Products featured in this video: Surface Shield Gallon: amzn.to/2YpscVq Surface Shield 5 Gallon: amzn.to/30rrrvK Surface Shield Aerosol: amzn.to/3BIUgk8 Surface Shield Black!: amzn.to/3BQjLFW Fluid Film: amzn.to/3mQbiZy Fluid Film Black:amzn.to/4elPw7s Woolwax: amzn.to/401ElNE Spray Gun: amzn.to/3bIN9gX Aerosol Can Spray Handle: amzn.to/3EUpE1b Inner Cavity Spray Wand for Aerosol: amzn.to/3T8gmVZ Mask: amzn.to/40FB07o My Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/repairgeek Help support the channel, buy using my Amazon links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and your cost is exactly the same.
People complaining about "damage" to rubber components? Gtfo with that shit. Here in Scandinavia everyone uses underbody coatings. It's not magic, it's very simple. Unfortunately it's pretty expensive to have done, so people who don't plan on having the car for long, don't do it, and passes the problem on to the next guy.
I would advise to not use those rubber lift pads with coatings. I had a truck fall off the lift because the pads slid off the frame. Use metal pads or rubber with ears so it can't slide off. It was a real mess. It ended up on it's side between the post. I've seen the pads slide off the frame on 3 different trucks. So it is a real concern.
2000 Toyota 4Runner. Removed the door panels, removed drain plugs on rockers, drain plugs under the doors, sprayed inside and out with Fluid Film. Every year since 2004. Still showroom condition. No rust anywhere to be found. Paint still shines. Very proud of the looks of this vehicle. And this in the Road Salt Capital of The U.S. Northern Wisconsin
@@-_----- I'm sure the answer is no. Your car would look horrific if you doused the finish in this stuff. Plus, the panel rot typically begins from the inside. Finished areas under the car/in wheel wells/hidden, sure why not. I use CRCs corrosion inhibitor cosmoline spray, and hit unibody pinch welds and sometimes the folded fender piece that attaches the splash shields.
@@-_----- Nope. Just frame, suspension, under side of body, and where ever I could spray inside body. Coated rear bumper and trailer hitch extra heavy. Ceramic coat outside.
1997 4runner, i bought it for 4 grand with 460,000km, its never had that. if i hit a speed bump too hard itll snap in half. i live in fear of police as an inspection will surely mean its end
Im still using up my fluid film. Definitely has made a difference. Crazy how many people blow me off when I tell them they should do this to their vehicle
I've seen people complain about all the dirt that sticks to the protectant stuff. The dirty underside is irrelevant. Slap rust protection everywhere under there, nobody sees the bottom anyway. The dirt wont eat your vehicle, but the rust will.
I always ask people, would you rather work on something that's a little dirty but wipes away clean and everything unbolts fine, or a rusted, rotted nightmare where you have to torch every nut and bolt?
Dirt is actually the real problem because dirt acts like a sponge to hold moisture in against vehicle bodies. However, salt is also another big problem
Funny - my 2023 Forester is the first car I’ve ever coated (with Krown). When I took it to my Subaru dealer for my free oil change, the service folks came out to me in a panic. I was told there’s oil all under the car (with only 3,000 miles). I guess they thought the car blew every gasket. I’m glad they noticed and communicated. I’ll remind them next time so the service tech doesn’t have a heart attack again.
Fluid Film my Rams in Maine. Traded my last Ram with 300,000 miles and 12 Maine winters, no rust, got $11,500 trade in on my new Ram in 2017 from the dealer. Now my 2017 Ram has 180,000 miles, no rust. I see lots of newer vehicles that are rusting away that were untreated.
Yup, 5.7 hemi with a hot cam , nitrous and 3,000 rpm converter. Ran it at NEDW , Englishtown and Winterport dragway. Only had to replace a fuel pump at 275k. 2005 QC Thunder Road 4x4 with 3:92's.
The Lanolin treatment is the very best outer coating for any steel or alloy surface. If you live in the rust belt, then I recommend a coating of thin fish oil and linseed blend to creep into all crevices first as these semi dry and eventually harden to seal the metal pores. In Australia, we have a Flood brand product called Penetrol, then I coat it with lanolin as the top coat. No salted roads here, but we do a lot of beach 4WD trips and this is possibly more extreme than your winter roads as we have salt water and sand as the abrasive element. The lanolin gets blasted off but a thin layer remains and cannot be easily removed. Just RE coat every 12 months and you will not see rust! By the way the lanolin based sealant actually acts as a lube on bushes, helps keep the rubber boots flexible and seals underbody electrical terminals from water ingress too! Great product.
Lifetime west coaster in the USA with some family in the rust belt. I can confirm some cars I see down at the beach look worse than anything I see when visiting my sister!
Wish I knew about this sooner, I wouldn't have had to buy a new gas tank, control arm and weld the rocker panels on my 05 toyota matrix. Started using surface shield last year after watching your videos, now I tell everyone I know about oilcoating their cars! You're single handedly saving the world millions of dollars, dude! 😂
I added surface shield to my car one year ago. It said it would last two years. Just checked where I sprayed and it looks pretty much the same as your father's truck. I have no problems waiting to recoat it next year. It is a 2023 RAV4 with 25K miles and I live in a suburb of Detroit. Salt is applied every where in the winter here. Next fall I will inspect every where to see where it needs more spray and where it does not. No use spraying wet surface shield on top of wet surface shield. Thanks for all you work/research you did on these products, it helped a lot!
No I do not use a car wash nor do I ever wash the underbody. I always wash it by hand. Of course in the winter sometimes I have to wait for a rare winter day for it to get warm enough to wash it by hand.
If car companies could come out with panels to fully cover the bottom and only allow for the free movement of the wheels and breathing for engine and exhaust you guys in the north/midwest would be set. Or not. IDK You would think someone would have some up with a solution to this problem though. I've thought about the salt thing and that's pretty much the only alternative you have for the snow and ice.
Started using Surface Sheild on my 2003 Silverado about three years ago. Silverado had more rust than the 2018 in this video. Been happy with how well the coating has stopped further deterioration. Thanks for sharing!
What are you using? I have a 95 GMC Sierra, it has some rust not as bad as this truck but I'd like to be able to put something on it to prevent further deterioration.
Do believe your testing of these undercoatings. Been using Fluid Film for 8yrs. Had my 2015 F350 undercoated and rustproofed at the dealer when I purchased it new. After a couple years I noticed the some undercoating gone. I started spraying Fluid Film on the undercarriage, and never looked back. I touch it up each season. The truck will be 10 in May, and still no rot, underneath or on the body. I swear by Fluid Film. Truly enjoy your content. Thank you.!
🏴 I live in Scotland and I use this. The salt we use on the roads absolutely rots the cars here. But you can stop it from happening just like this video shows. The problem that remains, is in the 2nd hand car market with cars that have never been treated they are already badly rusted. A solution is to import a used car of your choice, that eliminates the rust issues. The other big plus for me is when it comes to maintenance and repairs, no rusted and seized bolts and for anyone who works on cars knows that is huge.
@@senseofthecommonmana little sarcasm I detect 😂😂 but truth is if you are buying 2nd hand depending on make and model you can import a low mileage rust free car for a lot less than you purchase a high mileage rusty U.K. car.
I’m really thankful I live in the southern US and don’t have to worry about all that underbody rust business. Had no idea that was even a thing until I became more of a car enthusiast this year.
Same, only recently learned about how bad this issue is because of youtube videos. I live in PNW where sh1t is always rainy and wet (youd think we d have rust issues too right?) yet we simply dont have problems with rust like how the midwest and east coasters do. This problem really starts and ends with salt on roadways. Im glad they found a working solution, and im glad I dont have to deal with it lol.
I have had my 2004 F-150 since Feb '09 since I was 17 years old. Elderly man ordered it and drove it unprotected (no real rust at all anywhere) from July 04 until my purchase. Only had 36k miles. From 2009-2015 I daily drove my truck in MA year round. Started using fluid film around 2012ish. To this day, now living in NC, no new corrosion underneath. It is an amazing product. The old girl turned 20 years old in July about to hit 140,000mi, and here I am nearly 17 years later still enjoying my truck now living down south. Always cleaning it, anal about detailing/paint correction, and undercoating pays dividends.
After years of trying to keep up with undercarriage rust using a wire wheel and paint, I have switched to Fluid Film and Surface Shield. Before spraying, I used a needle scaler to knock the loose rust off. This year i did the internal areas with Surface Shield (gallon) using the Fluid Film spray kit. For small internal areas like doors, I use aerosol cans and the 360 spray tube. For external areas, I use Fluid Film sprayed with a Wagner paint crew airless paint sprayer. I'm still perfecting my technique and look forward to the next video for tips and tricks! Thanks for your dedication in sharing your journey with us! 🎉
Repair Geek, your videos are the sole reason I tell everyone and anyone that will listen about Surface Shield 🛡️ and Fluid Film 😁. We thank you. I continue to share your videos with those looking for proof.
