DIY Undercoating

[priuseater]

Thought i would share my experince with my first sucessful rustproofing application



A few theads back we began talking about rust proofing and getting our trucks treated and such. And i talked about trying it out myself for my frist time, and some of the tools i was going to try to see how it turned out. Well this weekend was a sucess! I made my own "pro" coating system, and it worked better then i thought!. I did my truck, and my dad did the car in a matter of no time, and it was fun too. And we know we got every immaginable place, and put it on nice and thick





Ok first your gonna need to get yourself some fluids. The best way of covering all your bases is getting a ticker oil fluid for the exterior and under frame, and a thin fluid for the doors and misc components. Reason is, for exterior undercoating you want a thick oil that will stick and stay the course of the winter, something that wont run off and wash off from wind and water. (say away from the wax based thick sprays) they trap moisture in after it drys, it cracks and allows water to get beween the coating and the frame.



You also want a thin ez flowing oil fluid for doing inside of doors and such, 2 reasons. 1st, it runs easily into the stamped door seams to help stop rust (the thick stuff doesnt flow/run down), also if you use the thick stuff, it will clog the water drain holes when dirt and dust sticks to it.



I used Proform oil based for my "Thick" undercoating spray P/N# pf 719-5 i got it at car quest, they had a awesome deal on, buy 3 pails for 87$ea or somethin like that. Should last me for a few years <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

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As for the thin stuff, my pops picked up a large 6-7 gal pail of the red Rustcheck stuff. It wasnt cheap <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... /angry.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='>:(' /> but because you use much less of it then the undercoating, it should last a decade of treatments.

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Both of the oils smelt great



Alrighty, on to the equipment. Some of you probably recall me mentioning using a tow behind weed sprayer with an electric pump. Well that ideal was put to rest once i opened up the undercoating bucket, and saw how thick it actualy was. There was no way that little pump was going to pump it through the hose, out the gun, and still create a fine mist. So on the hunt i went for a new alternative.



I rummaged around the shop, and found one of my old painting guns (bottom feed, 2 stage)a old husky one (home depot), perfect. A 2 stage gun shuts off the paint feed and air feed when released... important for the next step. I tried the gun with a hose going into the bucket, it worked so so.. it needed more oil feed, it had problems sucking the oil up the short hose. I had to pressureize it someway to feed the thick oil into the gun.

Princess auto had just what i was looking for. A 2 1/2 gal pressurized paint can feed system #8006581 for $139. Perfect <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' />

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After a bit of tinkering with fittings, and a few pressure regulators, i had it. The best DIY undercoating system you could make! It worked awesome! nice thick spray, i fined tuned the pressures to get optimal output. Around 40psi to the gun, 45 to the oil feed tank. Only thing i would change, i would probably be on the hunt for a better gun that had a 1.7 or 2.0mm nozzle tip (the real professional guns are idential to these paint guns however they have a small quick release tip that allows you to add the wands and such to get into the doors. I will be calling proform, they have a adaptor in their catalogue that looks like it will adapt to your typical spray gun (made to fit theirs, but its the same thing)

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Overall cant complain <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... ght_on.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':right_on:' /> i zip tied the lines together, kinda looks pretty pro now.

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I got almost every nook and crany i could spray it, i soaked the insides of the a-arms (common rust area) good. With a small wand, i could get into the odd hard to reach spots. Also i want to use a long flexy wand to spray the stuff inside the frame rails. Probably access it from the front or back. There looked to be a access hole to get into the frame rail from the rear. I wouldnt doubt that water finds its way into the frame rail channel, and cant get out ( i dont see any drains on the bottom of the rail where it curves down).



Funny thing is, i went to car quest to see if they had the plugs to get into the door, and after looking through their catalogue, they had the EXACT same pressure can, and EXACT same gun with adaptor tip, for 500$. lol

I still have to figure out how to get spray inside the doors, but in the meantime, ill just spray a bit of the canned Rust Check red oil with the straw through the access plugs.



The pressure tank is designed to hold a paint can perfectly inside, i didnt have a clean one avalable, i just cut a old jug and put the pickup inside of it, helps not having to clean the tank if you want to change fluids. <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... ght_on.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':right_on:' />

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[3dinnovations]

Wow, thanks for the great info! Very well explained and pictures too!

[dwaxman1]

Great Post... Thanks a ton!!!

[Sub]

i dont mind to jump in to do mine also and cover some of your crude costs! it seems to look awesome -pm me if its possible!

[Boeing Jet]

Very nice. So whats the Hummer Club rate if we bring our trucks to you? LOL (as we're all lined up on your street)

[Roy]

I use an hydraulic piston pump with a 120 degree wand.Works great at about 600psi. I use a semi drip fluid so it will run for 3 days to get into all corners. Also have a DIY pressure can that runs off air pressure.Great for soaking doors. <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... ght_on.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':right_on:' /> <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... ght_on.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':right_on:' />

[Boeing Jet]

Love it when you talk dirty Roy.