Undercoating a new to you Jeep?

[OverlandZJ]

Today a bud took delivery of an 06 Unlimited Rubi with 30K and very clean from Oklahoma, looks to have been garage kept and still has stickers underneath intact.

It has no factory undercoating, looking for advice on how best to protect this rig. Keeping it in garage during winter wont be an option after this year.. it will see road salt as a DD/Overland rig starting next spring.

Is there a great DIY product that we could apply over this winter or is there a company that offers a superior product installed?

What would you do?

 

[John__505]

Simple. POR-15. It is said to stop rust and keep everything protected. I did read up on it and seems to be what everybody likes. But it will set you back a few bucks.

 

[Begster]

I did not like POR-15 actually, no one I know who has had personal experience with it has really bin a big fan. It peeled and flaked off on me.

John, I used Eastwood's undercoating (I think 1 coat of rust encapsulator, 2 coats of extreme chasis black, but I can double check. Sprayed it through a cheap home depot air gun) on my dad's wrangler when I did the frame swap. It drove in the winter some,, lives 1 mile from the beach and right across the street from a salt marsh, and has mainly driven on the beach since then. Still looks nice and black and I haven't seen any areas where it is showing premature signs of paint wear in the 1+ year it has been on.

 

[JrTxJ]

^Eastwood's or SEM with hardener is the best I've seen & what I'd do.

 

[jeepguy72987]

i belive por-15 only works on rough areas such as surface rust i maybe wrong. correct me if i am

 

[OverlandZJ]

Yeah i wasnt too impressed with POR-15 on smooth surfaces either, i needed to shotpeen my bumpers to get a good hold on the XJ. Peeled off my axles and bumpers when smooth, but iirc they do warn you about that.

Looking into Eastwood, thanks for the recommendations. I always forget about them..

 

[Rock2pus]

Today a bud took delivery of an 06 Unlimited Rubi with 30K and very clean from Oklahoma, looks to have been garage kept and still has stickers underneath intact.

It has no factory undercoating, looking for advice on how best to protect this rig. Keeping it in garage during winter wont be an option after this year.. it will see road salt as a DD/Overland rig starting next spring.

Is there a great DIY product that we could apply over this winter or is there a company that offers a superior product installed?

What would you do?

If it were me, I would just stop by the carwash and spray the underside off every so often..This sounds like a solution in search of a problem. There is no such thing as factory undercoating, its usually just a cheap quickie spray job at the dealership that nets them more profit at sale time. It also has a nasty habit of retaining water and accelerating rust problems. Ask a few of the folks on here (myself included) what happens when you think stripping out your carpets and "rhino lining" your interior what it actually looks like should you happen to keep the rig for a few more years and then peel that lining out. Hint: no floors left! I would have been better off leaving them bare for certain. Just keep it clean.

 

[Begster]

Yeah i wasnt too impressed with POR-15 on smooth surfaces either, i needed to shotpeen my bumpers to get a good hold on the XJ. Peeled off my axles and bumpers when smooth, but iirc they do warn you about that.

Looking into Eastwood, thanks for the recommendations. I always forget about them..

Ya, POR15 stayed on my knuckles, but it rusted right through it.

If it were me, I would just stop by the carwash and spray the underside off every so often..This sounds like a solution in search of a problem. There is no such thing as factory undercoating, its usually just a cheap quickie spray job at the dealership that nets them more profit at sale time. It also has a nasty habit of retaining water and accelerating rust problems. Ask a few of the folks on here (myself included) what happens when you think stripping out your carpets and "rhino lining" your interior what it actually looks like should you happen to keep the rig for a few more years and then peel that lining out. Hint: no floors left! I would have been better off leaving them bare for certain. Just keep it clean.

After almost 7 years of my interior herculined with a carpet for the last year of it, living on cape cod, driving it on the beach and leaving the sand inside of it, hosing it out, puddles after rain, etc. When I cut the carcass up this summer to take it to the dump, I had one spot where the herculined had peeled up and started to rust at the drivers seat mount. I didn't have that issue, lucky I guess.

