My last truck (A 2000 F-150) rotted out like no other underneath.

Now I recently purchased a 2007 F-150 with practically no rust underneath. I know it can't be avoided completely (since I live in New England) but what products (paints, rubber?, etc.) are people using on the frame (or even axle) to keep them from rusting and looking like crap?

I think I saw pics of some Rusto flat-black rear axle on here that looked pretty good... but is there something better? What's the best bet on this?

Thanks for any and all help.

 

I would think that the best thing you could do was to rinse off the entire undercarriage every week during the salty times of the year.

 

Or if you have the money, maybe you could line-x it?

 

Try POR15!

 

I have no problem doing this in the summer; however, in the winter at my apartment there is no hose hookup or anything... salt from the roads is the worst.

 

POR-15 all the undercarriage parts you want to keep looking good and take it to a carwash with an undercarriage wash once a week during the winter.

 

POR-15 wont help at all if you aren't applying it to a surface thats not rusted.

I would just try my best by hosing it off under there.

 

Use rust converter first.

 

$1 a week at the carwash will save you a lot of trouble down the road. I feel sorry for you boys up North.

 

I already painted my entire frame, leaf springs,shackles,skid plates,rear axle, spare tire, with med gloss Rustoleum.....Seems to be working very well on my 2007! Still looks new!

 

What are you trying to say by this?






Also I don't know where you guys find $1 car washes but up here even the DIY power washers that you drive in are minimun $4.50




Also... what about Por-15 and then rusto over it to protect it more?

Gloss Black, Semi-Gloss Black, or Clear... whatcha think?

 

i sand down rough looking areas and spray it with semi flat many times. i power wash it once every atleast 2 weeks, all year round at a quarter wash. even in summer. just underneath, dont waste time on the truck itself, thats another area. just power wash the **** out of the underneath

 

Too bad - the quarter wash I go to here will run with just ONE quarter - for 40 seconds.

 

If you're looking at 5 bucks a pop for a spray wash, you might as well invest in a pressure washer.

 

Pressure washing the underneath will help but there's no way in hell your going to get all the salt off by doing that. You would have to put on a wet suit, lay on your back in the ice/slush, then wiggle your way underneath the truck with a 3' wand and try and spray it. Not to mention that if you work normal hours and are going to do this after work it's going to be dark.

I'd say this summer take a weekend and wire brush/grind off the rusty areas, hit it with some primer, then spray the hell out of the bottom with some Rustoleum or something equivalent. Unfortunately I haven't done this to mine but I did do it to one of my trucks in the past and it worked just fine. Now I drive a beater in the winter so I don't have to worry about it anymore (at least getting any worse that is).