Rust prevention

[JasonP718]

I have a 72 Bronco which is moving from California to the northeast coast and am wondering what the top rustproofing tips you all have. I’ve searched through most of the threads here and there are a lot of different suggestions. I currently have almost zero rust and would like to do my best to keep it that way but not so much that it will sit in my garage. Do I go crazy with cavity wax? What do folks recommend on the wheel wells? The Bronco is new to me and while it’s clean I want to do my best to protect it. Thanks in advance for any tips. Once I figure out how to post a pic I upload!

 

[tabyers]

Welcome, become a contributor to post pics.
I had a 77 parts truck that only had 40,000 miles on it and had been used as a golf course maintenance cart since the early 80s (body had been sawed in half to make a janky flatbed). Anyhow, when taking it apart I noticed that everything was in really great shape vs. my other parts just due to still having most of its original paint in tact. This leads me to believe that whatever the coating you have, be it some super tough undercoating of just a thin layer of factory paint, the important thing is that there are no chips, flakes, abrasions, deep scratches, or any other issues. Its all about sealing exposures because the air is wet enough to grow rust even parked in the garage (round here anyway).
I can see where cavity wax would help do that, particularly on the back side of your door posts, where you probably have thinner, weaker paint coating and maximum exposure to rock abrasions. Also, hard to reach places like the inside of your rockers. As long as you have good paint coatings, you don't have to go wild all over, just have to identify your weak spots and meticulously look after them.
opinions may vary...

 

[JasonP718]

Thanks for the info. Being in the NE, it’s gonna be tough to keep the rust away

 

[Eoth]

Long and short.... Don't drive it in the winter.

 

[hyghlndr]

Paint everything, fluidfilm like crazy, only drive on dry days (as close as possible), and store all winter.

 

[Slowleak]

Fluidfilm is great. CRC SP-400 is a thicker version much like a cosmoline or wax coating.
https://www.amazon.com/SP-400-Corrosion-Inhibitor-Aerosol-Amber/dp/B082347YLW

 

[hyghlndr]

CRC is good, but found fluidfilm in gallon kits.

 

[jckkys]

Having bought my '77 new, I got to watch the progression of rust and where it started. One area I couldn't watch, was the floor under the full width rubber floor mat. I never looked under it till the bend at the fire wall rusted through. Water got trapped under it. Another problem place was the dr. side A pillar. The top wasn't sealed and the bottom was. So it filled with trapped water. I couldn't see either place till it was too late. I expected problems with the rocker panels and bottoms of the doors and tail gate so I watched them, resulting in no problems there. Otherwise the desert kept things rust free. Keep looking for any rust that starts and have it repaired. Don't let body cancer grow and spread. As firefighters in the Chicago area we did that with our apparatus. It works even in the rust belt.

 

[Master Chief]

Can't get more Northeast than Maine and my rust prevention is simple. Get a daily driver or winter beater. When I am not driving it, my Bronco is garaged. I also store it from the first snowfall requiring road salt until the spring rain storms to wash the roads clean. Once the roads are good, I drive it on dry days and try to avoid any afternoon showers that pop up. If and when I do get caught in the rain, I dry it off and leave the windows down with the floor mats out.

 

[msmith]

Here’s another vote for Fluid Film. I hose out underneath my truck and coat it with Fluid Film once a year. I get it in an undercoat kit with a spray gun an an omnidirectional hose.

I did nothing for my 07 F250 and by 2013 it needed cab corners, bedsides, struts under the bed, and the drive shafts were pitted. I got my current F350 in the summer of 14 and it looks really good underneath, some rust starting but waaaay better than my 07.

One of the things that make Fluid Film good is also kind of a nuisance. It migrates so it is a little messy. It will migrate out on your paint.


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[cannunz546]

I have used this Eastwood product on all of my antique cars. It has shown no signs of failure after 15 years. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-heavy-duty-anti-rust-in-amber.html

 

[Tuloyuser]

I have used this Eastwood product on all of my antique cars. It has shown no signs of failure after 15 years. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-heavy-duty-anti-rust-in-amber.html

Darn it, not for sale in CA


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[Spaggyroe]

I did a body replacement. Prior to paint, I used eastwood internal frame coating inside every nook and cranny I could. In the cowl, in the door pillars, rockers, tailgate. It has a long hose so you can get deep inside.

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-internal-frame-coating-14oz-aerosol.html

I literally sprayed until it ran out. I cleaned up the excess and moved on with body and paint.

After body and paint, I coated the same areas with fluid film, and plan to re-apply every year or two or as needed.

 

[Rustytruck]

don't forget inside the doors. just like the rockers they get dirt in them then the dirt gets moisture and doesnt allow it to dry and rust starts, gotta clean out then dry and seal them up. and leave the drain holes open. the hidden cowl channel is a prime suspect too. open up the ends blow out the crap inside and reseal it. the Eastwood frame sealer works good but you gotta work the tube round and round and back and forth to get good coverage it just doesnt happen if you just put the tube in and shoot.

 

[bigmuddy]

Best tip as EOTH said is only drive it in none wintery salty days, Buy a beater and let the rust eat at that ride!

Moving to the N east area and driving a bronco really doesn't make sense if you want to keep the rust to a minimum IMO.

You will find after one winter an amazing amount of rust on the bronco, been there done that!

 

[pipeline010]

I live in NJ on a barrier island and drive my truck every day. Here's some tips for you:

1. POR-15 the chassis (eastman is fine, POR15 is just sold in stores up here). Don't forget to do the internal chassis as well. Prep work is everything and expect to add another coat every few years.

2. POR15 everything really. I hit the pitman arms, the steering linkages (outside fittings obviously), knuckles, anything that is underneath and metal should be hit.

3. Grease everything that needs it 1-2x/year.

4. and this is my best tip for you.....the state of NY has a contract with Fluid Film where their entire fleet of school buses is hit with Fluid Film in bays once per year. You can have this treatment done as well, will cost you about 100-150 bucks. DO it once/year for sure. They shoot it up your skirt and it just drips, keeping rust at bay.

Down in NJ almost no one does this. There is a treatment center outside of philly that does it. it's our only option.

5. Want to drive it all winter too? Get a FG body. There's no way around it, these things are sealed like fitted legos (ie not at all). Your body will be trashed, don't even bother to fight it. 100% of my focus is on the chassis and mechanicals, there's no winning against body rust up here. When it goes too far I'll replace with glass, keeping my fenders, grill, etc metal.