Which is better, surface ships or fluid film? I already bought fluid film but I watched a video saying mix fluid film with PB blaster, fluid film and WD40, which you spray on. Is this any better than straight Fluid film?
@flowergarden1426 Just use the lanolin product as is. Surface Shield creeps better than other brands . So for me, I use Surface Shield 🛡️ , then I do a second spray of Fluid Film over it.
I just want to thank you for this entire series and let you know how much you’ve helped me. I ’m up in the rust belt of Maine with a 2011 F150 that was in surprisingly good shape rust wise when I bought it and a 2021 Honda Pilot. Both are coated with combination of graphite tinted Surface Shield, Black NHOU and FF rattle cans for touch up. The Black NHOU is easy to get up here, but original base coat on the vehicles was Surface Shield. I’m very happy that Blaster has put out a black product. I’m hoping to see it in aerosol too as it appears Home Depot will not longer carry Fluid Film - seems to be on clearance in all locations. Despite your relationship with blaster, you’ve kept everything 100% real, even putting a video out about it. That’s so rare these days and shouldn’t be overlooked. Thanks again brother, you’ve been a huge help, I have and will continue to recommend your channel to anyone interested in anything undercoating. If I could I’d give 1000 thumbs up to this entire series.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the loyalty and I'm glad you've had success as well. My motivations when I first started this content were very selfish, save my own stuff from rotting. I had less than 100 subscribers the first time I spray my dad's truck with FF for the first time. So I never in my wildest dreams expected any kind of a following from this. YT has literally changed my life and I have people like you to thank for that. Thank you doesn't describe my gratitude enough. Not everyone in this industry is happy with my choice of employer. I'll probably touch on it in the next upload. Keep an eye out at HD, there was a reason FF got the boot there. You will find exactly what you're looking for.
@@RepairGeek. Good stuff - I’ll keep an eye out at HD. Now - I will say the complaints about SS tops leaking are legit. Seems to be hit or miss on the cans - some are fine yet others leak all over the place. Lastly - every inner cavity wand for the cans I’ve tried leaks terribly, I’m still on the hunt for a reliable one. Although I use the FF gun with a compressor for the majority of the coating I do, there are some areas I need something smaller. If you remember the doors of your F150 - there are small slits at the bottom that only a spray can inner cavity wand will fit.
Thanks for these years of observation, I use lanolin mixed with a bit of beeswax at a concentration of less than 5% (it makes it harder than lanolin itself and is less sticky) and kerosene/naphtha as a carrier and it works better than any other product there. If you are afraid of the bushing getting damaged, use a different spray medium, not kerosene, but something neutral towards rubber, or simply lubricate the bushings with silicone grease before applying undercoat. It is not the lanolin that causes the rubber to swell, but the carriers that serve to dilute the lanolin. Most products use naphtha for this purpose. You can even spray just hot lanolin and the rubber bushings will be protected against swelling.
I use Surface Shield every year and the only rubber that was affected was the rubber shield in the front wheel well and the engine department on my 22 Tacoma. Swelled up and it's sagging but it's still doing its job. Great product and thanks for all the time and effort you gave to help us saving our vehicles!!!
I'm sure this comment will get lost in the sea of others, but I will say this. If you haven't undercoated your vehicle yet, WASH the underside of your vehicle. Whether you do it yourself at home or if you go to a carwash, just wash off all that salt and dirt during those winter months. I know it's cold outside and a pain, but it will help a lot. I didn't get my truck undercoated but I did wash it almost every week religiously taking the time with my power washer to spray all that nasty salt mix off the frame. It definitely helps!
I followed you by using Blaster undercoat on my FJ. Dealership was not happy with the undercoat. My brother had his FJ from the same dealer but without undercoat. Mine is a 2007 and his rusted out. Dealer talked him into trading for a new truck and gave him hardly nothing on the trade in. I want to say thankyou. Love my FJ which saves me money: cause it is still like new ❤
It's true. The fluid film and woolwax is it people. I've tried the hard coating. Cracked and rusted very fast. I've used cosmoline. On good bare metal with no rust, it's good. Spray it over rust and it cracks and disappears. Just buy the fluid film. It's cheaper than woolwax and you still have to apply it every year. I'm still looking for a good way to get the vehicles up high enough with out a lift.
Thanks for all your detailed information. I acquired my 2015 toyota tacoma from my best friends sister. I actually remember it coming home from the dealer and fast forward almost 10 years later and the rust on the protective shields was (transmission and front rotor splash shields rust was very advanced and I have purchased them to replace. The vehicle had minimal rust on frame and sheet metal just surface rust . I treated the vehicle at home in my driveway to the best my ability and used many of your recommendations. FYI the vehicle is a Mid-state NY vehicle with 129K miles that was inspected prior by Toyota for the frame inspections by Toyota. I am looking forward to keeping this truck at least another 10 plus years .
For the truck with rust, my approach is to use Corrosion Free as it does a great job with stopping the rust in its tracks. I then let it dry in for a week or so (still use the truck) then cover with a layer of Surface Shield. I find this a great combination as once rust starts the Lanolin products otherwise don’t stop the rust progress
Up in the Canadian rust belt every new car I buy goes from the dealer to Krown rust control. I keep my cars 15 to 20 years and have had ZERO rust problems. The wife and I shake our heads seeing older vehicles with rust holes, If they just spent a few hundred for oil spray their bodies and frames would still be perfect. Its a must up here.
Found your undercoating series shortly after buying my first "nice" vehicle. I've always had beaters and never worried about it much but I got a 2019 trd off road 4runner with 50k miles and no rust. I did my first under coting (surface shield because it was readily available and cheaper in my area) This year and plan to continue yearly. I want this vehicle to last and last and last and I see this as a cheap insurance policy. I'll take the dirty oily hands a few times a year during maintenance for the peace of mind. I'm a believer! You earned a subscriber and I'm looking forward to your future content whatever direction you take👍
You have done a great service to the automotive community! I have been using lanolin since I’ve watched your videos 4 years ago, wish i knew about it decades ago.
Good info Repair geek. I live in pretty rust free part of Australia, but still use Lanotech brand Lanolin as a one time protectant on my cars. I mostly wipe the excess off as I only want it in the cracks and threads.
The wet coatings do work, no doubt about it. From Ontario here, and I remember seeing cars from the 60s in some small towns where a local shop was doing oil based sprays 60 years ago. Some cars in these areas are simply amazing. In the 80s the Ontario government put some research into designing an effective undercoating, and the end result is a successful franchise that is still in business today. Your biggest detractors are likely those who are in the automotive sector, this is NOT the kind of thing they want people to see. Some people hate the idea of a vehicle that is 'slimy and filthy' underneath, and they don't seem to care that they are unable to get 10 years out of their vehicle before it rusts out. There are also a lot of people that want to have a new vehicle in their driveway, and the cost to them just doesn't seem to matter. You're doing a good thing - keep going! Good work on the presentation and the video. Not everyone will like what you have to say - ignore them.
Went with Crown this year on my new 2024 Tundra….I think it creeps the most. It was definitely dripping after application. Will probably switch to something thicker next year but wanted it to saturate areas that can’t been seen or reached. It was also reasonably priced and convenient. Spending an hour or 2 plus cost of products vs. $160 seemed worth it to me. Great videos!
My results using Krown is standarized testing wasn't great. I've had people tell me that it works well if it's kept up with but check out these videos and you'll understand what I'm saying:th-cam.com/play/PLiBj_svGZOHO1UeoA3TeAQMzW5tsz6ujB.html&si=3nO1a8PJj4ZuvEEO
Been using it on cars driving on salty Norwegian roads for 7+ years and the coating really works. Its really effective on already rusty cars because it stays in the pores of the rust.
You and your videos are why i started spraying my 2005 Ford excursion four years ago with woolwax, live in South Dakota and still no rust underneath anywhere, the roof is a different story, to much driving down dirt roads and all the crap they spray in the air. Thank you for taking time to film, edit and post this video.
You are the man, for making this video. I have been telling people for years that oily style undercoatings are the best way to go. I've always recommended rinsing thoroughly and then using a product like Fluid Film or Wool Wax, but it sounds like Lanolin is great stuff too. Thanks for your hard work putting the video together!
Thank you for everything! I've been treating my 4runner inspired by your videos. The car is in great condition. I have sent your videos to many people who also took action.
Found your videos shortly after buying a new 2022 Ram. Coated it with Surface Shield before the first winter with cans. Touched it up winter year two. Going into winter number three it still looks new. Thanks from Minnesota!
