Fluid Film & Sand

[yoopercharged]

For those of you located in wintry climates, I'm looking for some advice.

Last year I had NHOU (essentially Fluid Film) sprayed on the bottom of my truck. It did a great job protecting from corrosion over the winter months, but I had my truck at Silver Lake a few times over the summer and the remaining grease grabbed onto a bunch of sand, resulting in a huge mess.

How do you clean up said mess before applying an annual coat? I tried using a pressure washer to clean off the majority of it, but found that the nozzle needs to get within a few inches of the surface to really strip off debris. Not exactly easy to do when you're crawling under a truck. Am I overthinking this? Do I just remove as much as possible and spray another coat over top of whatever remains? Anybody deal with this before that can shine some light?

To be clear, I don't really care if the bottom of the truck looks "clean", I just want to make sure I'm keeping it protected.

Thanks!

 

[JohnyPython]

If the metal is still coated I would leave it. Perhaps most sand/dirt would fall off in spring.

I would just touch up for this year.

 

[Gen1TillDeath]

Every spring I pressure wash the fluid film as best I can then just recoat entirely in the fall. You don’t HAVE to wash it off, won’t hurt it , that’s the point lol. But I also don’t want a crazy amount of layers on it either. Again I would just wash off what you can and recoat

 

[dsiggi]

I don't use fluid film but I do use corrossionx in all the cavities on the underbody and frame, i used mavcoat steel sheild or sometimes now CRC marine (cosmoline based) the day I picked up the truck on all of the underbody non cavity areas for this exact reason. The corrisionX holds some sand but its runs all over so much as isnt as thick as fluid film so its minor. I just powerwash and respray everyyear. Id just powerwash and touch up what needs to be done. Otherwise just leave it.

 

[yoopercharged]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the input. I will just wash off the sand as best as possible and recoat.

 

[MDJAK]

Perhaps slight overkill but you get what you pay for sometimes.

Obsessed Garage Mosmatic Undercarriage and Surface Cleaner

An undercarriage cleaner was something I would have never thought I would need until now. In late 2020 Jaimie from Mosmatic visited our shop and showed me this new prototype of a undercarriage and surface cleaner that made completely out of stainless steel. After seeing it would fit under my GT3...

www.obsessedgarage.com

Cheaper alternative

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0854557S6/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

 

[yoopercharged]

Perhaps slight overkill but you get what you pay for sometimes.

Obsessed Garage Mosmatic Undercarriage and Surface Cleaner

An undercarriage cleaner was something I would have never thought I would need until now. In late 2020 Jaimie from Mosmatic visited our shop and showed me this new prototype of a undercarriage and surface cleaner that made completely out of stainless steel. After seeing it would fit under my GT3...

www.obsessedgarage.com

Cheaper alternative

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0854557S6/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

That looks like a cool product but holy crap - $650!?

Second one I could see. I'll have to get a more powerful pressure washer though because I currently have to get within a few inches of the surface to strip off the sand/oil layer.

 

[MDJAK]

That looks like a cool product but holy crap - $650!?

Second one I could see. I'll have to get a more powerful pressure washer though because I currently have to get within a few inches of the surface to strip off the sand/oil layer.

True. I have two different ones, both around the $50 price point. While they are decent, not powerful enough to make a real difference with my Kranzle electric pressure washer. Haven’t used them in long time. I figure what I don’t see under there is out of mind. And I tend to trade in my vehicles within a year or so, so who cares. lol.

 

[thatJeepguy]

I am going to pop some CRC or fluid film this year. Ive seen Project farm test it and damn that stuff works good.
I would assume you could just use a hot water pressure wash with detergent and re coat after all the sand is off… that CRC seemed to still have a bit of bond even post pressure wash.

 

[dsiggi]

I am going to pop some CRC or fluid film this year. Ive seen Project farm test it and damn that stuff works good.
I would assume you could just use a hot water pressure wash with detergent and re coat after all the sand is off… that CRC seemed to still have a bit of bond even post pressure wash.

Id do CRC on any underbody frame, body areas (make sure its clean first) and only stuff that runs inside frames , rockers etc..... less mess and effective. I have a really clean underbody after 5 years, 75k miles and michigan winters. Any areas ie a couple welds that have some rust I just hit with CorrosionX Extended Duty to kill it off.