Brand new to Ford - 2024 new Ranger Lariat - Undercoat ?

[trock85]

Hi Every

Just joined, and just brought home a new 2024 ranger lariat w towing and sport packages. Couldn’t pass this deal up.

love the truck so far but dont know anything abut them really, I have had RAM 1500s and a Colorado in my life. I love Trucks and am super impressed with this Ranger

Blue

so, I try and read the manuals and watch videos and learn. I have watched and read in places that these are possibly more prone to rust underneath ? I live in northern PA and we do get snow and salt. I have no problem undercoating but I know nothing about it. I did not undercoat my RAMs or Colorado

But this is my, leep it 10 plus years truck as I head into retirement, and I want to put some time and money into it now to help down the road

so all that being said what is the consensus on undercoating these? And, if so can you tell me what brand? Where to possibly. Go? What to expect in a price range etc ? And is it just the bottom to worry about ?

it also came with no spray in bed liner so I will be doing that a well but will post that question in another thread

thanks so much for having me!

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[stemplar]

You're probably best off with a lanolin-based undercoating such as woolwax, fluid film, or surface shield. Coat everything except the brakes and exhaust, and in a few months do it again. After that, annual touch ups with your oil change and you're good.

It creeps into crevices and displaces water, unlike the rubber or hard undercoatings that crack and let water in, hiding rust until it's too late.

 

[superj]

On the older ranger forum and the jeep forums, they say fluid film or something like that for exactly what is said in the post above

 

[trock85]

Awesome ! Thank you so cut for that, I never thought about the hard coat actually cracking nd letting moisture in, wow, that is great advice ad teaching, thank you

is this something a shop can do or is it something that you Do?

 

[superj]

The guys on the other forums do both ways. Some do it themselves and some take it to a shop. I would try a shop the first few times so i could see how everything works with it, myself.

 

[Kubie]

The guys on the other forums do both ways. Some do it themselves and some take it to a shop. I would try a shop the first few times so i could see how everything works with it, myself.

 

[Kubie]

I live in s.w. pa., have the same truck and took it to a shop to have it sprayed with fluid film. Cost about $350 initially and I have to take it back every year for touch up work. I took it there because they take panels off and get the product where we cant.

 

[Lexie]

Hi Every

Just joined, and just brought home a new 2024 ranger lariat w towing and sport packages. Couldn’t pass this deal up.

love the truck so far but dont know anything abut them really, I have had RAM 1500s and a Colorado in my life. I love Trucks and am super impressed with this Ranger

Blue

so, I try and read the manuals and watch videos and learn. I have watched and read in places that these are possibly more prone to rust underneath ? I live in northern PA and we do get snow and salt. I have no problem undercoating but I know nothing about it. I did not undercoat my RAMs or Colorado

But this is my, leep it 10 plus years truck as I head into retirement, and I want to put some time and money into it now to help down the road

so all that being said what is the consensus on undercoating these? And, if so can you tell me what brand? Where to possibly. Go? What to expect in a price range etc ? And is it just the bottom to worry about ?

it also came with no spray in bed liner so I will be doing that a well but will post that question in another thread

thanks so much for having me!

If you going to paint inside your bed, I fount this product which applies a very thick layer and easy to do.

 

[RangerWilly]

I got mine undercoated with the lanolin based a week after purchase. Shop told me I would not have to touch up ever. I'm seeing some mention annual treatments. Is that real? I cant imagine the shop I used telling me not to come back and give them more money if there were any kind of justification for it.

 

[superj]

If you going to paint inside your bed, I fount this product which applies a very thick layer and easy to do.

I tried this kit on my 87 jeep wrangler to replace the carpeted interior and it was not as good as a rubberized one. It looked super but dried to be hard, like paint, so one time when i was working on the roll bar, i accidentally dropped a wrench and it cracked it and some spots broke out.

I would go with a different brand that is less hard and more rubbery, just from the experience i had with it

 

[stemplar]

I got mine undercoated with the lanolin based a week after purchase. Shop told me I would not have to touch up ever. I'm seeing some mention annual treatments. Is that real? I cant imagine the shop I used telling me not to come back and give them more money if there were any kind of justification for it.

I'd say one of two things would explain this: first, perhaps the undercoating isn't lanolin based but actually a rubber-based undercoating. This is easy enough to verify by running your finger or a rag over some of the coating; if it's dry and hard it's not lanolin and if it wipes away it is. The other possible explanation is that the shop you used either doesn't know what they're saying or what they're doing. All lanolin-based undercoatings are oil-based and stay soft which is their strength and weakness. Strength in the sense that they're "self-healing" and they penetrate small spaces and crevices, but a weakness in the sense that they're easy to remove and wash away over time. There are no exceptions to their durability that I'm aware of.

 

[RangerWilly]

I'd say one of two things would explain this: first, perhaps the undercoating isn't lanolin based but actually a rubber-based undercoating. This is easy enough to verify by running your finger or a rag over some of the coating; if it's dry and hard it's not lanolin and if it wipes away it is. The other possible explanation is that the shop you used either doesn't know what they're saying or what they're doing. All lanolin-based undercoatings are oil-based and stay soft which is their strength and weakness. Strength in the sense that they're "self-healing" and they penetrate small spaces and crevices, but a weakness in the sense that they're easy to remove and wash away over time. There are no exceptions to their durability that I'm aware of.

It may not be lanolin specifically. Commercially it's labeled 'Valugard' and claims it's wax based with self-healing properties. I would expect a touch-up at some point. Shop's been around a long time with a good reputation locally. I'm a little surprised they told me no touch up necessary though.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

We have Krown here in Canada and it's a fluid film base. Have had all my vehicles done over the years.

 

[stevieb36]

I will be purchasing a Ranger XLT 4x4 to drive on the Delaware beaches shortly and I have done a lot of research on undercoating for my application as I intend this vehicle to last 10+ years. I intend to use a sprinkler or a carwash to wash off the sand from the underside of my vehicle, so the undercoating will need to be fairly thick and will not wash off easily . I believe the best two options for me are:
NHOU that offers a warranty- multiple dealers in Northern PA.
WoolWax which many users have recommended. No warranty but plenty of PA based dealers.
Happy trails

 

[OHTREMOR]

Hi Every

Just joined, and just brought home a new 2024 ranger lariat w towing and sport packages. Couldn’t pass this deal up.

love the truck so far but dont know anything abut them really, I have had RAM 1500s and a Colorado in my life. I love Trucks and am super impressed with this Ranger

Blue

so, I try and read the manuals and watch videos and learn. I have watched and read in places that these are possibly more prone to rust underneath ? I live in northern PA and we do get snow and salt. I have no problem undercoating but I know nothing about it. I did not undercoat my RAMs or Colorado

But this is my, leep it 10 plus years truck as I head into retirement, and I want to put some time and money into it now to help down the road

so all that being said what is the consensus on undercoating these? And, if so can you tell me what brand? Where to possibly. Go? What to expect in a price range etc ? And is it just the bottom to worry about ?

it also came with no spray in bed liner so I will be doing that a well but will post that question in another thread

thanks so much for having me!

Have had factory spray in bed liners and aftermarket Rhino linings. I would say the Rhino lining is much better, seems to wear better and looks better longer.

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