Thank you for showing the many pros and few cons of using the lanolin products. I look forward to the step by step videos. My biggest fear is not applying the coating correctly or applying to an area where I shouldn't. I love the SMA channel, and Eric O has a few videos of how to apply these products, but the videos are sped up to make the video shorter and less mundane. I get that. When you make your step by step video(s), please, please, please show them in real time. If this requires two or more videos, I am perfectly fine with that, and I will watch all of them.
There's no areas to avoid except for rotors and brake pads. Spray it everywhere. Then go for a drive and ride the brakes for a little to make sure anything on the rotors burns off. Simple
Lanolin (sheep wool grease) has been used since ancient times and is especially useful in marine use to this day : It’s not just grease, it seems to have a magical property that even after years and years of sitting in saltwater, parts will not rust or fuse together when used, even if the lanolin has seemed to have washed away. Nothing else even comes close to its performance. I use it on my sailboat, especially on fasteners that contain dissimilar metals. I’ve also noticed that anytime I work with it my hands stay incredibly soft and moisturized for a few days afterward.
I live in Michigan. Just bought a 1986 Toyota 4runner from Texas. It looks great! It’s getting Woolwax in the next few days. Thank you for your research. It’s helped me feel confident in my purchase and I’m excited that this truck will last many more years
I live in MA and recently purchased a 2010 Toyota Sienna from CA (last year of the 2nd generation body style which I really like) and had it shipped to MA. 91K miles, original owner, all service records. Never seen a winter, snow, salt etc. Immaculate underneath and everywhere. Literally felt guilty bringing it to New England. Had the entire thing undercoated with NHOU including all interior panels, rockers etc. The young guy that runs this shop was so jazzed about this 14 year old minivan in such fantastic condition. He did an amazing job. I’ll do a yearly inspection with him and do smaller touch up myself with FF and/or SS. I feel soooo much better having had this done.
I've never commented before but when I saw first time Your video (something about 3 years ago) searching for a good way of rustproofing my old vehicles that I care about I immediately thought - that is the proper way. Earlier I was fighting with rust sanding and sand blasting and then epoxy. Whole process was taking a lot of time, effort and money. Effect was quite good but even after such treatments rust was living in metal sheets bends (literally it is impossible to clean and apply epoxy in such places). After I saw Your video I've bought lanolin based products as well as mike sanders fatt (I was trying both of them because in Poland they are available in similar price). Both of these products are excellent for rust proofing but applying fluid film seems to be easier because mike sanders fett needs to be preheated first (petroleum based product). After all whole process is fast and easy and does not need any surface preparations. Existing rust is being completely stopped. That oily surface is crawling to all metal sheet bends. It is so freaking easy and fast way that without Your evidences (as YT videos) I would never believe it can be so easy. So right now after few Years of saving my vehicles I would like just to say THANK YOU!! You save me a lot of money, effort and my time. Best wishes from Poland. I have also few hints for OTHERS from my current experience - lanolin based products such as fluid film are very expensive here in Poland so for cost savings (and as it turned out for coating durability improvement) I'm buying the most dense of fluid film products and dillute it with raw linseed oil to get optimal viscosity. That way I've got more coating for less (linseed oil is very cheap) and linseed oil is drying after some time causing that surface is less sticky, absorbs less dirt and does not being washed away so easy with water. But still that surface never dry out if You would not add too much of linseed oil (and from my observations it stops rust as good as lanolin product alone). Once again THANK YOU.
I have a 22 Nissan Frontier. I have used a combination of Fluid Film and Blaster Surface Shield. I reside in Upstate New York where they pound the rock salt, calcium chloride and brine on the roads to the point that it turns the blacktop white! My Nissan looks like new underneath and inside body panels. The lanolin based undercoating creeps into areas that salt water can get into to rust. In addition, the undercoating seems to repel rodents from chewing on wires. It also seems to avert the salt from oxidizing the wire connections that turn green with corrosion to simply break in half. The downside is that the lanolin creeps so well that it migrates from the inside of my white tailgate to outside. That's no big deal. I just have to clean it more often.
Nov. 10 /24 97 and 98 f150 Thank you for your videos. This saved my trucks from scrap heap . 97 had to have box removed and corroseal then surface shield . Thank you
I've also used Fluid Film for the last 3 years on my truck. No rust and no obvious detriment. Good to know it was a good decision. I didn't have any research saying to use Fluid Film other than knowing it prevented rust. I touch up in fall before winter salt season and again in the spring.
Excellent video. I coat my f150 every winter or every other winter, here in Canada. I would not have it any other way. Truck is a 2012 and still has basically zero rust. Nobody can honestly argue with any statements or comments you said in this video. It's all true! Thank you.
You made a believer out of me in previous videos and this is the icing on the cake that has made me 100% confident that this undercoating system is the best. Thank you for your efforts!
I expected the uncoated truck to be worse, but I am in Nova Scotia, Canada. Our environment is even worse for rust, so that 2018 Colorado would be a lot worse untreated. People do not seem to get the difference, and don't get their vehicles done. I agree with what you said about a wet style coating, they are the only thing that works. Lanolin is good, I use a mixture of Fluid film and oil based pro-form for my own truck. It works great, my truck is 3 years old now and there is no rust at all. I do put it on thick and heavy, but I want the truck to last. Great video, and I hope people who never believed in undercoating will believe it works after watching this.
I live in Winnipeg Manitoba and we see similar rust conditions up here. Rust is the number one destroyer of vehicles for us You have put together so awesome videos. Thank you
Maintence is going to so much easier on the coated truck, No more ceased bolts. I bought a 20 year old truck a have sprayed it for two winters now, stopping the rust in its tracks
I've been doing Woolwax now for 5 years on my 2006 4Runner - doesn't get rid of the rust that was already there, but still looks pretty much the same since I got it!
I was introduced to Fluid Film a few years back. Did my 74 super beetle (200K) and my last 2 Subarus with it. Wonderful stuff! what I like about it is that it "creeps", so that it will eventually get to and cover places you just could not get to. Some people say it stinks, but the smell dissipates after a few weeks. Personally I like the smell and wish it would stay longer! I knew a guy who sprayed his Honda station wagon with 80/90 gear oil! It didn't rust, but years later it still stunk sooo bad, I don't know how he ever drove it!
i’m glad you mentioned doing it in a truck that already has minor rust because i’ve been debating doing it to my 2011 f150. it has super light rust and i didn’t know if it would be a waste to spray over rust that already exists
I have referred many people here in Vermont to your channel in an effort to convince them. I'm currently still using Fluid film on my 2015 and have no rust. It works really well. Thank you for your testing videos!
been using fluid film for 3 years now on my winter driven vehicles,, very impressed. i am north of Syracuse NY,, we get real winters here and they use salt and liquid brine on roads. i see untreated 7-8 year old trucks around here with the box sides rotted completely through. this stuff flatout works.
Very familiar with Fluid Film, used the product to coat my tools when I was doing in the field service calls to protect my tools from corrosion. Never thought of using the product for rust protection on a vehicle. Impressed by the results of your experiment!! Well done you! NMJ
I have really appreciated your videos on this topic, and you've given me a direction that I'm going with protecting the underside of my 80's f-150. There's some surface rust on the frame, and other components, but I'm now confident I can arrest the rust with VHT and PB Blaster Surface Shield. You rock!
I have been watching your vids for a few years now, they have been a key factor in using Fluid Film on my 22 Canyon. Spayed with less than 100 mi and still looks showroom underneath. One thing that I do is add peppermint oil to the pail when stirring before spraying. We are very rural in northern Ontario Canada, lots of salt, but also lots of rodents. I have had serious trouble over the years from rodents in other vehicles, so far they have avoided this truck, plus it makes the truck smell nice and minty instead of like a flock of old sheep. My biggest problem now is that all my friends want me to spray their vehicles.
I don't use Fluid FIlm as it's unavailable in Canada but because of your videos in the past and the follow ups, you convinced me to rustproof my new vehicle a few years ago with Corrosion Free. I've been subbed and commenting just because of your commitment to providing updates
There’s plenty of fluid film in canada, Canadian Tire, Princess Auto. I use surface shield now since its a bit cheaper than fluid film and widely available
I'm a Lanolin Undercoating fan, specifically Woolwax applied by a local licensee and Fluid Film which I use for anything I work on (changing shocks, spare tire rims, etc.). I've had our three vehicles done in the past couple years which include a 2002 Ford Ranger, 2011 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 and a 2021 Honda Pilot.
I live 2 miles from thr NH Oil Undercoat HQ, so I've gone with them for years, I do think lanolin is a better choice, but with yearly coatings the NH Oil has stood the test
Great video! I have an '86 Bronco that was seating on the side of the road for many years; The area where the oil leaked was covered with dirt but under the coating, the original factory paint was still intact and there were zero rust spots...That was also the case where the diff cover leaked. The " uncoated" areas had surface rust over... I covered with Lanoline SS both my '92 Wrangler and the '99 Dakota... Thanks for posting!
