Undercarriage detailing

Accumulator said:
With POR15 coming up so often in threads like this, I'd like for somebody (besides Yours Truly) to compare some of the various Paint Over Rust products currently available...I certainly have my (rather strong!) opinions/preferences, but I'm curious what others would think if they tried a few different products. I find I can't even boil it down farther than three (five or six if you count products that aren't really "paint") different ones for different applications.
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It has been beat to death over several forums for decades(mainly offroad forums)
Their was atleast one that had a test comparison
POR-15 is still considered top and most widely used
Chassis Saver is another..rumored to be same spec as por 15 just cheaper. .
never found proof saying it was..nor saying it wasnt. .
the 3rd is Rust Bullet which is a 2 part process
def not as good as the others
those are the 3 best rust encapsulater options out there
the rest are either copies or worthless rust converters
follow ut up with Secondskin audio spectrum/firewall or lizard skin and I think youre golden
 
nothingface5384 said:
It has been beat to death over several forums for decades(mainly offroad forums)
Their was atleast one that had a test comparison
POR-15 is still considered top and most widely used
Chassis Saver is another..rumored to be same spec as por 15 just cheaper. .
never found proof saying it was..nor saying it wasnt. .
the 3rd is Rust Bullet which is a 2 part process
def not as good as the others
those are the 3 best rust encapsulater options out there
the rest are either copies or worthless rust converters..
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Huh, my experiences were different...but I've only used the following "paint over rust" products (not including ones that I don't consider paint):
-POR15
-Rust Bullet
-Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator
-KBS Rust Seal

Just my experience, but of those four the POR15 ranked last.
 
All im going to say is results are dictated by prepwork
did you degrease and use a zinc etch product if you grinded to bare metel..or sid you just slap it on over rust
either way interesting
myself and others where always otherway around
I know always top my rust encapulator with liquid audio insultion like spectrum for extra measure
 
Btw looked up Rust seal,
Sounds way better then anythingbove listed
supposivly branched away from POR and made a way better version
I'll make that my new combo
rust seal/spectrum
 
I did a little online digging and found out that my current rust proofing is less than reliable (company/product called "Rust Check"). The product tested and chosen by the Canada military for rust proofing in Eastern Canada is called "Corrosion FREE" anyone try this stuff?

My game plan is ever changing...

New undercarriage plan:
Rinse -> APC/Degrease -> Rust seal (only some area's) -> Corrosion Free application by a shop

I would re-do the above yearly along with more regular undercarriage rinses.
 
Sounds like a plan, but I would pressure wash (and not drive) one or two days (during dry weather) before you have it done to better ensure it's good 'n dry when it's sprayed. That's for the undercarriage - what about inside doors, rocker panels, fenders, etc....?
 
4u2nvinmtl- There are just *so* many different products like that these days! Yeah, the testing by the Canadian Military oughta be good for something.

nothingface5384- Yes indeed, when you can go the proper prep it makes all the difference! Especially if you can get to bare metal, then things ougtha go great. What I find tricky is the cases where I just can't do that and have to literally "paint over rust". Yeah, you're not supposed to do that but sometimes that's just all ya can do. Rust Converters can help, but sometimes those don't work out great either.

There are so many things that can go haywire...

If you try the Rust Seal I hope you'll post back about how it goes for you (and !oh man! I hope it works out OK since I suggested it). Always hard to say how this stuff will work for somebody else...and even just *my* experiences have varied (I've had Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator fail when I would've *sworn* I'd done such good prep that it'd work great).

My relative dislike of POR15 stems mainly from a few cases where it simply didn't adhere, including one time when a bodyshop used it on a frame (frame-off project) only to have it fail miserably (they assured me they did the prep right). OTOH, I have some POR15'ed areas on the underneath of my Tahoe that've held up great, so it's not like I despise the stuff or anything.

The Rust Bullet seems to take a good bit of care when applying, and I have to do more coats than they recommend; the "pinholes from gas escaping" can be problematic.

So far the KBS Rust Seal seems the best overall, but I haven't used it long enough or for as many jobs as the others so IMO the jury might still be out.
 
MiVor said:
Sounds like a plan, but I would pressure wash (and not drive) one or two days (during dry weather) before you have it done to better ensure it's good 'n dry when it's sprayed. That's for the undercarriage - what about inside doors, rocker panels, fenders, etc....?
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The inside of the doors will be left as is and new rustproofing will be re-applied. As for the rocker panels, and fenders will be done to the best of my ability (I can access them easily because I installed plastic push pins that are reusable). Luckily they've all been sprayed with rust proofing (multiple times) and after reading so many car forums on this subject I've concluded that the difference between the rustproofing products (Rust Check, Krown, Corrosion Free) seems to be mostly negligible (anything is better than nothing).
 
4u2nvinmtl- So you're *not* going to shoot anything inside the doors? Are they already done with something? The lower-door seams always worry me...
 