 

[MoparManiac]

Agree with Mark. I had terrible luck with por-15. Used it on my D30/D44 and it peeled off soon after.

I also however agree with Rich on just washing it regularly.

 

[clean4drxj]

Try Devoe, I've seen that this stuff holdup to hydrolic fluid/brakekleen. It's available online and ring's end lunber stores sometimes carry it.

 

[1968 Charger B5]

POR-15 sucks....
Peeled on my cherokee after 1 year....and was prepped correctly...It did work on a trunk floor of my roadrunner, however that car never saw rain, so I refuse to use it as an example...

Heard good things about eastwood...may try them on my xj soon...

 

[MrSimon]

I've had extremely good luck with POR-15.

When applied correctly to properly prepped surfaces, it is extremely strong and creates a great rust barrier.

Its finicky though. You have to prep bare metal with some sort of etching/cleaning solution. I bought the stuff recommended and sold by POR-15 (or whatever company sells the stuff) and it worked well.

It also breaks down in light - meaning it has to be topcoated.

If you don't do every step just right, you'll have issues. If you do it right, you'll be pleased.

 

[asp]

I've had extremely good luck with POR-15.

When applied correctly to properly prepped surfaces, it is extremely strong and creates a great rust barrier.

Its finicky though. You have to prep bare metal with some sort of etching/cleaning solution. I bought the stuff recommended and sold by POR-15 (or whatever company sells the stuff) and it worked well.

It also breaks down in light - meaning it has to be topcoated.

If you don't do every step just right, you'll have issues. If you do it right, you'll be pleased.

Jordan has it right. A lot of people don't do a lot or all of the other things that go with a proper POR-15 application. You almost have to treat it like a cooking recipe, but it will bond well. Paint technology is a lot of chemistry. It doesn't work like general purpose spray paint :laugh:

It can also trap moisture inside and can cause the part to rust away from inside the paint. There's a reason the Navy doesn't slap it on boats to fix rust...

 

[muduck18]

Yeah i wasnt too impressed with POR-15 on smooth surfaces either, i needed to shotpeen my bumpers to get a good hold on the XJ. Peeled off my axles and bumpers when smooth, but iirc they do warn you about that.

Looking into Eastwood, thanks for the recommendations. I always forget about them..

yeah Eastwood has a bunch of different options. I have used their encapsolator on several of my jeeps.
The guys in there are very knowledgeable too, I have the advantage of being able to drop into their store in Pottstown and chat with them. And they have some good recommendations for options. And some cool displays in the show off room.

 

[OverlandZJ]

yeah Eastwood has a bunch of different options. I have used their encapsolator on several of my jeeps.
The guys in there are very knowledgeable too, I have the advantage of being able to drop into their store in Pottstown and chat with them. And they have some good recommendations for options. And some cool displays in the show off room.

I didnt know they had a retail outlet in Pottstown.. makes sense to stop in and discuss it. Thanks...

 

[billyjp2]

I just used this stuff on my dana 44

 

[OverlandZJ]

Billy, i'll have to look at that product too.

On the POR-15 issue.. i forgot i had painted the wife's new engine in her WJ with POR-15. It's holding very well for the past 1.5 years..

 

[clean4drxj]

POR-15 works fine if you read all the procedures and use as direct with the cleaner and surface prep, however it's not for everyone as it's for Painting Over Rust.

 

[pajeepman]

I didnt know they had a retail outlet in Pottstown.. makes sense to stop in and discuss it. Thanks...

I believe that is there only store as they are or at least were based out of there, just of of RT 100 by the Walmart.

 

[egon]

Another idea is Awlgrip 545 primer and then a good quality paint of your choice. 545 is designed as a primer for metal and fibreglass and can be used for under water applications. I've used it on metal with limited prep and it has held up very well.

--Matt