I have been preaching undercoating to everyone who will listen! Many argue & make excuses/ say that they will just get another vehicle. My thought is, why waiste a vehicle. $50-100. & your vehicle is protected & once you see it, you never look back! I just picked up a 2000 buick LeSabre that was garage kept until 2 years ago & it is surprisingly clean underneath with minimal rust & would like to keep it that way! Fluid film kits come with a spray gun, spray tube, & fluid film for under $100.00 on amazon.
Very impressive! I just had all of our vehicles coated based largely on your videos (and the car my son bought that was treated one time and still looks new). Hoping to negate one of the negatives of living in the NE.
Awesome video, gives me hope. I’m in NE Ohio with a ‘14 Jeep wrangler. It’s from the south so It’s only seen 3 winters. I’ve used Woolwax the first year & black fluid film the others. Still looks new underneath. Your vids have been helpful over the years & really show how well this stuff works.
Good video. In part thanks to you I bought a whole gallon of Fluid Film to treat the 1989 farm truck I bought. It's in great shape for its age, but it's 35 years old with typical rust. The lanolin seems to creep right into the rust and here in the usually dry climate of Alberta, I'm confident I can keep the truck in good shape for a long period. It's fun to use a 35 year old truck for daily service. They built them quite well back then.
With some basic understanding of application and care these coatings absolutely work. It's very achievable for a normal person to buy and apply. Great video.
My shocks on my 2018 4runner at 75k miles are the only things that need replacement, probably next year. They have steel tube skirts and I think they are just rusting from the inside out. Everything else is covered in FF and Surface Shield. Thanks for the great thorough review. The results are what everyone who treats their vehicles right would expect.
I had never heard of Lanolin as a protective coating before, until I went to my local auto store enquiring about underbody anti-rust spray. They had many brands of different types, but the guy behind the counter said why don't I try Lanolin, its especially popular he said with 4x4 users who do a lot of beach driving etc. due to salt water, salt spray etc, they swear by it due to its protective qualities in that harsh environment. Apparently the product has been around for many years but few people seem to know about it. So I bought some.
Thanks for documenting and posting all your experience, testing, and tips. I applied surface shield to my car this call because of you, and just noticed some rusting on my sister's car so I'll apply it to her car next year.
Yup, it works. I've got a 35 year old Volvo 240 which is caked in oily gunk underneath. It might look nasty, but there's virtually no rust under that gunk after 35 years of driving on salted roads while much much newer cars are being eaten alive by the road salt.
2021ram1500 classic tradesman i coated it in October 2021with PB blaster surface shield 🛡 awesome stuff i do it every fall no rust for me great channel 👍
I just had surface shield professionally applied to my car yesterday because of your channel. It's a 2012 Minnesota car but it only had 57,xxx miles when i bought it this summer and the underside looks like new. I think the original owner was probably a snow bird and the car sat parked in the garage for the could salty months.
Thank you for the update. I think this is close to a final conclusion. Maybe another update in 5 years if you still have the same vehicles? But I am convinced this lanolin stops rust.
I used LPS3 before learning about Fluid Film. I saw how well LPS3 worked so I know the oily coatings are the way to go. I bought a new truck this year, Fluid Filmed it, and used a ceramic paint coating. I wasn't sure about the ceramic coating until I found a handprint that I had coated over. The print is sealed like it's under glass. It will not rub off. At least I know the coating works. As expensive as cars are it's really worth having them protected top and bottom. In 10+ years the resale value will be so much higher.
You have made me a believer- you know your stuff. I treated my daughters’ Jeeps 3 years ago, and it’s held up incredibly.(I used lanolin inside cavities for flow and CRC waxy rustproof on exterior surfaces since I don’t always have the chance or time to retouch). Both have held up fantastically. That rust on those GMs will definitely get serious. I had a Saturn Vue that had the front subframe fall apart after 10 years despite low mileage.
I really like your videos. Your scientific approach makes the results convincing and reliable 👍. Here in Ottawa Canada, bought my 1st car, a used 2010 Outback 2 years ago with 120k miles at 6k CAD. After putting on 25k more miles, engine still runs like a tank, everything is fine except the subframe had a big rot hole. 1st owner never rust proof it. Sold it 1.2k to junk yard because it can't pass safety. Rust is a pain the ass! Had my new 24 CRV for a few weeks and undercoat it right away, kinda obsessed with rust problem.
great video! you are the reason I found out about lanolin products. I sprayed my bmw e46 for the first time this year and I plan o keeping it for many decades
Norwegian here. I have only used fluid film, because as far as i know there is nothing else lanolin based to buy in my area. But i have only good experience with it, and it works very well! But a tip is, before the first time spraying it, you should pressure wash the undercarriage carefully. Do also wash out the inside of the rockers to rinse out any dirt sand etc. and let the car dry out. This is best to do in a hot summerday. Another tip is to not go cheap on the fluid film the first time you’re spraying it, because it will creap better all over the place much better this way, espesially in a warm summerclimate. And that’s what you want. And be aware that for a while espesially in the summer, it will drip some. The next time and on, you can be a little cheaper on the stuff. This stuff works for sure, but it is logic that the thicker lanolin stuff will hold a bit better because it’s thicker and dont wear off that easy in the most logical places. And the best thing is, that it can be washed off later if it’s to messy to work with when fixing something. Rust is not reversible, but these products is. Sorry for my bad english, but i think most will understand what i wrote.
I have a 2021 Tundra and live in South Carolina. Rust is not much of an issue, but I sprayed mine anyway. I had a scratch repaired on my tailgate (I keep my truck mint). Anyway, the owner of the body shop lets his dad work part time doing office work. Well, he was laughing and told his son why is he (me) worried about a scratch and not the rear main seal leak? My truck was sprayed with Fluid Film black. Moral of the story, use it no matter we’re you live IMO. Great stuff
Also if you live or move to a state that has safety inspections like Pennsylvania. You might find yourself arguing with the inspection mechanic that is 110% sure everything is leaking, . I have a 2001 GMC Yukon that spent its first 20 years in the south. Before I moved to PA "I previously lived there" I coated it with Fluid Film before the move to save it from Pennsylvania Winters. When I had to have it inspected they handed me a repair estimate for $5000.00 for leaking mains, transfer case seals, basically anywhere near a seal ! Took me a while to prove it was "Not Leaking" to pass the inspection. Besides that leaks are not a reason to fail inspection in Pennsylvania they are shady trying to make $$$$ . Stand your ground with these people!!!!
Amazing video ! Thank you for sharing your information and long time test with analysis. Definitely sharing it with people those hate rust on their vehicles 😁
An important point is to spray into the frame and on top of every surface on a truck like this. I had a dodge that rotted from the inside out because the insides of the frame channels were never sprayed even though the previous owner had it undercoated every year. On other vehicles I had been using dino oil, and the last 10 years ACF-50. I prefer the ACF-50 because it has a spec and is proven safe for electrical, sensors, plastics, rubbers, and it creeps well.
i use Rust Check in central NY, snow/salt country since 2006...i sold a Subaru 17 yrs later and it was 98% rust free...some spots are just hard to get....and all my other vehicles get it applied....it is well worth the expense and it helps on trade in or resale
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I see Ford is crap this never would happen to a bmw
People complaining about "damage" to rubber components? Gtfo with that shit. Here in Scandinavia everyone uses underbody coatings. It's not magic, it's very simple. Unfortunately it's pretty expensive to have done, so people who don't plan on having the car for long, don't do it, and passes the problem on to the next guy.
Is surface shield still the product you like best?
I would advise to not use those rubber lift pads with coatings. I had a truck fall off the lift because the pads slid off the frame. Use metal pads or rubber with ears so it can't slide off. It was a real mess. It ended up on it's side between the post. I've seen the pads slide off the frame on 3 different trucks. So it is a real concern.
2000 Toyota 4Runner. Removed the door panels, removed drain plugs on rockers, drain plugs under the doors, sprayed inside and out with Fluid Film. Every year since 2004. Still showroom condition. No rust anywhere to be found. Paint still shines. Very proud of the looks of this vehicle. And this in the Road Salt Capital of The U.S. Northern Wisconsin
You hit the body (i.e. the clear coat), too, with Fluid Film?
@@-_----- I'm sure the answer is no. Your car would look horrific if you doused the finish in this stuff. Plus, the panel rot typically begins from the inside. Finished areas under the car/in wheel wells/hidden, sure why not. I use CRCs corrosion inhibitor cosmoline spray, and hit unibody pinch welds and sometimes the folded fender piece that attaches the splash shields.
@@-_----- Nope. Just frame, suspension, under side of body, and where ever I could spray inside body. Coated rear bumper and trailer hitch extra heavy. Ceramic coat outside.
1997 4runner, i bought it for 4 grand with 460,000km, its never had that. if i hit a speed bump too hard itll snap in half. i live in fear of police as an inspection will surely mean its end
@@-_----- You believe Fluid Film damages paint....
