PatHenry

So I finally got the fluid film on this morning. It's a real pain in the rear dealing with garden hoses freezing when you're trying to rinse your undercarriage,.. only to be followed by snow on the morning after when you have to crawl under the Jeep. I had to go inside 3 times while spraying to warm my frozen hands.

I do feel a lot better about driving the Jeep on the salty roads now.

Someone mentioned the industrial lanolin smell. It's not too bad actually - reminds me of one of the kids' books "Sheep in a Jeep" lololol.

IJM

If it's below freezing and I really need to wash the salt off the cars, I'll hook up the hose to warm water in the basement and use that instead. I'm fortunate that our basement slop sink has a male threaded faucet, and it's located right under a window. I just hook up the hose, run it out the window, and dial in just the right temperature. Not too hot!

BlackXJay

I just ran across a thread and did some research on Eastwood internal frame coating. Seems to be a good option for inside the frame and rockers. It has a long hose and sprays 360 degrees. (I think fluid film has the same attachment)

From what I have read it seems to be a more permanent coating. Anyone use this product?

jordan96xj

I bought some, but ended up going with Fluid Film instead. It works by a different principle, and Eastwood products are pretty well regarded, so it probably works as advertised. However, the application and prep has to be correct. It works on the same concept as por-15, and it works by mechanically locking down the surface of the metal so that it can not expand and "sluff" off. When the metal can not expand in size, it effectively stops the rusting process.

I ended up deciding that it would be better suited for those folks that have frames that were in better, cleaner, condition than mine to begin with. For example when doing a restoration, and you have the opportunity to fully clean and dry everything.

For example, if you already have areas where metal is sluffing, (coming off in thin sheets from the surface, the Eastwood product will not help in that area. That rust would have to be knocked/broken off first. Light surface rust would be ok, but the big stuff would have to be dealt with. And unless you are going to tear into the floor of the XJ and cut a channel all the way down the frame rails to expose the insides and clean them out, it is not an attractive option. At least for me it wasn't.

Oils (like Fluid Film, Rust Check, etc). Work by blocking oxygen from the surface of the metal. So it can work in areas where metal is already in worse shape and will work itself into any voids it finds. The trade-off is, that you will never paint anything in that area again, at least not until the oils are completely removed.

So they both have their place.

My opinion is that if someone has a vehicle that is rusty around the frame already, and fully restoring it and then treating with Eastwood, chassis saver, por-15, etc, is not an option (or a desire), that the oil type products end up being a more practical way to prolong the life of the vehicle.

BlackXJay

Thanks for answering a few questions and pointers.

Just thought I'd share this link if you ever feel the need to knock off rust inside the frame rail.

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f210/ho...topics/1219793

Seems like an interesting tool someone thought of. I would never drill my frame but off the top of my head there are access points where something like this may work.

Ralph77

I used the Eastwood Internal Frame Coating in my '00. Frankly I can't comment on its effectiveness. I power washed inside my uni-body best I could and went to town with 2 coats. Thinking about it now I stop and look for a couple seconds whenever I see one of those inspection cameras on Craigslist. No idea why but to see what is going on in there might give me the excuse to buy one. LOL. The frame coating, POR 15, and Fluid Film are all part of my "Rust Retardation Program". When ever I open something up under the Jeep, like when I replaced my entire exhaust, I do some housekeeping and POR 15'ing. I do what I can and hope for the best.

Thanks to BlackXJay for that link. I might utilize that idea in some form and redo inside my uni-body. Some out of the box thinking there if you ask me.

One last thing for anybody who is spraying anything in there uni-body. Don't forget that your rear diff breather is in there. I moved mine up to the engine compartment next to the front diff breather. Also did the same with my TC and tranny ones. Figure gunking up the rear diff breather, whether it be Eastwood Internal Frame Coating or Fluid Film, would not be good.