year I detail all the cars I own in the spring and fall. The spring includes a complete nook and cranny cleanout of doors, hinges, quarter panels, front and rear bumpers, ,,,, Then oil changes, paint chip and rust repair, under carriage inspection etc. Then cleaning the grime and rail dust off the paint job before waxing everything with a heavy coat (including places unseen).
My newest car in the fleet is 10 years old. Nothing show room but nothing falling apart from rust either.
I still can't figure out why people who pound the crap out of their coatings by going off road are so afraid of other potential paint problems. The most damage we had on cars was due to the sandblasting action of gravel covered dirt roads. It literally strips the paint from everything underneath and including the paint up the sides of vehicles if you don't have large mud flaps to help slow down the damage.
If I lived in a sandy area, I'd be fixing paint all the time. Now I only inspect it twice a year and clean off the salt whenever I can in the winter. The frames that rust out are likely on cars that rarely have their oil changed either. Just flood the inside of your frame until the water runs clear and it will solve a lot of issues.
You can try one of these under carriage sprayers, but I just get down low and spray everything. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QHTCWBB/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Every year I detail all the cars I own in the spring and fall. The spring includes a complete nook and cranny cleanout of doors, hinges, quarter panels, front and rear bumpers, ,,,, Then oil changes, paint chip and rust repair, under carriage inspection etc. Then cleaning the grime and rail dust off the paint job before waxing everything with a heavy coat (including places unseen).
My newest car in the fleet is 10 years old. Nothing show room but nothing falling apart from rust either.
I still can't figure out why people who pound the crap out of their coatings by going off road are so afraid of other potential paint problems. The most damage we had on cars was due to the sandblasting action of gravel covered dirt roads. It literally strips the paint from everything underneath and including the paint up the sides of vehicles if you don't have large mud flaps to help slow down the damage.
If I lived in a sandy area, I'd be fixing paint all the time. Now I only inspect it twice a year and clean off the salt whenever I can in the winter. The frames that rust out are likely on cars that rarely have their oil changed either. Just flood the inside of your frame until the water runs clear and it will solve a lot of issues.
I also bought a cheap borescope since my head is too big to look in there to inspect inside.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tj-today.1784/post-648620
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tj-today.1784/post-648620
Hey all,
I picked up a 2005 LJ from out West with almost zero rust underneath. To the extent I can, I'd love to keep it looking that way out here in the MidwestWhat should I do to the undercarriage to keep it looking great in Ohio and how often?
thanks!
I've done both on my son's and daughter's Jeeps. I went back to Fluid Film.
5 years ago I moved from Cincinnati to Arizona. I decided to leave my very much loved yellow TJ there because it was rusted... and why import rust to Arizona? We bought a rust free Amber Fire TJ right after moving here and two weeks ago I finally bought a zero rust yellow 2004 Rubicon because I missed my yellow one every day since I'd sold it.
Anyways, had I known more about rust when I bought my first TJ I would have moved heaven and earth to prevent more rust from forming. The biggest culprits are salt and wet mud inside the frame. Don't drive it in the winter, keep it garaged, and keep the inside of the frame as clean and dry as possible.
Anyways, had I known more about rust when I bought my first TJ I would have moved heaven and earth to prevent more rust from forming. The biggest culprits are salt and wet mud inside the frame. Don't drive it in the winter, keep it garaged, and keep the inside of the frame as clean and dry as possible.
on a separate note, I do hate that our beloved TJs with their globe-trotting and go anywhere heritage and capabilities, get to suffer so much from just salty winters(this is also an issue for JKs and was an issue for YJs and the like as well) I love having the jeep for the freedom it provides and the notion that if I must take a never travelled path, that it should fair well in most unusual conditions.
I hate the idea of not being able to drive my TJ in the winter because of the fear of rust. The main reason I went back to owning a Jeep Wrangler was for winter driving and heavy snow conditions. The factory should have invested in better rust treatment as well as spend more time in looking at the chassis itself. This being the Wrangler with the better driving characteristics, it has a great handling chassis, when compared to a CJ, for example. I have looked at drain holes for preventative maintenance and allow the salty brain to drain out, rather than sit in, and also at ways to etch the inside of the frame to help prevent rust. In my case it is still ok to do so, and will require work, but those looking into the TJs should definitely invest the time and effort in getting the inside of the frame to hold out better. PITA that we have to be the ones doing it, rather than the factory, but such is this Jeep thing.
I hate the idea of not being able to drive my TJ in the winter because of the fear of rust. The main reason I went back to owning a Jeep Wrangler was for winter driving and heavy snow conditions. The factory should have invested in better rust treatment as well as spend more time in looking at the chassis itself. This being the Wrangler with the better driving characteristics, it has a great handling chassis, when compared to a CJ, for example. I have looked at drain holes for preventative maintenance and allow the salty brain to drain out, rather than sit in, and also at ways to etch the inside of the frame to help prevent rust. In my case it is still ok to do so, and will require work, but those looking into the TJs should definitely invest the time and effort in getting the inside of the frame to hold out better. PITA that we have to be the ones doing it, rather than the factory, but such is this Jeep thing.