Accumulator said:
So far the KBS Rust Seal seems the best overall, but I haven't used it long enough or for as many jobs as the others so IMO the jury might still be out.
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Do you coat everything (as much as possible) or did you just do very specific spots (with the Rust Seal and/or other products)? That's my current internal debate...

Clearly there's no winning the battle with rust just prolonging it (other than replacing body panels with carbon fiber) so I guess the real problem is that no one is sure how much time rust proofing efforts will buy before parts rust out and need replacing.
 
4u2nvinmtl- IMO/IME (and that's all it is...) you *can* prevent rust long-term but luck sure factors in. My '93 Audi only has the factory rustproofing yet has remained rust-free despite being used primarily as a winter car. (Well, I had to replace all the undercar fuel/brake lines because the original owner didn't keep the undercarriage clean, but the doors/etc. are OK.)

I only use stuff like Rust Seal as Paint Over Rust products.

For the bottoms of the doors I'd shoot some convenional undercoating that'll seep into the seam. That way you won't get salty water seeping in there to start rust-out.
 
Accumulator said:
4u2nvinmtl- There are just *so* many different products like that these days! Yeah, the testing by the Canadian Military oughta be good for something.

nothingface5384- Yes indeed, when you can go the proper prep it makes all the difference! Especially if you can get to bare metal, then things ougtha go great. What I find tricky is the cases where I just can't do that and have to literally "paint over rust". Yeah, you're not supposed to do that but sometimes that's just all ya can do. Rust Converters can help, but sometimes those don't work out great either.

There are so many things that can go haywire...

If you try the Rust Seal I hope you'll post back about how it goes for you (and !oh man! I hope it works out OK since I suggested it). Always hard to say how this stuff will work for somebody else...and even just *my* experiences have varied (I've had Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator fail when I would've *sworn* I'd done such good prep that it'd work great).

My relative dislike of POR15 stems mainly from a few cases where it simply didn't adhere, including one time when a bodyshop used it on a frame (frame-off project) only to have it fail miserably (they assured me they did the prep right). OTOH, I have some POR15'ed areas on the underneath of my Tahoe that've held up great, so it's not like I despise the stuff or anything.

The Rust Bullet seems to take a good bit of care when applying, and I have to do more coats than they recommend; the "pinholes from gas escaping" can be problematic.

So far the KBS Rust Seal seems the best overall, but I haven't used it long enough or for as many jobs as the others so IMO the jury might still be out.
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Good insight on why things worked and didn't!
rhays probsbly why i had bad luck with rust Bullet. .2 layers wernr enough
if i had good luck with por i know ill have evem better with the evolution design

Like i said, now i just play it safe and add a layer of liquid soud/heat insulation
glad i came across this thread
when you have good luck.with something you dont tend to use often you generaly dont sought after for.something better
Thank you kind Sir lol
ill check out the canadian stuff too
 
Por 15 vs. KBS Rust Seal - Mopar Body and Trim - Mopar Forum
post 17 good tips too

Heres the water based insulation i like to add as a top layer for the rust encapulator
Spectrum - 1 Gallon - Second Skin Audio
they also have one called firewall for heat...use this on floorpans

I like the 2nd skin audio duo better then the lizard skin duo as youre not forced to spray it on...have option to brush/roll on
avle to thicken the products too if youre trying to use it for audio specific reasons
 
The more I think of it, the more I worry that it was a mistake....Having Auto Armor sprayed on a two year old vehicle in winter - what the heck was I thinking?! Granted I had it resprayed in the spring after I pressure washed the heck out of it - but who knows what evil became trapped in the first spray...and maybe even moisture trapped in the second spray? I guess all I can hope for is that whatever is encapsulated/trapped is less evil than the salt spray to come in future winters (that won't see metal).
 
Here is some undercarraige detailing I did on my 300ZX. I basically cleaned and scrubbed with APC and ONR. I then coated with a good sealant.

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nothingface5384- Thanks for those links, very informative. First I've heard of the Spectrum. Yeah, I too like products that can be brushed as well as sprayed.

Yeah, the Rust Bullet can be tricky...I'd put it in the "Accumulator-proof" category but that doesn't mean it'll always for for everybody. IME you have to keep building it up until it's self-sealed the pinholes and that can be a tall order. I just might stick with the KBS Rust Seal and Eastwood Rust Encapsulator from now on.

4u2nvinmtl- You can drive yourself nuts with second-guessing ;) Let's assume you didn't seal in anything nasty and that it's now better protected. But keep an eye on things just in case.

Pats300zx- Love. That. That's what I aspire to. That's how the undercarriage is supposed to look. Never saw winter, did it? How much does it get driven? I mean...geee, most of mine didn't look that good the day they came off the truck from the factory.
 
Pats300zx said:
Here is some undercarraige detailing I did on my 300ZX. I basically cleaned and scrubbed with APC and ONR. I then coated with a good sealant.

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Damn that's sexy! Nice Vred tires.

If I get mine looking 1/10th as good I'll be happy. I'm going on vacation (tomorrow) to a country house off a 5-mile long dirt road, so I'll have to do it when I get back.
 
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