Im still using up my fluid film. Definitely has made a difference. Crazy how many people blow me off when I tell them they should do this to their vehicle
Most people today are not very smart...sad to say.
Most people are just lazy and like to waste their money.
"Game is to be sold, not to be told". Do not educate lames & squares.
And your ebrake will still work...
Some people are just lazy!
I've seen people complain about all the dirt that sticks to the protectant stuff. The dirty underside is irrelevant. Slap rust protection everywhere under there, nobody sees the bottom anyway. The dirt wont eat your vehicle, but the rust will.
I always ask people, would you rather work on something that's a little dirty but wipes away clean and everything unbolts fine, or a rusted, rotted nightmare where you have to torch every nut and bolt?
@@Bloodbain88everyone knows what a nightmare it can be to deal with rusted out brakes this extends the life and makes maintenence so much easier!
Unless you live in a area with alkali dust, that stuff is super corrosive.
Dirt is actually the real problem because dirt acts like a sponge to hold moisture in against vehicle bodies. However, salt is also another big problem
Dirt holds moisture and the minerals in it, if alkaline, will cause rust.
Funny - my 2023 Forester is the first car I’ve ever coated (with Krown). When I took it to my Subaru dealer for my free oil change, the service folks came out to me in a panic. I was told there’s oil all under the car (with only 3,000 miles). I guess they thought the car blew every gasket. I’m glad they noticed and communicated. I’ll remind them next time so the service tech doesn’t have a heart attack again.
Same thing on my 4 runner lol not enough people know about this!
To be fair, Subarus do like to blow head gaskets.
Fluid Film my Rams in Maine. Traded my last Ram with 300,000 miles and 12 Maine winters, no rust, got $11,500 trade in on my new Ram in 2017 from the dealer. Now my 2017 Ram has 180,000 miles, no rust. I see lots of newer vehicles that are rusting away that were untreated.
Did the Ram that made it to 300k have the original engine and transmission?
Yup, 5.7 hemi with a hot cam , nitrous and 3,000 rpm converter. Ran it at NEDW , Englishtown and Winterport dragway. Only had to replace a fuel pump at 275k. 2005 QC Thunder Road 4x4 with 3:92's.
@formerice thats unicorn for a dodge
@@FreeWVson Actually I drove a 2005 Dodge RT Magnum 400,000 miles, so not a unicorn.
Still only surface rust😂 compared to many other vehicles.
The Lanolin treatment is the very best outer coating for any steel or alloy surface. If you live in the rust belt, then I recommend a coating of thin fish oil and linseed blend to creep into all crevices first as these semi dry and eventually harden to seal the metal pores. In Australia, we have a Flood brand product called Penetrol, then I coat it with lanolin as the top coat.
No salted roads here, but we do a lot of beach 4WD trips and this is possibly more extreme than your winter roads as we have salt water and sand as the abrasive element.
The lanolin gets blasted off but a thin layer remains and cannot be easily removed. Just RE coat every 12 months and you will not see rust!
By the way the lanolin based sealant actually acts as a lube on bushes, helps keep the rubber boots flexible and seals underbody electrical terminals from water ingress too!
Great product.
Lifetime west coaster in the USA with some family in the rust belt. I can confirm some cars I see down at the beach look worse than anything I see when visiting my sister!
You proved your point fella. Lanolin works.
Wish I knew about this sooner, I wouldn't have had to buy a new gas tank, control arm and weld the rocker panels on my 05 toyota matrix. Started using surface shield last year after watching your videos, now I tell everyone I know about oilcoating their cars! You're single handedly saving the world millions of dollars, dude! 😂
I added surface shield to my car one year ago. It said it would last two years. Just checked where I sprayed and it looks pretty much the same as your father's truck. I have no problems waiting to recoat it next year. It is a 2023 RAV4 with 25K miles and I live in a suburb of Detroit. Salt is applied every where in the winter here. Next fall I will inspect every where to see where it needs more spray and where it does not. No use spraying wet surface shield on top of wet surface shield. Thanks for all you work/research you did on these products, it helped a lot!
Do you wash it in the winter, or use a car wash with an underbody wash?
No I do not use a car wash nor do I ever wash the underbody. I always wash it by hand. Of course in the winter sometimes I have to wait for a rare winter day for it to get warm enough to wash it by hand.
If car companies could come out with panels to fully cover the bottom and only allow for the free movement of the wheels and breathing for engine and exhaust you guys in the north/midwest would be set.
Or not. IDK
You would think someone would have some up with a solution to this problem though. I've thought about the salt thing and that's pretty much the only alternative you have for the snow and ice.
@HAL-dm1eh there are solutions, such as galvanized steel. But everything adds costs, and the consumer doesn't want to pay the price.
@@HAL-dm1ehyes I thought of that often.
Started using Surface Sheild on my 2003 Silverado about three years ago. Silverado had more rust than the 2018 in this video. Been happy with how well the coating has stopped further deterioration. Thanks for sharing!
What are you using? I have a 95 GMC Sierra, it has some rust not as bad as this truck but I'd like to be able to put something on it to prevent further deterioration.
Surface shield I see now, I'll check it out.
Do believe your testing of these undercoatings. Been using Fluid Film for 8yrs. Had my 2015 F350 undercoated and rustproofed at the dealer when I purchased it new. After a couple years I noticed the some undercoating gone. I started spraying Fluid Film on the undercarriage, and never looked back. I touch it up each season. The truck will be 10 in May, and still no rot, underneath or on the body. I swear by Fluid Film. Truly enjoy your content. Thank you.!
🏴 I live in Scotland and I use this. The salt we use on the roads absolutely rots the cars here.
But you can stop it from happening just like this video shows.
The problem that remains, is in the 2nd hand car market with cars that have never been treated they are already badly rusted.
A solution is to import a used car of your choice, that eliminates the rust issues.
The other big plus for me is when it comes to maintenance and repairs, no rusted and seized bolts and for anyone who works on cars knows that is huge.
Yes sadly know it all too well. Curse a bit when someone on youtube says a car is rusted and to me it looks brand new.
Great tip, I’m just off to import my next car right now, no more rust worries for me😂😂😂
@@senseofthecommonmana little sarcasm I detect 😂😂 but truth is if you are buying 2nd hand depending on make and model you can import a low mileage rust free car for a lot less than you purchase a high mileage rusty U.K. car.
I’m really thankful I live in the southern US and don’t have to worry about all that underbody rust business. Had no idea that was even a thing until I became more of a car enthusiast this year.
Same, only recently learned about how bad this issue is because of youtube videos. I live in PNW where sh1t is always rainy and wet (youd think we d have rust issues too right?) yet we simply dont have problems with rust like how the midwest and east coasters do. This problem really starts and ends with salt on roadways. Im glad they found a working solution, and im glad I dont have to deal with it lol.
Thanks for the update! I’ve been using WoolWax on my truck for 6 years now because of your videos. Still no rust!
A great series years in the making. Thanks for your efforts.
I have had my 2004 F-150 since Feb '09 since I was 17 years old. Elderly man ordered it and drove it unprotected (no real rust at all anywhere) from July 04 until my purchase. Only had 36k miles.
From 2009-2015 I daily drove my truck in MA year round. Started using fluid film around 2012ish. To this day, now living in NC, no new corrosion underneath. It is an amazing product. The old girl turned 20 years old in July about to hit 140,000mi, and here I am nearly 17 years later still enjoying my truck now living down south.
Always cleaning it, anal about detailing/paint correction, and undercoating pays dividends.
Buffalo NY here. I'm still driving my 2005 400k mile Chevy Colorado. It was coated every year since new. The frame is still pretty much rust free.
After years of trying to keep up with undercarriage rust using a wire wheel and paint, I have switched to Fluid Film and Surface Shield. Before spraying, I used a needle scaler to knock the loose rust off. This year i did the internal areas with Surface Shield (gallon) using the Fluid Film spray kit. For small internal areas like doors, I use aerosol cans and the 360 spray tube. For external areas, I use Fluid Film sprayed with a Wagner paint crew airless paint sprayer. I'm still perfecting my technique and look forward to the next video for tips and tricks! Thanks for your dedication in sharing your journey with us! 🎉
Repair Geek, your videos are the sole reason I tell everyone and anyone that will listen about Surface Shield 🛡️ and Fluid Film 😁. We thank you.
I continue to share your videos with those looking for proof.
Which is better, surface ships or fluid film? I already bought fluid film but I watched a video saying mix fluid film with PB blaster, fluid film and WD40, which you spray on. Is this any better than straight Fluid film?
@flowergarden1426
Just use the lanolin product as is.
Surface Shield creeps better than other brands .
So for me, I use Surface Shield 🛡️ , then I do a second spray of Fluid Film over it.
