Bought new pickup should I get it undercoated ?

[Mcdust]

I use a product called Rus-Fre. It is a thick liquid that turns to a soft wax. I warm it in my shop microwave and spray it on with an undercoating gun, being very careful to get inside bed supports and other nooks and crannies and get all brake lines etc. I did my plow truck in 2012 and just did another coat. No rust except 2 spots I missed by not removing the front fender liners the first time. I live in Mass. where they use an incredibly aggressive liquid that makes salt look tame. Highly recommended but a lift is desirable. They have recently changed the label to "inner panel undercoating" but works great on all exposed surfaces and doesn't wash off like fluid film or NH oil.

 

[Kschwennsen]

get the goopiest stickiest non-drying tar sprayed under the truck and you should be fine. I work At Curt in Eau Claire and I see a lot of rusted trucks up on this end of the state and the GM trucks that have the undercoating sprayed on stay like new for at least 5 years.

 

[A-P]

My experience in NH is that in the rust belt, you should undercoat. I have it done by a local guy that sprays hydraulic fluid (I think). I lost the battle with rust on my 1996 Ford F150 with only 190k miles. I really loved that truck. I tried scraping and painting with rust converter twice at huge expense. It hardly slowed the rust down. On my 2012 Ford F250 I've undercoated with oil once a year every year and it looks fine after ten years. A huge difference over my F150. I also undercoat my 2020 with the aluminum bed because... it cost $43 thousand dollars! So, in my experience, yes you should undercoat. Pick something you can live with and go with it. Oil smells strong for a few days and it creeps everywhere, but Im still driving my old truck and still missing my F150.

 

[rustyash]

I bought a new Ram in 2020 and the first thing I did (within 300 miles) was have it ziebarted and a rhino liner sprayed in the bed. Ziebart guarantees no rust for 10 years with the annual check-up. I'm 65 now so I'm hoping this truck will last as long as I can

 

[CaptFerd]

Dont do it. This happen to me took 5 years to destroy my truck

 

[I Piddle]

I am not able to give you an answer based on experience, just have some thoughts that were bounced around to me when I bought a new Ford in 2018. These trucks have some type of rust protection that comes from the factory. Undercoating is just another money maker. Most of us spend hundred or thousand more for add-ons.
I do know that my step bars are rusting. That is an issue I see bouncing around on the internet. I didn't buy the undercoating and I am not sure if undercoating is that effective. Nearly all cars made in the 1970's rusted out. Then manufactures did something and rusting went away. Now we are seeing body panel rust again.
You may want to crawl under the step bars and paint undercoating there.

 

[NWOH_Grizz]

My 2011 F-150 started rusting the rear corners of the cab. Took it to a body man I trust, he said he could fix it but it'll come back in a year or so. He put it on a lift and showed me several holes in the frame and body where Ford didn't put any seals, and that allowed water to intrude. When you first get it, put it on a lift and check for areas that would allow water to get in and seal them up. I would also get a couple of rattle cans of undercoating spray and hit those pinch welds and other suspicious places. Spray it on sparingly (not real thick), don't spray it all over, and avoid electrical items.

 

[c50ge]

2022 Ford F-150 extended cab. Would love to hear some of your opinions-experience about undercoating. Living in Wisconsin rust is a really big issue.
I’m definitely not a high miles driver and at 68 years old this could be my last new truck.

after driving in salty conditions take your vehicle through a car wash with undercarriage wash, I’ve also seen where guys make an undercarriage wash that hooks up to your pressure washer that you pass under your truck or drive over to rinse off the frame of the truck.

2022 Ford F-150 extended cab. Would love to hear some of your opinions-experience about undercoating. Living in Wisconsin rust is a really big issue.
I’m definitely not a high miles driver and at 68 years old this could be my last new truck.

 

[edmoor]

All trucks are junk anymore...can't stop the rust..recycled steel.?

 

[Cycledude]

Did you buy the optional rear wheel-well liners or install some after-market wheel-well liners?? That's the first thing I'd recommend on a new F-150. I still can't believe they sell them without the liners. What a cheap way for Ford to save a very few dollars on a vehicle . . .

First line of defense is to keep your rear wheels from slinging all that road crud everywhere under the frame and suspension.

Mine seems to have fender liners made of some sort of fabric not plastic or steel, I have also heard that the fabric stuff doesn’t last very well and really have no idea if that’s actually true or not.