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How to stay rust free

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Old 10-14-2021, 08:10 PM
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Lots of home brew ways of doing this on u-tube
Old 10-15-2021, 04:28 AM
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Originally Posted by blazer 2008
Lots of home brew ways of doing this on u-tube
would you link some examples?
Old 10-15-2021, 04:38 AM
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Used motor oil and diesel fuel.
1 to 1 ratio.
Spray it underneath then take a ride on a dusty road.
Thinking not the most environmentally friendly solution though.
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Old 10-15-2021, 04:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Ralph77
Used motor oil and diesel fuel.
1 to 1 ratio.
Spray it underneath then take a ride on a dusty road.
Thinking not the most environmentally friendly solution though.
whoa, can you go into some detail here? why a dusty road? why do this? haha my minds blown, id never think to do this
Old 10-15-2021, 04:57 AM
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Originally Posted by daberman
whoa, can you go into some detail here? why a dusty road? why do this? haha my minds blown, id never think to do this
Dusty road is so dust and whatnot will stick to the mixture kinda sealing it in and keep it from dripping all over the place all the time.
I don't work on heavy equipment but been around enough of it to know.
Find a piece of machinery that has a leak out of a hydraulic hose.
Not only will you find hydraulic fluid there but a bunch of crap that has adhered to it over the years.
Take your hand, wipe it clean, and chances are you will see fresh metal with paint that looks like the day it rolled out of the factory. LOL.
The solution should be thin enough to spray with a bug sprayer or the cheap Harbor Freight spray gun at the 1 to 1 ratio.
You don't want to do this though.
Just use the Fluid Film.

Last edited by Ralph77; 10-15-2021 at 05:10 AM.
Old 10-15-2021, 05:01 AM
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this forum is awesome
Old 10-15-2021, 09:07 AM
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A big plus one on the Woolwax recommendation.

I live in a city that dumps salt continuously through a very long winter.
Every fall, I put the vehicles up on jackstands, pull the wheels and spray a thick coating of it.
A wand will get you into the critical frame rails.
I've pulled the plastic door sill guards and drilled 1/2" holes to get into the rocker panels too.

Interesting info about Eastwood.
The only product of theirs I've used is the internal frame coating and it seems to work ok.

I believe every XJ should have its door panels removed and the rear hatch too if '97+ and a good coating of 3M Cavity Wax applied.
Just don't seal the weep holes.
I'd recommend pulling the interior plastic around the rear wheel wells too.
It's great stuff.

After this I have very little rust and I watch for it religiously.
Old 10-15-2021, 08:06 PM
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Just look , there are ton,s
Old 10-15-2021, 08:15 PM
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Default No rust. Frame is mint!

This is what your unibody frame looks like on the inside.

don’t fool yourself. Pull the carpet cut a hole and look!



Old 10-15-2021, 08:39 PM
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Originally Posted by psf4x4
This is what your unibody frame looks like on the inside.

don’t fool yourself. Pull the carpet cut a hole and look!


That photo wonderfully illustrates why the only rust prevention method that works is to not drive in the salt.

Washings, coatings, sealers etc... can never seal the vehicle 100% and what about the rain gutter trim, roof rack, under trim parts, etc... You dont want to coat that with wax or oils.
This photo shows how the salt got into so really tight seams to make rust, the lap joints. Once it gets in, you cant rinse it all out. May not show rust for many years externally, but it will be rusting away your roof seam at the rain gutter, pitting under the rack and trim pieces, it will find a place that was missed by the wax or oil.

The concern is this kind of damage may not show up for years. you may five years later start to see bubbles on the lower door skins, or rusty stains along the rocker pinch seam.

I have seen snow/salt state cars sold in sunny california, they look ok, dont appear rusty, oh maybe one tiny spot of rust, but over all, appears not rusty. then a few years later, despite being keeped salt free and dry in california, all four doors have rust holes developing, rust stains appearing at the body to door hinge, and such appear now.

Once exposed, the real bad damage wont be seen for a long time as it progresses.
Oils and waxs will minimize the problem where they are sprayed. But in the long term, they simply delay the process. some areas like the roof, around the window glass under the trim, and such you cant practically coat with oils or wax, so what do you do there?

This is why car buyers in california are told to avoid salt state cars, They may look good, But there is rust, hidden rust, but it is not simply lurking rust, rather it is growing rust. Thanks to the salt trapped in a place that isn't rinsed, it keeps eating away. In time it will eat through enough to be seen easily

You must avoid salt, even one exposure can doom your jeep to a cancerous rust

I am Grim Reaper, I am Rust!


On the lighter side, a warm salt water gargle is effective at soothing a sore throat.

Last edited by robsjeep; 10-15-2021 at 08:48 PM.
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Old 10-16-2021, 02:54 AM
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Well, I hope to get as much fun out of this thirty year old jeep before it disintegrates before my eyes!
Old 10-16-2021, 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by daberman
Well, I hope to get as much fun out of this thirty year old jeep before it disintegrates before my eyes!
This has been my approach for about 8 years with my rig. Still going. I'm fortunate because the original owner of this thing had applied some aftermarket undercoating that did some good against the salt in NOVA/DC for many years
Old 10-17-2021, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by DGA
This has been my approach for about 8 years with my rig. Still going. I'm fortunate because the original owner of this thing had applied some aftermarket undercoating that did some good against the salt in NOVA/DC for many years
I'm with you. My '89 Limited has been well taken care of since new by the 2 previous owners and now me. It's been winter driven since new but not as a number 1 vehicle. I don't drive mine on the worst of winter days but there are plenty when you can. Rust prevention methods are pretty straightforward. You just have keep on top of it.

Last edited by PCO6; 10-17-2021 at 03:05 PM.
Old 10-17-2021, 03:03 PM
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For close to 30 years we had a boat docked in the backyard in our house in South Florida.
Once a month or so I would spray down the engines with this product :
https://www.blockcorrosion.com/?__cf...zNAtCjcnBszQYl

I can't swear this is the manufacturers site - but you get the idea.
This stuff is worth its weight in gold.

Now - living in Mexico - I can no longer get this product - but it is the BEST.
Old 10-17-2021, 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by PCO6
I'm with you. My '89 Limited has been well taken care of since new by the 2 previous owners and now me. It's been winter driven since new but not as a number 1 vehicle. I don't drive mine on the worst of winter days but there are plenty when you can. Rust prevention methods are pretty straightforward. You just have keep on top of it.
These days, the XJ gets most of its use when there's snow or ice on our street, which is narrow and straight up a pretty gnarly hill. Fortunately there's no salt on the roads in our part of Oregon and the air is bone dry most of the year


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