I just want to thank you for this entire series and let you know how much you’ve helped me. I ’m up in the rust belt of Maine with a 2011 F150 that was in surprisingly good shape rust wise when I bought it and a 2021 Honda Pilot. Both are coated with combination of graphite tinted Surface Shield, Black NHOU and FF rattle cans for touch up. The Black NHOU is easy to get up here, but original base coat on the vehicles was Surface Shield. I’m very happy that Blaster has put out a black product. I’m hoping to see it in aerosol too as it appears Home Depot will not longer carry Fluid Film - seems to be on clearance in all locations. Despite your relationship with blaster, you’ve kept everything 100% real, even putting a video out about it. That’s so rare these days and shouldn’t be overlooked. Thanks again brother, you’ve been a huge help, I have and will continue to recommend your channel to anyone interested in anything undercoating. If I could I’d give 1000 thumbs up to this entire series.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the loyalty and I'm glad you've had success as well. My motivations when I first started this content were very selfish, save my own stuff from rotting. I had less than 100 subscribers the first time I spray my dad's truck with FF for the first time. So I never in my wildest dreams expected any kind of a following from this. YT has literally changed my life and I have people like you to thank for that. Thank you doesn't describe my gratitude enough. Not everyone in this industry is happy with my choice of employer. I'll probably touch on it in the next upload.
Keep an eye out at HD, there was a reason FF got the boot there. You will find exactly what you're looking for.
@@RepairGeek. Good stuff - I’ll keep an eye out at HD. Now - I will say the complaints about SS tops leaking are legit. Seems to be hit or miss on the cans - some are fine yet others leak all over the place. Lastly - every inner cavity wand for the cans I’ve tried leaks terribly, I’m still on the hunt for a reliable one. Although I use the FF gun with a compressor for the majority of the coating I do, there are some areas I need something smaller. If you remember the doors of your F150 - there are small slits at the bottom that only a spray can inner cavity wand will fit.
Blaster is working on a patented wand solution. That's all i can say.
Copy That
Thanks for these years of observation, I use lanolin mixed with a bit of beeswax at a concentration of less than 5% (it makes it harder than lanolin itself and is less sticky) and kerosene/naphtha as a carrier and it works better than any other product there. If you are afraid of the bushing getting damaged, use a different spray medium, not kerosene, but something neutral towards rubber, or simply lubricate the bushings with silicone grease before applying undercoat. It is not the lanolin that causes the rubber to swell, but the carriers that serve to dilute the lanolin. Most products use naphtha for this purpose. You can even spray just hot lanolin and the rubber bushings will be protected against swelling.
I use Surface Shield every year and the only rubber that was affected was the rubber shield in the front wheel well and the engine department on my 22 Tacoma. Swelled up and it's sagging but it's still doing its job. Great product and thanks for all the time and effort you gave to help us saving our vehicles!!!
Same for my 2024 4Runner and the 2022 Tacoma I traded in. I use Fluid Film.
@@michaelhanzal Nice, both products are the best!!
I'm sure this comment will get lost in the sea of others, but I will say this. If you haven't undercoated your vehicle yet, WASH the underside of your vehicle. Whether you do it yourself at home or if you go to a carwash, just wash off all that salt and dirt during those winter months. I know it's cold outside and a pain, but it will help a lot. I didn't get my truck undercoated but I did wash it almost every week religiously taking the time with my power washer to spray all that nasty salt mix off the frame. It definitely helps!
I followed you by using Blaster undercoat on my FJ. Dealership was not happy with the undercoat. My brother had his FJ from the same dealer but without undercoat. Mine is a 2007 and his rusted out. Dealer talked him into trading for a new truck and gave him hardly nothing on the trade in. I want to say thankyou. Love my FJ which saves me money: cause it is still like new ❤
I'd consider finding a new dealer if they're actually upset that you're maintaining your car properly.
It's true. The fluid film and woolwax is it people. I've tried the hard coating. Cracked and rusted very fast. I've used cosmoline. On good bare metal with no rust, it's good. Spray it over rust and it cracks and disappears. Just buy the fluid film. It's cheaper than woolwax and you still have to apply it every year. I'm still looking for a good way to get the vehicles up high enough with out a lift.
Thanks for all your detailed information. I acquired my 2015 toyota tacoma from my best friends sister. I actually remember it coming home from the dealer and fast forward almost 10 years later and the rust on the protective shields was (transmission and front rotor splash shields rust was very advanced and I have purchased them to replace. The vehicle had minimal rust on frame and sheet metal just surface rust . I treated the vehicle at home in my driveway to the best my ability and used many of your recommendations. FYI the vehicle is a Mid-state NY vehicle with 129K miles that was inspected prior by Toyota for the frame inspections by Toyota. I am looking forward to keeping this truck at least another 10 plus years .
Can't agree more! My '01 Tundra is still going strong (with VERY minimal rust anywhere) with Lanolin coating every year.
For the truck with rust, my approach is to use Corrosion Free as it does a great job with stopping the rust in its tracks. I then let it dry in for a week or so (still use the truck) then cover with a layer of Surface Shield. I find this a great combination as once rust starts the Lanolin products otherwise don’t stop the rust progress
@vaughnreid Somebody doesn't know their organic chemistry...
Please educate me. My car is rusty underneath. Can I stop it and prevent further rust?
@@dad1432 Anything that creates an oxygen barrier stops corrosion.
Up in the Canadian rust belt every new car I buy goes from the dealer to Krown rust control. I keep my cars 15 to 20 years and have had ZERO rust problems. The wife and I shake our heads seeing older vehicles with rust holes, If they just spent a few hundred for oil spray their bodies and frames would still be perfect. Its a must up here.
Found your undercoating series shortly after buying my first "nice" vehicle. I've always had beaters and never worried about it much but I got a 2019 trd off road 4runner with 50k miles and no rust. I did my first under coting (surface shield because it was readily available and cheaper in my area) This year and plan to continue yearly. I want this vehicle to last and last and last and I see this as a cheap insurance policy. I'll take the dirty oily hands a few times a year during maintenance for the peace of mind. I'm a believer! You earned a subscriber and I'm looking forward to your future content whatever direction you take👍
You have done a great service to the automotive community! I have been using lanolin since I’ve watched your videos 4 years ago, wish i knew about it decades ago.
Good info Repair geek. I live in pretty rust free part of Australia, but still use Lanotech brand Lanolin as a one time protectant on my cars. I mostly wipe the excess off as I only want it in the cracks and threads.
The wet coatings do work, no doubt about it. From Ontario here, and I remember seeing cars from the 60s in some small towns where a local shop was doing oil based sprays 60 years ago. Some cars in these areas are simply amazing. In the 80s the Ontario government put some research into designing an effective undercoating, and the end result is a successful franchise that is still in business today. Your biggest detractors are likely those who are in the automotive sector, this is NOT the kind of thing they want people to see. Some people hate the idea of a vehicle that is 'slimy and filthy' underneath, and they don't seem to care that they are unable to get 10 years out of their vehicle before it rusts out. There are also a lot of people that want to have a new vehicle in their driveway, and the cost to them just doesn't seem to matter. You're doing a good thing - keep going! Good work on the presentation and the video. Not everyone will like what you have to say - ignore them.
Went with Crown this year on my new 2024 Tundra….I think it creeps the most. It was definitely dripping after application. Will probably switch to something thicker next year but wanted it to saturate areas that can’t been seen or reached. It was also reasonably priced and convenient. Spending an hour or 2 plus cost of products vs. $160 seemed worth it to me. Great videos!
My results using Krown is standarized testing wasn't great. I've had people tell me that it works well if it's kept up with but check out these videos and you'll understand what I'm saying:th-cam.com/play/PLiBj_svGZOHO1UeoA3TeAQMzW5tsz6ujB.html&si=3nO1a8PJj4ZuvEEO
Been using it on cars driving on salty Norwegian roads for 7+ years and the coating really works. Its really effective on already rusty cars because it stays in the pores of the rust.
You and your videos are why i started spraying my 2005 Ford excursion four years ago with woolwax, live in South Dakota and still no rust underneath anywhere, the roof is a different story, to much driving down dirt roads and all the crap they spray in the air. Thank you for taking time to film, edit and post this video.
You are the man, for making this video. I have been telling people for years that oily style undercoatings are the best way to go. I've always recommended rinsing thoroughly and then using a product like Fluid Film or Wool Wax, but it sounds like Lanolin is great stuff too. Thanks for your hard work putting the video together!
Thank you for everything! I've been treating my 4runner inspired by your videos. The car is in great condition. I have sent your videos to many people who also took action.
Thank you for your continued videos on the rust problem especially in the salt belt areas. Been using lanolin products for years with success.
Found your videos shortly after buying a new 2022 Ram. Coated it with Surface Shield before the first winter with cans. Touched it up winter year two. Going into winter number three it still looks new. Thanks from Minnesota!
