What shall I do with rusts underbody?

amazing.. so many months and no reply from anyone to the OP question. I was researching about rust proofing 2012 prius v and all I see people saying these cars dont need it but obviously they do get rusted and its wise to protect your investment.

Which service should I go to who knows how to rust proof a hybrid ? I am in Toronto Canada and we get lots of salt and lots of rusted cars. I had to throw away two cars to scrap for this reason and I cant afford to do it again.

anyone ??

 

I see not so many are interested, though I have the same question now: the axis and read wheel area is not so nice, especially the dust cover. Do you guys think it still can be saved any way?

dust cover rust p3 Oct 25, 2018 at 7:45 PM

 

Hey, where can you lift your car like this in Buffalo? Was this in a service or you know a rent-out-place-for-an-hour?

 

@edthefox5 and @Mendel Leisk are our resident rust experts. i don't recall anyone actually claiming their car rusted out

 

Ahh, well, maybe only few are from north-NY or Pennsylvania, that even worse. I can imagine there is not much rust in Florida or California..

 

lots of prius in the salt belt. it just looks worse than it is

 

You probably right, however if you see my video it not only looks bad, but actually broke-bad

 

hard to tell. it does look bad though. do you have pics of it after you took it off?

 

Not a wise thing to do.
"rustproofing" services are good ONLY at taking money from you......and they do little to nothing to stop rust that has already started.

Don't worry about it........unless and until there really is a problem.
The important parts almost NEVER rust enough to cause a problem.

Edit: Aw, carp. Drawn into an old thread.

 

PC members have recommended Boeshield T-9.



Another has tried Fluid Film designed for under coatings.

 

Underbody rust starts real easy, even in our relatively mild, west coast climate. It seems like rust preventative coatings aren't being used. I found all the small bolts and screws on the underside rust up fast. The suspension looks to have a single, mostly cosmetic coat of black paint, rusts through fast.

I just got under there myself, have done it a couple times now. Raise the rear one time, the front another. Used a brass brush, various nylon brushes, and various rust-"delaying" oils. Last time around I painted with boiled linseed oil, and that seems to be lasting the best.

I'd also recommend to back out, oil and reinstall any of the small bolts holding plastic panels. Actually, with severe rust as pictured above, use caution: they may be too far gone, you'll just snap the heads off.

Still, the conditions in the pic and video above are much worse than what I'm seeing: lots more miles and harsher winter, lots of road salt.

 

oh no, I didn't dare, I better asked the experts first.
I'm also thinking about Corroseal, however this part I think cannot be saved?

 

hard to say without seeing it. maybe the bolts/nuts are loose?

 

Those plastic panels trap salt and organic material that absorbs moisture and promotes rust.

It's really hard to do anything to slow it down, once it has began. You want to remove the plastic panels, mechanically scrape off the flakey rust and then spray the remaining solid surface rust with a "phosphoric acid" rust converter like Krud Kutter "Must for Rust. Then, you need to let it dry, wash the remaining residue with clean water and let it dry fully. Then, spray the surface with a rust proofing compound like Noxudol or Transtar 4423.

Only the, you can replace the plastic panels.
Check to see all the drain holes are clear at the bottom of the doors and quarter panels. Wash them out of all accumulated organic and water absorbing debris. Let it dry for about a week and spray rustproofing with the wand into the small openings.

Since the Rohs ban on hexavalent plated chrome and cadmium plated bolts, most all manufacturers have switched to the less rust resistant electroplated zinc coatings. Removing them, coating them with rustproofing and reinstalling them would help to lengthen their lives.

An added benefit of petroleum based rustproofing is that it repels mice and other rodents that can eat soy based wire insulation.

 

What about my linseed oil: just my luck mice flock to it...

 

One of the most vulnerable parts are the steel brake lines. many are coated with an epoxy sealant. Those that are not should be coated with rustproofing. The steel fittings are also very vulnerable to rust.

 

I found all the welds on the suspension especially rust-prone, maybe because they're rough, trap dirt/salt more. Also all the bolts, even most of the big/serious ones, rust like crazy.

 

My 2008 had a rusty right rear rocker panel in front of the back wheel. When I traded it in it was about a foot long but no hole yet. Unibody cars get a lot of their strength from the rocker panels. I gave it to the dealership with 108,000 miles when I bought my new one.
Taking your car to a place that sprays a coating of gooey stuff under the car will do very little unless the rust is removed. If I was going to do it myself I would just paint it with one of the rust converters or like Mendel said and feed the mice.
That brake dust cover needs replaced.

 

If you want a real "professional" recommendation on what to do...........

Visit an independent shop or three that has been in business for a long time......and that does NOT do "undercoating" and ask them about your rust.

Once it starts, most anything you do is just a waste of time and money.
That is largely true for what you try to do when it is brand new too.

Car makers in general will plate or coat the parts that NEED to be protected and will not waste their time and money on protecting parts that will outlast the mechanics of the car (and maybe even the owner) without any special attention.