Undercoating

[DSCS_SW]

Ok Tundra Guys and Gals. Is undercoating the truck necessary? If so what products would you recommend?

Lynn

[Stooge]

Undercoating is not necessary. Some say it actually traps moisture and causes rust. The underside is primed with a zinc-phosphate coating which should prevent rust under most conditions for the life of your truck. Undercoating on a modern car or truck is now more useful as sound control as it will eliminate many misc. squeaks and such. You can do it yourself from several spray "undercoating" products (tar). It is a big mess, so wear some "throw-away" clothing. Keep the spray away from wires, connectors, fuel lines and exhaust.

[thombiz]

I go to the beach often to windsurf (2-3 times a week), so for me undercoating is very necessary. I have a compressor and an undercoating gun (cost about $18) and put about a gallon and a half of Rusfre undercoating on the truck (which I got at the local auto paint store) including inside the tailgate, rear bumper, etc. The undercoating was about $20 per gallon. I drove the truck onto a large drop cloth, jacked it up and put it on jack stands, removed the wheels, masked for overspray, put on some clothes I never wanted to see again, and got with it. It turned out great and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I knew my truck was going to be exposed to salt.

About 3 trucks back, I owned a Nissan pickup which rusted out and I'm sure it wouldn't have if I had undercoated it in advance.

[Tundra_Jules]

I surf all year round and haven't had a bit of rust under any of my vehicles. Completely unnecessary...at least here in SoCal.

[woody1]

I live about a mile from the beach and have never had a rust problem in SoCal. Only time I saw rust problems was 6 years I spent in Hawaii.

[5 Speed]

Well I guess the air is a lot different in Santa Barbara than in other areas of the coast but just take a look at the underside of your bumpers! Now I have done a fair share of off roading in other states, not in water or saltwater, but a lot of winter driving on roads in Utah and Montana, and on dirt roads where a large build up of mud and rocks collect on the underside, especially in the rear bumper, I have a ton of it all over the end of my driveway. I removed both bumpers and there was a ton of rust on the inside. I agree that the body is probably fine and the frame shouldn't rust through in 100 years, but the bumpers are cheep and they have a thin clear coating on their inside. I don't give them more that say 5-7 years on the coast before the chrome starts to see problems.