Thank you for showing the many pros and few cons of using the lanolin products. I look forward to the step by step videos. My biggest fear is not applying the coating correctly or applying to an area where I shouldn't. I love the SMA channel, and Eric O has a few videos of how to apply these products, but the videos are sped up to make the video shorter and less mundane. I get that. When you make your step by step video(s), please, please, please show them in real time. If this requires two or more videos, I am perfectly fine with that, and I will watch all of them.
There's no areas to avoid except for rotors and brake pads. Spray it everywhere. Then go for a drive and ride the brakes for a little to make sure anything on the rotors burns off. Simple
Lanolin (sheep wool grease) has been used since ancient times and is especially useful in marine use to this day : It’s not just grease, it seems to have a magical property that even after years and years of sitting in saltwater, parts will not rust or fuse together when used, even if the lanolin has seemed to have washed away. Nothing else even comes close to its performance. I use it on my sailboat, especially on fasteners that contain dissimilar metals.
I’ve also noticed that anytime I work with it my hands stay incredibly soft and moisturized for a few days afterward.
I live in Michigan. Just bought a 1986 Toyota 4runner from Texas. It looks great! It’s getting Woolwax in the next few days. Thank you for your research. It’s helped me feel confident in my purchase and I’m excited that this truck will last many more years
I live in MA and recently purchased a 2010 Toyota Sienna from CA (last year of the 2nd generation body style which I really like) and had it shipped to MA. 91K miles, original owner, all service records. Never seen a winter, snow, salt etc. Immaculate underneath and everywhere. Literally felt guilty bringing it to New England. Had the entire thing undercoated with NHOU including all interior panels, rockers etc.
The young guy that runs this shop was so jazzed about this 14 year old minivan in such fantastic condition. He did an amazing job. I’ll do a yearly inspection with him and do smaller touch up myself with FF and/or SS.
I feel soooo much better having had this done.
I've never commented before but when I saw first time Your video (something about 3 years ago) searching for a good way of rustproofing my old vehicles that I care about I immediately thought - that is the proper way. Earlier I was fighting with rust sanding and sand blasting and then epoxy. Whole process was taking a lot of time, effort and money. Effect was quite good but even after such treatments rust was living in metal sheets bends (literally it is impossible to clean and apply epoxy in such places). After I saw Your video I've bought lanolin based products as well as mike sanders fatt (I was trying both of them because in Poland they are available in similar price). Both of these products are excellent for rust proofing but applying fluid film seems to be easier because mike sanders fett needs to be preheated first (petroleum based product). After all whole process is fast and easy and does not need any surface preparations. Existing rust is being completely stopped. That oily surface is crawling to all metal sheet bends. It is so freaking easy and fast way that without Your evidences (as YT videos) I would never believe it can be so easy. So right now after few Years of saving my vehicles I would like just to say THANK YOU!! You save me a lot of money, effort and my time. Best wishes from Poland. I have also few hints for OTHERS from my current experience - lanolin based products such as fluid film are very expensive here in Poland so for cost savings (and as it turned out for coating durability improvement) I'm buying the most dense of fluid film products and dillute it with raw linseed oil to get optimal viscosity. That way I've got more coating for less (linseed oil is very cheap) and linseed oil is drying after some time causing that surface is less sticky, absorbs less dirt and does not being washed away so easy with water. But still that surface never dry out if You would not add too much of linseed oil (and from my observations it stops rust as good as lanolin product alone). Once again THANK YOU.
I subbed, but would love to see more videos of vehicles being coated. The process is what I would love to see. Thank You.
I have a 22 Nissan Frontier. I have used a combination of Fluid Film and Blaster Surface Shield. I reside in Upstate New York where they pound the rock salt, calcium chloride and brine on the roads to the point that it turns the blacktop white! My Nissan looks like new underneath and inside body panels. The lanolin based undercoating creeps into areas that salt water can get into to rust. In addition, the undercoating seems to repel rodents from chewing on wires. It also seems to avert the salt from oxidizing the wire connections that turn green with corrosion to simply break in half. The downside is that the lanolin creeps so well that it migrates from the inside of my white tailgate to outside. That's no big deal. I just have to clean it more often.
Nov. 10 /24
97 and 98 f150
Thank you for your videos.
This saved my trucks from scrap heap .
97 had to have box removed and corroseal then surface shield . Thank you
I've also used Fluid Film for the last 3 years on my truck. No rust and no obvious detriment. Good to know it was a good decision. I didn't have any research saying to use Fluid Film other than knowing it prevented rust. I touch up in fall before winter salt season and again in the spring.
Excellent video. I coat my f150 every winter or every other winter, here in Canada. I would not have it any other way. Truck is a 2012 and still has basically zero rust. Nobody can honestly argue with any statements or comments you said in this video. It's all true! Thank you.
No clue why I hadn’t subscribed because I’ve been watching your videos for years now. Great job and thank you.
You made a believer out of me in previous videos and this is the icing on the cake that has made me 100% confident that this undercoating system is the best. Thank you for your efforts!
I expected the uncoated truck to be worse, but I am in Nova Scotia, Canada. Our environment is even worse for rust, so that 2018 Colorado would be a lot worse untreated.
People do not seem to get the difference, and don't get their vehicles done.
I agree with what you said about a wet style coating, they are the only thing that works. Lanolin is good, I use a mixture of Fluid film and oil based pro-form for my own truck. It works great, my truck is 3 years old now and there is no rust at all. I do put it on thick and heavy, but I want the truck to last.
Great video, and I hope people who never believed in undercoating will believe it works after watching this.
I live in Winnipeg Manitoba and we see similar rust conditions up here. Rust is the number one destroyer of vehicles for us You have put together so awesome videos. Thank you
Maintence is going to so much easier on the coated truck, No more ceased bolts. I bought a 20 year old truck a have sprayed it for two winters now, stopping the rust in its tracks
I've been doing Woolwax now for 5 years on my 2006 4Runner - doesn't get rid of the rust that was already there, but still looks pretty much the same since I got it!
I was introduced to Fluid Film a few years back. Did my 74 super beetle (200K) and my last 2 Subarus with it. Wonderful stuff! what I like about it is that it "creeps", so that it will eventually get to and cover places you just could not get to. Some people say it stinks, but the smell dissipates after a few weeks. Personally I like the smell and wish it would stay longer! I knew a guy who sprayed his Honda station wagon with 80/90 gear oil! It didn't rust, but years later it still stunk sooo bad, I don't know how he ever drove it!
i’m glad you mentioned doing it in a truck that already has minor rust because i’ve been debating doing it to my 2011 f150. it has super light rust and i didn’t know if it would be a waste to spray over rust that already exists
I have referred many people here in Vermont to your channel in an effort to convince them. I'm currently still using Fluid film on my 2015 and have no rust. It works really well. Thank you for your testing videos!
I think the concern isn't the money of a brake line, but rather the failure of a safety device.
Good video, great show of how things work too.
Great update! I live in the rust belt, and 1000% believe in rustproofing with lanolin sprays
I don't even know what a lanolin undercoating is. This video is really cool
Fluid film is the most popular brand. It’s lanolin based (wool wax) comes from a waxy substance secreted by sheep's sebaceous glands
been using fluid film for 3 years now on my winter driven vehicles,, very impressed. i am north of Syracuse NY,, we get real winters here and they use salt and liquid brine on roads. i see untreated 7-8 year old trucks around here with the box sides rotted completely through. this stuff flatout works.
Very familiar with Fluid Film, used the product to coat my tools when I was doing in the field service calls to protect my tools from corrosion. Never thought of using the product for rust protection on a vehicle. Impressed by the results of your experiment!! Well done you! NMJ
I undercoated my wife’s 2023 Toyota Venza with CRC heavy duty corrosion inhibitor since brand new. That stuff is awesome!
I have really appreciated your videos on this topic, and you've given me a direction that I'm going with protecting the underside of my 80's f-150. There's some surface rust on the frame, and other components, but I'm now confident I can arrest the rust with VHT and PB Blaster Surface Shield.
You rock!
I have been watching your vids for a few years now, they have been a key factor in using Fluid Film on my 22 Canyon. Spayed with less than 100 mi and still looks showroom underneath. One thing that I do is add peppermint oil to the pail when stirring before spraying. We are very rural in northern Ontario Canada, lots of salt, but also lots of rodents. I have had serious trouble over the years from rodents in other vehicles, so far they have avoided this truck, plus it makes the truck smell nice and minty instead of like a flock of old sheep. My biggest problem now is that all my friends want me to spray their vehicles.
I don't use Fluid FIlm as it's unavailable in Canada but because of your videos in the past and the follow ups, you convinced me to rustproof my new vehicle a few years ago with Corrosion Free. I've been subbed and commenting just because of your commitment to providing updates
Krown is a Canadian product you can also use. I use it in the states.
There’s plenty of fluid film in canada, Canadian Tire, Princess Auto. I use surface shield now since its a bit cheaper than fluid film and widely available
Corrosion Free is good stuff too. 5 years on, no rust.
I'm a Lanolin Undercoating fan, specifically Woolwax applied by a local licensee and Fluid Film which I use for anything I work on (changing shocks, spare tire rims, etc.). I've had our three vehicles done in the past couple years which include a 2002 Ford Ranger, 2011 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 and a 2021 Honda Pilot.
I'm gonna start using the product. I buy nothing but old cars - had my share of rust.
I live 2 miles from thr NH Oil Undercoat HQ, so I've gone with them for years, I do think lanolin is a better choice, but with yearly coatings the NH Oil has stood the test
Great video!
I have an '86 Bronco that was seating on the side of the road for many years; The area where the oil leaked was covered with dirt but under the coating, the original factory paint was still intact and there were zero rust spots...That was also the case where the diff cover leaked. The " uncoated" areas had surface rust over...
I covered with Lanoline SS both my '92 Wrangler and the '99 Dakota... Thanks for posting!
I have been preaching undercoating to everyone who will listen! Many argue & make excuses/ say that they will just get another vehicle. My thought is, why waiste a vehicle. $50-100. & your vehicle is protected & once you see it, you never look back! I just picked up a 2000 buick LeSabre that was garage kept until 2 years ago & it is surprisingly clean underneath with minimal rust & would like to keep it that way! Fluid film kits come with a spray gun, spray tube, & fluid film for under $100.00 on amazon.
Very impressive! I just had all of our vehicles coated based largely on your videos (and the car my son bought that was treated one time and still looks new). Hoping to negate one of the negatives of living in the NE.
Awesome video, gives me hope.
I’m in NE Ohio with a ‘14 Jeep wrangler.
It’s from the south so It’s only seen 3 winters. I’ve used Woolwax the first year & black fluid film the others. Still looks new underneath.
Your vids have been helpful over the years & really show how well this stuff works.
Good video. In part thanks to you I bought a whole gallon of Fluid Film to treat the 1989 farm truck I bought. It's in great shape for its age, but it's 35 years old with typical rust. The lanolin seems to creep right into the rust and here in the usually dry climate of Alberta, I'm confident I can keep the truck in good shape for a long period. It's fun to use a 35 year old truck for daily service. They built them quite well back then.
With some basic understanding of application and care these coatings absolutely work. It's very achievable for a normal person to buy and apply. Great video.
My shocks on my 2018 4runner at 75k miles are the only things that need replacement, probably next year. They have steel tube skirts and I think they are just rusting from the inside out. Everything else is covered in FF and Surface Shield. Thanks for the great thorough review. The results are what everyone who treats their vehicles right would expect.
I had never heard of Lanolin as a protective coating before, until I went to my local auto store enquiring about underbody anti-rust spray. They had many brands of different types, but the guy behind the counter said why don't I try Lanolin, its especially popular he said with 4x4 users who do a lot of beach driving etc. due to salt water, salt spray etc, they swear by it due to its protective qualities in that harsh environment. Apparently the product has been around for many years but few people seem to know about it. So I bought some.
Thanks for documenting and posting all your experience, testing, and tips. I applied surface shield to my car this call because of you, and just noticed some rusting on my sister's car so I'll apply it to her car next year.
Yup, it works. I've got a 35 year old Volvo 240 which is caked in oily gunk underneath. It might look nasty, but there's virtually no rust under that gunk after 35 years of driving on salted roads while much much newer cars are being eaten alive by the road salt.
Love this stuff, my 2014 and 2011 look perfect. Everything around here by 10 years is totaled.
2021ram1500 classic tradesman i coated it in October 2021with PB blaster surface shield 🛡 awesome stuff i do it every fall no rust for me great channel 👍
I just had surface shield professionally applied to my car yesterday because of your channel. It's a 2012 Minnesota car but it only had 57,xxx miles when i bought it this summer and the underside looks like new. I think the original owner was probably a snow bird and the car sat parked in the garage for the could salty months.
Thank you for the update. I think this is close to a final conclusion. Maybe another update in 5 years if you still have the same vehicles? But I am convinced this lanolin stops rust.
I used LPS3 before learning about Fluid Film. I saw how well LPS3 worked so I know the oily coatings are the way to go. I bought a new truck this year, Fluid Filmed it, and used a ceramic paint coating. I wasn't sure about the ceramic coating until I found a handprint that I had coated over. The print is sealed like it's under glass. It will not rub off. At least I know the coating works. As expensive as cars are it's really worth having them protected top and bottom. In 10+ years the resale value will be so much higher.
Very very good review thank you. This is one of several reasons why I'm moving from the Northeast Coast to Northern Arizona.
You have made me a believer- you know your stuff. I treated my daughters’ Jeeps 3 years ago, and it’s held up incredibly.(I used lanolin inside cavities for flow and CRC waxy rustproof on exterior surfaces since I don’t always have the chance or time to retouch). Both have held up fantastically.
That rust on those GMs will definitely get serious. I had a Saturn Vue that had the front subframe fall apart after 10 years despite low mileage.
Agreed that the only damage I've seen from undercoat is the weather stripping. It's annoying, but less annoying than scrapping my car.
I really like your videos. Your scientific approach makes the results convincing and reliable 👍. Here in Ottawa Canada, bought my 1st car, a used 2010 Outback 2 years ago with 120k miles at 6k CAD. After putting on 25k more miles, engine still runs like a tank, everything is fine except the subframe had a big rot hole. 1st owner never rust proof it. Sold it 1.2k to junk yard because it can't pass safety. Rust is a pain the ass! Had my new 24 CRV for a few weeks and undercoat it right away, kinda obsessed with rust problem.
The difference is tremendous. Thanks for the update and keep the info coming!
Thank you for doing this. Every owner if private or commercial vehicles would be wise to apply these coatings.
great video! you are the reason I found out about lanolin products. I sprayed my bmw e46 for the first time this year and I plan o keeping it for many decades
Norwegian here. I have only used fluid film, because as far as i know there is nothing else lanolin based to buy in my area. But i have only good experience with it, and it works very well! But a tip is, before the first time spraying it, you should pressure wash the undercarriage carefully. Do also wash out the inside of the rockers to rinse out any dirt sand etc. and let the car dry out. This is best to do in a hot summerday. Another tip is to not go cheap on the fluid film the first time you’re spraying it, because it will creap better all over the place much better this way, espesially in a warm summerclimate. And that’s what you want. And be aware that for a while espesially in the summer, it will drip some. The next time and on, you can be a little cheaper on the stuff. This stuff works for sure, but it is logic that the thicker lanolin stuff will hold a bit better because it’s thicker and dont wear off that easy in the most logical places. And the best thing is, that it can be washed off later if it’s to messy to work with when fixing something. Rust is not reversible, but these products is. Sorry for my bad english, but i think most will understand what i wrote.
I have a 2021 Tundra and live in South Carolina. Rust is not much of an issue, but I sprayed mine anyway. I had a scratch repaired on my tailgate (I keep my truck mint). Anyway, the owner of the body shop lets his dad work part time doing office work. Well, he was laughing and told his son why is he (me) worried about a scratch and not the rear main seal leak? My truck was sprayed with Fluid Film black. Moral of the story, use it no matter we’re you live IMO. Great stuff
Thx! Just got new ford edge… live near VA beach so typically NO snow / very little salt… am now I going coat all my kids vehicles too!
Also if you live or move to a state that has safety inspections like Pennsylvania. You might find yourself arguing with the inspection mechanic that is 110% sure everything is leaking, . I have a 2001 GMC Yukon that spent its first 20 years in the south. Before I moved to PA "I previously lived there" I coated it with Fluid Film before the move to save it from Pennsylvania Winters. When I had to have it inspected they handed me a repair estimate for $5000.00 for leaking mains, transfer case seals, basically anywhere near a seal ! Took me a while to prove it was "Not Leaking" to pass the inspection. Besides that leaks are not a reason to fail inspection in Pennsylvania they are shady trying to make $$$$ . Stand your ground with these people!!!!
Amazing video ! Thank you for sharing your information and long time test with analysis. Definitely sharing it with people those hate rust on their vehicles 😁
An important point is to spray into the frame and on top of every surface on a truck like this. I had a dodge that rotted from the inside out because the insides of the frame channels were never sprayed even though the previous owner had it undercoated every year.
On other vehicles I had been using dino oil, and the last 10 years ACF-50. I prefer the ACF-50 because it has a spec and is proven safe for electrical, sensors, plastics, rubbers, and it creeps well.
i use Rust Check in central NY, snow/salt country since 2006...i sold a Subaru 17 yrs later and it was 98% rust free...some spots are just hard to get....and all my other vehicles get it applied....it is well worth the expense and it helps on trade in or resale